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  • battery maintenance

    I recently purchased a GDRV 2020 model 2670 and was told to plug the electrics in several days before I planned on taking trailer out to actively use. I was told that the trailer battery may over charge if I left it plugged in continuously for long periods. My question is: Doesn't my trailers battery charger have some sort of (trickle charge) maintenance system. In the past I have always just left my trailer plugged in to my home 20 amp system and not worried about it Has something changed?

  • #2
    Most converters aren’t great for a battery’s long term health. If you check the water once a month it’s tolerable. Leaving it unplugged will be worse, because the battery will quickly go dead and will lose capacity fairly quickly.
    John & Kathy
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    2014 F250 SC SB 6.2

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    • #3
      Originally posted by Dougstar View Post
      I recently purchased a GDRV 2020 model 2670 and was told to plug the electrics in several days before I planned on taking trailer out to actively use. I was told that the trailer battery may over charge if I left it plugged in continuously for long periods. My question is: Doesn't my trailers battery charger have some sort of (trickle charge) maintenance system. In the past I have always just left my trailer plugged in to my home 20 amp system and not worried about it Has something changed?
      Jkwilson is correct.

      If I might expand on his input, for long periods of time ("long" being a week IMO), your owner's manual advises to ensure the battery is fully charged and then to disconnect the negative lead from the battery. Otherwise the smaller current being drawn from the battery will eventually drain it--a bad result with a wet cell battery.

      There's a lot of additional input regarding batteries and battery maintenance...if you're interested. (Don't want to overwhelm you.)

      Welcome to RV ownership.

      Howard
      Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

      2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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      • #4
        Dougstar -- forgot to mention--please check out the Welcome Letter to New Members https://gdrvowners.com/forum/main-fo...to-new-members
        Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

        2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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        • #5
          What I have done over the years of RV ownership is just that. Plug the trailer in a few days or a week before our trip. Turn on the fridge to get it cooled down and ready for food. When returning from camping , if not going out for 2 or 3 weeks or so we unloaded the camper and left unplugged until a 4 or 5 days before the next trip. We did this plenty of times but always had shore power when camping. Does this deplete the life of the general deep cycle battery , probably. I really did not think about it much , prior to the invention of the Forum and all the info gained from it. All I really needed battery power was for the travel time to the campground and then back home. Batteries for me tended to last about 3 years or so. If I disconnected and stored at proper voltage , and maintained it properly , maybe I would have gotten better life. Today with all the knowledge gained here I have made a true battery disconnect and try to store it at a proper voltage and maintain proper water levels. I say "try" because I have indoor storage and can work on projects thru the winter months and have been known to leave the camper with shore power turned off and a light on in the camper running the battery dead in a week before I get back to work on it. This is probably shortening my battery life. If I was to do a little more "boondocking" I would probably make a different set up.

          If you only camp once a month or so I would disconnect the ground after full charge until needed and maintain proper water levels. If you use the RV 2 or 3 times a month I would just leave it plugged in and also maintain the water levels.

          Brian
          Brian & Michelle
          2018 Reflection 29RS
          2022 Chevy 3500HD

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          • #6
            Take battery home, use a trickle charger whenever the RV is not being used. 20+ years of doing so and my batteries have lasted many years. Check water now and then. I have never trusted RV converters.

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            • #7
              Originally posted by Dougstar View Post
              I recently purchased a GDRV 2020 model 2670 and was told to plug the electrics in several days before I planned on taking trailer out to actively use. I was told that the trailer battery may over charge if I left it plugged in continuously for long periods. My question is: Doesn't my trailers battery charger have some sort of (trickle charge) maintenance system. In the past I have always just left my trailer plugged in to my home 20 amp system and not worried about it Has something changed?
              I take my battery out of the TT if in storage longer than a few weeks. Bring it home and hook it up to a Battery Tender charger and maintainer. Stays hooked up the not we are ready to get the TT for the next trip. It is always topped off and ready to go.
              Mike & Lisa
              Central Florida
              2021 Imagine 2970RL
              1996 Chevy K3500 Crew SRW 7.4L Gas

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by Dougstar View Post
                I recently purchased a GDRV 2020 model 2670 and was told to plug the electrics in several days before I planned on taking trailer out to actively use. I was told that the trailer battery may over charge if I left it plugged in continuously for long periods. My question is: Doesn't my trailers battery charger have some sort of (trickle charge) maintenance system. In the past I have always just left my trailer plugged in to my home 20 amp system and not worried about it Has something changed?
                Much good feedback shared, however, to answer your question which I think was not directly answered, yes, the converter does have a float mode (trickle charge rate) allowing the RV to be plugged into a 120V outlet w/o having to disconnect the 120V power cord all the time. This s/b covered in your main Owners Manual along with being covered in a "manual" on the converter in your RV.....I suspect a WFCO.

                Our Owners Manual covers this and addresses the need to periodically check the battery water for lead acid batteries.

                Dan
                Dan & Carol
                2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
                2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD - 2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

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                • #9
                  Further to Dan's Canyonlight advice in post 8 . . . there is absolutely no need to remove and trickle charge a healthy lead-acid battery. The self discharge rate is less than 5% per month. Considerably less in low temperature storage. All that is necessary is to disconnect one or the other of the battery cables to assure that there is no external current flow. Lots of good battery information (including self discharge info) at https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/...n_modern_times

                  Rob
                  Cate & Rob
                  (with Border Collies Molly & Angel + Kitties Hazel & Elsie)
                  2015 Reflection 303RLS
                  2022 F350 Diesel CC SB SRW Lariat
                  Bayham, Ontario, Canada

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                  • #10
                    I have a question regarding the battery disconnect switch. If when I go to put my Imagine 3110BH in storage for 2 to 3 weeks should I just use the battery disconnect switch? Also I read in the other forum that when the schwintek control loses power the slide switch has to be held down in the in position when slides are in and vice versus for about three seconds.
                    Brent, Krista, and our 6 year old nugget
                    Cruising with two Black Labs, Lestat and Pandora
                    2021 Ram 3500 Dually Long Bed 4X4 HO Cummins (Blue Sapphire)
                    2021 Imagine 3110BH (The Dog House)

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                    • #11
                      When I put mine in storage I remove the positive battery cable from the battery. I have never had to do anything special with our slides after reconnecting. We do have one schwintek slide on our trailer.
                      Mike & Lisa
                      Central Florida
                      2021 Imagine 2970RL
                      1996 Chevy K3500 Crew SRW 7.4L Gas

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by OurNewEra View Post
                        When I put mine in storage I remove the positive battery cable from the battery. I have never had to do anything special with our slides after reconnecting. We do have one schwintek slide on our trailer.
                        Appreciate the info. I think my slide issues posted in the slide section had to do with my battery draining while in storage as when I went to lift the tongue up the battery was dead and I charged it back but I guess nor enough.
                        Brent, Krista, and our 6 year old nugget
                        Cruising with two Black Labs, Lestat and Pandora
                        2021 Ram 3500 Dually Long Bed 4X4 HO Cummins (Blue Sapphire)
                        2021 Imagine 3110BH (The Dog House)

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Love2GoFastUSCG View Post
                          I have a question regarding the battery disconnect switch. If when I go to put my Imagine 3110BH in storage for 2 to 3 weeks should I just use the battery disconnect switch? Also I read in the other forum that when the schwintek control loses power the slide switch has to be held down in the in position when slides are in and vice versus for about three seconds.
                          Brent,

                          There are other components in these rigs that are not connected to the battery switch and directly connected to the battery. Items such as propane alarm, radio memory functions and so on. So the battery switch being turned off will still result in a dead battery in a couple weeks.
                          It would be best if the manufacturers wired everything through the battery switch like many of us are doing.
                          Otherwise, its best to disconnect the battery if the rig is being stored for more than a few days.

                          For the Schwintek slide, its always best to hold the switch down about 3 seconds after stopping to ensure the system remains in sync.

                          Jim

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Love2GoFastUSCG View Post
                            I have a question regarding the battery disconnect switch. If when I go to put my Imagine 3110BH in storage for 2 to 3 weeks should I just use the battery disconnect switch? Also I read in the other forum that when the schwintek control loses power the slide switch has to be held down in the in position when slides are in and vice versus for about three seconds.
                            I have noticed on my camper that after I hook the battery back up I have to push the switch for the Schwintek slide a couple times , I think this is to wake up the controller. If there is enough battery power , even on shore power , these Schwintek slides do not like to work properly. Keep a well charged battery and they should be fine.

                            Brian
                            Brian & Michelle
                            2018 Reflection 29RS
                            2022 Chevy 3500HD

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              For years I have kept my trailers and batteries connected to power when not in use letting the converter do its job. The last pair of agm batteries were replaced after 7 years.
                              Interesting note about Schwintek. Good to know.
                              Ted
                              2021 Reflection 310RLS
                              2020 F350 PS,CC,LB,SRW

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