FWC Battery care

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Bombsight

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May 4, 2015
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I have dual deep cell batteries in my 2016 Hawk.

When in storage, what is the best method of maintaining their integrity and extending their life?

I have been leaving them plugged into shore power with the main powers silver knob near the fuse box pulled out.

Any advice from the electronic gurus here @ wtw?

Stan?
 
I know of these ...

http://www.batterytender.com/

http://www.batteryminders.com/

http://www.batteryminders.com/batteryminder-model-128cec1-12v-2-4-8-amp-charger-maintainer-desulfator/
I have used this one for many many years. In the later fall, I put the camper battery and all the mower batteries in my basement and use the BatteryMinder separately on each battery for a week or two and just rotate them until spring. I even take the BatteryMinder in the camper on all trips just in case...

Mike
 
Since my camper is stored outside, I let my solar keep the battery up when the camper just sits, the controller has a stepped charging system, so it goes into float/maintenance mode when charging is done. If your camper is inside, solar is out but you can use a battery tender(float charger) as mentioned above, or if you have an Iota 30 power system in the camper you should have auto charge capability with that unit. If the Iota doesn't have the maintainer module installed, it is a plug in mod. to the back of the unit.
 
Thanks for the links, guys.
Is there a system where I could use the pigtail FWC supplies for land power hookup? I'm trying to stay away from having to open the battery compartment inside the camper and the need to use alligator clips.

I'm impressed with that "Battery Tender" company.
 
You can plug into 110 to charge the battery. I don't know whether you can charge with 110 if the power is completely off so others will have to way in. I shut the power completely off when we store the camper so that it doesn't draw with the smoke and propane detectors. The camper is covered and I check on it every 3-4 weeks, and plug in the portable solar panel every 4-6 weeks. I usually go from the first of November until early March plugging in the portable solar 2-3 times. jd
 
Longhorn ... thats what I've been doing (110 plugged into FWC pigtail) but I'm not so sure thats the best thing for these deep cell batteries. I'm not even sure that a trickle charger is the best method.

smlobx ... that charger looks smart ... and I would probably buy it or the Battery Tender but I don't want to use alligator clips if I can get around it. Thanks for the input though. It may turn out to be the most useful bit of info.

I don't know much about electronics but the more I inquire, the more I get suspicious of various charging methods (i.e. 110 volts through FWC pig tail and trickle chargers of various makes and models).

I might try calling the Battery Tender company and getting a solid recommendation from them.
 
Bombsight the Noco Genius has two different methods of attachment. The clips like you mentioned and a pair of wires with rings that you can permanently attach to the terminals.
 
smlobx ... You're saying that the "Loops" can be left on the battery permanently and the other ends connection is easily accessible?

If so, I can live with something like that ... I'd just have to run the 110 power source through the turn buckle access door.
 
I have a Genius wired permanently to my batteries. If the camper is off the truck for the winter and stored indoors, I just plug that in and I'm good.

OUTSIDE, the solar panels are carefully tending the batteries way better than the Genius can via my Victron MPPT controller.
 
when it it off the truck? Extension cord ... through the door or turnbuckle door. Need to add an external AC port, but so far the good ones have scared me away with the price... $75 or so!

AND, I doubt I will ever use it now that my solar is working better than I had ever hoped. I think I have enough power to get 110v appliances to run inside my camper :eek: Well, at least an induction hot plate!
 
No one has mentioned a battery monitor. I believe a good battery monitor to be crucial to maintaining deep cycle batteries. You will always know your batteries condition and state of charge. Until I am able to install solar panels, I will monitor their state of charge and charge them as needed with the converter/charger. When not in use I leave them disconnected via the disconnect switch. I have found my batteries have a very slow rate of self discharge when disconnected. Since I just spent $500 on batteries, why would I not spend $150 to monitor their health? If you don't want to access your batteries to charge them, then I am sure you wouldn't want to access them to check them with a multimeter. Get a battery monitor so you don't have to guess, then you won't be over(or under) charging your batteries.
 
Doesn't the solar panels controller provide that info? ... or am I thinking otherwise?
 

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Yes and no. The solar controller has no idea how much power is coming into the batteries via the 110v Genius charger or your alternator. For that you need a battery monitor with a shunt, like the trimetric or victron energy units.

By the way, 12.0 v is quite discharged. What was going on when you took that picture?
 
Not all do. A stand alone monitor monitors not only charging but discharging. It can show amps coming in from ANY source or amps being used so you can determine how much juice any device draws. They will display % charge, so you can literally read them like a fuel gauge. Again they can show volts so you can determine if ANY charger being used is charging at the proper voltage for the type batteries being used. And on and on and on. If you want to get the most from your batteries you need to watch (monitor) them especially if you boondock.
 
Thanks, guys. Can we make this simple and just post some Amazon links as to what I need? :D

Vic ... I got that controller photo off the internet. Its not actually mine. Mine is just like it though.
 
If AGM batteries, good read here.

I do not keep my AGMs on a maintainer. On an as needed basis, I plug into shore power, monitor the battery state. I remove shore power once I have a full charge or when battery temp reaches 115F. I have a small, surface mounted thermometer on top of one of the batteries.
 
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