Keeping Batteries Charged

[ljp]

What are the best ways to keep the travel trailer batteries charged when the trailer is parked for an extended period of time? Will a constant connection to an outlet keep the batteries at full charge?

[f6bits]

I disconnect my battery when it’s in storage. Why do you want to keep yours plugged in?

But back to your question, if you have a good three-stage power converter, it’ll drop down to a trickle to keep your battery topped off while your trailer is plugged in.

Some people use a small solar panel setup to keep the battery topped off.

[Klosequarters]

We winter our 5th wheel at the house and I plug it into a 20 AMP circuit about two weekends a month and it seems to do fine. I see no reason to keep it plugged in all the time with no real draw on the batteries. So far this winter I have not had to add distilled water. I like this better than removing the batteries and placing them in the garage where they would not freeze. Bottom-line for me is it seems to be working fine and I have power to run the slides out when I want to go inside and check the interior.

[smiller]

If you have access to power the best way is with a good charger that floats the battery at the proper temperature-compensated voltage, with maybe an automatic equalizing charge thrown in every once in a while. The worst way is with a crappy charger that sits at the wrong voltage for extended periods of time.

[pollockd]

install a Perko switch. It allows you to switch off the battery power to the TT. I also bought one with a key to lock it in the off position.

[Badboy]

Cougar has a battery disconnect

[Beerfix]

I dont trust the built in charger in the converter, so I remove the batterys, and keep the water topped up, and on a Battery Tender 2 bank charger in the shop. I think its a 1.25A charger.

[smiller]

I dont trust the built in charger in the converter,If it's the typical OEM unit, that's smart. Doing what you are doing (removing the batteries and using a Battery Tender) is a reasonable solution, but you can replace the original unit with a quality converter/charger for not too much money and save yourself the effort of moving the batteries around.

[Beerfix]

If it's the typical OEM unit, that's smart. Doing what you are doing (removing the batteries and using a Battery Tender) is a reasonable solution, but you can replace the original unit with a quality converter/charger for not too much money and save yourself the effort of moving the batteries around.

Yeah, I've been looking into that a little, or also how to isolate and disable the "charging" circuit in the converter, and just add an onboard smart charger.

[chuck&gail]

I use a battery cutoff switch. A small solar panel then keeps battery topped up.

[Hansel]

I disconnect the battery and use a solar charger keeps mine ready to use all the time.;)

[Frogdown]

I keep my trailer plugged in all year long. Have never had battery problems!