RC Pilot Jim
Senior Member
Camper Battery Usage Observation
Update Sept 2014
After 3 months of research you need it for 3 reasons:
1. Need to fully charge your battery and don't want a solar panel on your roof.
2. Charge battery 100% before leaving for a trip..
3. Sooner or later you will want to camp in an RV park because the state parks will be full, or you want a hot shower, or soak your muscles in a spa, maybe swim a few laps in a pool.
We get a full hookup site - plug in electric , fill the water bottles (spigot right there) and pour the portable grey water bag into the sewer pipe (no walking to the bathroom or dump station).
Electric runs the "refer" and charges the battery overnight so your ready for the state park or back road the next night.
This following history section describes my process
History
When the camper was new there was no major drop in voltage for almost two days. Now it is 2 years old. Monitoring the voltage drop I have noticed it doesn't hold 12.5 - 12.9 volts overnight . Now it is maintaining 12.6 volts.
Turning on the fridge voltage drops to 12.3 or lower almost immediately!!!. Since noticing that I have been putting the camper battery on an external battery charger overnight which than runs the fridge and charges the battery before the trip.
Shell vs Full camper
We have the shell model which doesn't have the "IOTA" converter that the full camper models have. So we have NO trickle charger "topping" off the battery when plugged into shore power.
Everything runs off the 12 volt battery. In the shell the camper battery receives a flow of current from truck alternator through the truck battery connection. Only time the battery is "topped" off is when it is on the solar panel.
Problem is the volume of "current" in the container is low.
What I know about batteries is over time they discharge - quicker if battery cables remain connected. In my case the camper is mounted full time so you would think it is fully charged because it is being driven all the time. Though now that we are retired we don't drive the truck every day (gas milege) - Sometimes it sits for a week or two.
Battery is like a "bucket of water". The volume is calculated to last 4,or 5 years depending on the size of the container. Modern cars have alternators not generators. Over time the battery loses volume because on-board computers drain the "bucket". Camper batteries work the same. . The IOTA converter on the regular camper "tops" off the battery when shore power is connected and charger/maintainer is on.
My 12 volt system only deep charges the battery either by solar or plugging into an external battery charger. Truck alternator powers the compressor refer when engine is running and flows charge to the aux battery, however it has to run 3-4 hours to top it off.
What to do?
Well putting battery on an external battery charger is not a very efficient solution.
Started researching for a small charger maintainer that I could put in the camper full time.
Battery Tender (a company I'm familiar with) makes a stand-a-lone 110 volt 1.25 amp charger maintainer. Their product used to be sold by camper World.
Camper World replacement product "Battery Doc" by Wirthco Engineering Inc Minnesota. "Battery Doc(tor)" is engineered by Wirthco, has a micro-processor, designed to today's technologies, comes with a 5 year guarantee and cost about $41 dollars (If your a Good Sam member cost is about $ 36 dollars).
Feature Highlights
1. Automatic "switching technology" switches from Full charge mode to float/maintenance mode
2. Overcharge protection
3. Charges and maintains batteries 24 hours per day, 365 days per year
An easy install which required drilling one hole from the battery compartment into the bed area where turnbuckle is located. connected AC cord to a "Husky 2 foot indoor/outdoor Multi-outlet (3) " x tension cord - about $14.00 dollars Home Depot. The male end is in front hanging on a wire tie screwed into an existing screw hole. Plug an x-tension cord in = AC power to your shell. (shell-shore power).
The multi-outlet comes in handy in the winter because we can use a portable electric heater while camping places that offer electric and water sites.
Note: charger carton has an English and a Spanish language side. (I photographed the Spanish side) English translations "Protects Battery Automatically"
Took about 12 hours to "fill" to full. Battery Doc full is 13.6 volts.
Field Report - July 20-25th
We camped 5 nights running the Engle refer, fan, lights and charging the IPAD on the single battery - engine off. The 1.25 amp " Battery Doc" (shell-shore power) easily kept the battery between 12.4 volts and full..
Update Sept 2014
After 3 months of research you need it for 3 reasons:
1. Need to fully charge your battery and don't want a solar panel on your roof.
2. Charge battery 100% before leaving for a trip..
3. Sooner or later you will want to camp in an RV park because the state parks will be full, or you want a hot shower, or soak your muscles in a spa, maybe swim a few laps in a pool.
We get a full hookup site - plug in electric , fill the water bottles (spigot right there) and pour the portable grey water bag into the sewer pipe (no walking to the bathroom or dump station).
Electric runs the "refer" and charges the battery overnight so your ready for the state park or back road the next night.
This following history section describes my process
History
When the camper was new there was no major drop in voltage for almost two days. Now it is 2 years old. Monitoring the voltage drop I have noticed it doesn't hold 12.5 - 12.9 volts overnight . Now it is maintaining 12.6 volts.
Turning on the fridge voltage drops to 12.3 or lower almost immediately!!!. Since noticing that I have been putting the camper battery on an external battery charger overnight which than runs the fridge and charges the battery before the trip.
Shell vs Full camper
We have the shell model which doesn't have the "IOTA" converter that the full camper models have. So we have NO trickle charger "topping" off the battery when plugged into shore power.
Everything runs off the 12 volt battery. In the shell the camper battery receives a flow of current from truck alternator through the truck battery connection. Only time the battery is "topped" off is when it is on the solar panel.
Problem is the volume of "current" in the container is low.
What I know about batteries is over time they discharge - quicker if battery cables remain connected. In my case the camper is mounted full time so you would think it is fully charged because it is being driven all the time. Though now that we are retired we don't drive the truck every day (gas milege) - Sometimes it sits for a week or two.
Battery is like a "bucket of water". The volume is calculated to last 4,or 5 years depending on the size of the container. Modern cars have alternators not generators. Over time the battery loses volume because on-board computers drain the "bucket". Camper batteries work the same. . The IOTA converter on the regular camper "tops" off the battery when shore power is connected and charger/maintainer is on.
My 12 volt system only deep charges the battery either by solar or plugging into an external battery charger. Truck alternator powers the compressor refer when engine is running and flows charge to the aux battery, however it has to run 3-4 hours to top it off.
What to do?
Well putting battery on an external battery charger is not a very efficient solution.
Started researching for a small charger maintainer that I could put in the camper full time.
Battery Tender (a company I'm familiar with) makes a stand-a-lone 110 volt 1.25 amp charger maintainer. Their product used to be sold by camper World.
Camper World replacement product "Battery Doc" by Wirthco Engineering Inc Minnesota. "Battery Doc(tor)" is engineered by Wirthco, has a micro-processor, designed to today's technologies, comes with a 5 year guarantee and cost about $41 dollars (If your a Good Sam member cost is about $ 36 dollars).
Feature Highlights
1. Automatic "switching technology" switches from Full charge mode to float/maintenance mode
2. Overcharge protection
3. Charges and maintains batteries 24 hours per day, 365 days per year
An easy install which required drilling one hole from the battery compartment into the bed area where turnbuckle is located. connected AC cord to a "Husky 2 foot indoor/outdoor Multi-outlet (3) " x tension cord - about $14.00 dollars Home Depot. The male end is in front hanging on a wire tie screwed into an existing screw hole. Plug an x-tension cord in = AC power to your shell. (shell-shore power).
The multi-outlet comes in handy in the winter because we can use a portable electric heater while camping places that offer electric and water sites.
Note: charger carton has an English and a Spanish language side. (I photographed the Spanish side) English translations "Protects Battery Automatically"
Took about 12 hours to "fill" to full. Battery Doc full is 13.6 volts.
Field Report - July 20-25th
We camped 5 nights running the Engle refer, fan, lights and charging the IPAD on the single battery - engine off. The 1.25 amp " Battery Doc" (shell-shore power) easily kept the battery between 12.4 volts and full..