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Old 12-11-2017, 01:17 PM   #1
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Best Trickle Charger to use

Took the batteries out of our 2016 while in storage. Would like to keep them up to charge at home. I've read a lot of different opinions but just want a charger that'll charge them both at once. Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.
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Old 12-11-2017, 02:49 PM   #2
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I have always pulled my boat batteries out and just hooked my 2/6 amp charger up to them once or twice for a day during the off season. They have always lived long lives.
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Old 12-11-2017, 05:18 PM   #3
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I have two of these
http://products.batterytender.com/Ch...emisphere.html
One of these
http://products.batterytender.com/Ch...electable.html
And one of these
http://products.batterytender.com/Ch...emisphere.html

They all work great for maintaining an already charged battery, and will top up a depleted battery given enough time.

The 800 mAh version is especially handy as it is weatherproof.
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Old 12-11-2017, 05:33 PM   #4
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Check out the NOCO brand chargers they have a lot to offer .
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Old 12-11-2017, 07:56 PM   #5
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Hi

With no load, batteries don't die very fast. A "once a week" charge process is plenty ... Anything that is not designed as a trickle charger should be on some sort of timer. .

In terms of trickle chargers, Battery Tender makes affordable stuff. CTEK makes good stuff if price is not a concern.

Bob
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Old 12-11-2017, 08:15 PM   #6
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Check out chargers from Pulse Tech. Used by airports and the military.
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Old 12-12-2017, 03:51 AM   #7
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I use a battery tender 1.25 amp.
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Old 12-12-2017, 07:58 AM   #8
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Can I use a battery tender while batteries hooked up?

A battery-tender question (and pardon me for introducing a new issue).

Can I use a battery tender on the batteries while they are in the battery box and wired up, or only when the batteries are disconnected?
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Old 12-12-2017, 08:03 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by woodfox45 View Post
Check out the NOCO brand chargers they have a lot to offer .
I went with the Noco Genius 3500. Seemed to offer a lot of features for a reasonable price, was pretty water resistant, and could be left attached.
In the past, I've had three Battery Tenders (Deltran) and my friend also has three. I had them on motorcycles. Today, all six are dead. I think they are overly sensitive to lightning storms, I can't explain it otherwise.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rollieboy View Post
Would like to keep them up to charge at home. I've read a lot of different opinions but just want a charger that'll charge them both at once.
IF they are similar, you can use two jumpers and charge them together in parallel. However, if they're at home, it's easy to charge one, then switch to the other.
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Old 12-12-2017, 09:14 AM   #10
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I'm a Battery Tender guy. I find them useful for the Airstream batteries as well as the Honda 3000 and our autos. However, I'm sure there are other brands worth considering as others have posted here. -John
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Old 12-12-2017, 09:15 AM   #11
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A battery-tender question (and pardon me for introducing a new issue).

Can I use a battery tender on the batteries while they are in the battery box and wired up, or only when the batteries are disconnected?
The battery tender is designed to use on batteries which are connected or disconnected. You are good to go.
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Old 12-12-2017, 09:44 AM   #12
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I went with my father's recommendation. The company he worked for bought many different kinds for emergency generator backup systems but finally settled on one trickle charger that they had no trouble with- Promariner. He told me to just get the "ProSport 6" as it would be sitting for days at a time in storage and quick charging would not be a problem. It would depend on how quick you would want it charged up- if that matters. They are also waterproof and gooe with flooded/AGM and Gel.

http://www.promariner.com/en/product.../prosport/gen3
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Old 12-12-2017, 02:37 PM   #13
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Another vote for the Noco. It’s the one I use. But I use the 7200 just because I’m impatient and wanted the batteries to charge faster...

http://www.ourflyingcloud.com/2017/09/new-charger.html
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Old 12-12-2017, 03:36 PM   #14
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I use Battery Saver base unit for $69.95 because it can also charge my boat AGMs. It will try to recover and condition a battery that has dropped too low for a conventional trickle charger. https://www.batterysaver.com/store/p15/3015
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Old 12-13-2017, 07:45 AM   #15
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Charging in parallel?

Any trick to charging the batteries (two) in parallel, while they are hooked up in the Airstream’s battery box?

Do I hook up to the positive on one battery and the negative of the other?

If not ... stop me before I do!

And will the low parasitic drains on the battery (such as for the propane detector) be an issue?
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Old 12-13-2017, 09:50 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WhereStream View Post
Any trick to charging the batteries (two) in parallel, while they are hooked up in the Airstream’s battery box?

Do I hook up to the positive on one battery and the negative of the other?

If not ... stop me before I do!

And will the low parasitic drains on the battery (such as for the propane detector) be an issue?
Use neg from one battery and pos from the other and no the parasitic load is not a factor you need to worry about.
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Old 12-13-2017, 10:59 AM   #17
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Your batteries are in parallel, so both + and both - are connected.
Using either +, and either - should do the job.

(assuming you have two 12.v. wet cell batteries.)

I guess I don't understand why using one positive and the other negative gains you anything.
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Old 12-16-2017, 10:19 AM   #18
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I guess I don't understand why using one positive and the other negative gains you anything.
My understanding is that when the charger is hooked to the positive on one battery and the negative on the the second with batteries in parallel is that the charging power brings both batteries up at the same level at the same time by flowing through both at the same time. Whereas hooking up the charger to just one battery will charge that first with the second lagging drawing its charge off the first?
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Old 12-16-2017, 12:41 PM   #19
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Quote:
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My understanding is that when the charger is hooked to the positive on one battery and the negative on the the second with batteries in parallel is that the charging power brings both batteries up at the same level at the same time by flowing through both at the same time. Whereas hooking up the charger to just one battery will charge that first with the second lagging drawing its charge off the first?
But the batteries are connected together with GIANT cables. I don't understand how a tiny parasitic draw can overcome the easy path between the batteries.
I understand that IF one battery is low and the other normal, then the charger reads the higher one and stops charging before the low one reaches parity.
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Old 12-17-2017, 07:07 AM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattirs View Post
My understanding is that when the charger is hooked to the positive on one battery and the negative on the the second with batteries in parallel is that the charging power brings both batteries up at the same level at the same time by flowing through both at the same time. Whereas hooking up the charger to just one battery will charge that first with the second lagging drawing its charge off the first?
Hi

The cables between the batteries are nice and stout (large cross section). They also are quite short. The combination of this gives them very low resistance. Ohm's law lets you know that voltage drop is proportional to resistance and current. With a really low resistance, your current would have to be in the many hundreds of amps to get to a significant drop. Your converter will only put out 30 to 50A max (depending on the setup of your AS). Your trickle charger will put out way less than that. All of them cut back on current as the charge process goes on. As the batteries try to level off, the problem (to the extent there is a problem) gets less and less.

Hook the charger wherever it's convenient. The one to each battery is just another piece of Wonderfull Nonsense ....

Bob
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