Battery chargers or not ???

[donnall]

This may sound like a real dumb question, but here goes.

On a MH does it have an on board charger to maintain the 3 batteries when it's pluged up to 110 shore power ? Or 30 amp for that matter ? Being new to the the RV thing, there's alot I don't yet.

I just bought some more little battery chargers/maintainers at Wal*Mart for my tractors and I was thinking about putting one on the Minnow unless it has one already.

Thanks
Don

[ALANSD]

motorhomes have a UNIVOLT which is both converter and charger. It should keep up the 2 house power batteries when plugged nto a/c power. The battery isolator will enable your alternator to charge the house batteries also when you are driving, but not overcharge them or the chassis or engine battery.
You will hear the univolt humming when plugged in this is normal operation.
I learned the hard way though that the univolt is not the most reliable for charging when you have the rig at home parked. It will likely overcharge or boil out the battery. My house batteries were fried from leaving it plugged in withut checking the voltage regularly. The small battery trickle type chargers will work batter for this. I check my voltage once a week or so and recharge as needed while it is parked.
Another note--you also should run your generator once a month or more for two hours minimum, and under load (I turn on the a.c or heat) to keep it operating well while stored, this also charges your batteries. Good luck---and ask away we are all in this together!

[donnall]

Thanks Alan,
That's what I needed to know.

I'm looking foreward to spending some time traveling next year. Hope we can get a bunch together, camp, visit, and pick. Looks like there may be a few pickers here, that could be real fun.

Thanks
Don