CTEK multi US 7002 battery charger

[Papa smurf]

When I got my AS earlier this summer I had to put it in storage whitout electricity hookup and soon realized the batteries were draining rather fast. I bought a CTEK battery charger and brought the batteries home where I kept them charged between trips. It seems the stock battery converter/ charger will eventually cook the batteries and you need to change the battery disconnect switch from use to store when you are connected to avoid this. Would leaving the switch in the store position and using the battery charger be a valid option. I am about to leave for a few months trip, every campgroung we will be staying at has electricity . I know that buying a different coverter/ charger would probably be a simpler solution but still would like to know if this would work.

[68 Overlander]

I think you are asking if its okay to leave the switch in "store" and charge with a maintainer. If the charger is connected directly to the batteries it will charge them albeit slowly but would also charge them in the "use" position. If part of your question is will both the Parallax converter and your trickle charger work together, they will but you can eliminate the potential and eventual overcharge by upgrading to a multi stage like the PD 4655 if you have 30 amp service. If by chance you have 50 amp service, ie the 555/5355, there is now a hard wire upgrade for that as well. Good luck

[Papa smurf]

Originally Posted by 68 Overlander

I think you are asking if its okay to leave the switch in "store" and charge with a maintainer. If the charger is connected directly to the batteries it will charge them albeit slowly but would also charge them in the "use" position. If part of your question is will both the Parallax converter and your trickle charger work together, they will but you can eliminate the potential and eventual overcharge by upgrading to a multi stage like the PD 4655 if you have 30 amp service. If by chance you have 50 amp service, ie the 555/5355, there is now a hard wire upgrade for that as well. Good luck

Thanks. I do have 50 amp service and I was just looking for a way to use the trickle charger I already have to avoid overcharging the batteries with the Parallax converter when I am hooked up. I will probably just take your advice and buy a new converter / charger

[68 Overlander]

If you decide to go that route, it completely eliminates the ambiguity of the stock unit, 100% of the time.

[Al and Missy]

I may be misunderstanding your question. I'm not sure what relevance the availability of electricity at campgrounds has. If you are asking can you leave the trailer in storage, with the switch in STORE, and the CTEK plugged in, yes. I use one to maintain the battery in a car I don't drive much.

One caution - the CTEK is VERY SENSITIVE to transients when connecting and disconnecting from the batteries. You must follow the instructions and connect the battery first and disconnect the battery last. If you plug into the wall and then connect to the battery it will kill the CTEK. For this reason I'm not sure whether the CTEK will tolerate the presence of a converter when camping with the switch in USE. Safest option is to disconnect from the batteries (after unplugging from the wall) prior to plugging in shore power.

EDIT - After thinking about it, I think I know what you are asking. The USE /STORE switch in the newer trailers isolates the batteries, leaving the converter connected to run the trailer. So can you camp with the switch in STORE and let the CTEK maintain the batteries, I would think so. I'm just concerned about whether the CTEK will tolerate it if you switch to USE while connected to shore power.


Al

[68 Overlander]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

One caution - the CTEK is VERY SENSITIVE to transients when connecting and disconnecting from the batteries. You must follow the instructions and connect the battery first and disconnect the battery last. If you plug into the wall and then connect to the battery it will kill the CTEK. For this reason I'm not sure whether the CTEK will tolerate the presence of a converter when camping with the switch in USE. Safest option is to disconnect from the batteries (after unplugging from the wall) prior to plugging in shore power.


Al

Good to know. I'm a fan of the Optimate for similar concerns + multiple battery banks during storage.

[Papa smurf]

I realize my question was not clear so let me try again and please tell me if this makes more sense.

-When left unplugged from shore power the batteries will slowly drain.

-Taking them out of the Airstream and putting them on the CTEK will keep them charged.

- When the Airstream is connected to shore power the battery disconnect can not be left on use all the time or it will overcharge the batteries

- To avoid this some people alternate from use to store every few days

- if always left on store the batteries will not be recharged

If this is all true and I do not know that it is would connecting the AS to the pedestal 50 amp, leaving the battery diconnect switch to store and plugging the CTEK on the 15 amp of the pedestal and connecting it directly to the batteries make sense or am I making this more complicated then it needs to be

[68 Overlander]

Originally Posted by Papa smurf

I realize my question was not clear so let me try again and please tell me if this makes more sense.

-When left unplugged from shore power the batteries will slowly drain.

-Taking them out of the Airstream and putting them on the CTEK will keep them charged.

- When the Airstream is connected to shore power the battery disconnect can not be left on use all the time or it will overcharge the batteries

- To avoid this some people alternate from use to store every few days

- if always left on store the batteries will not be recharged

If this is all true and I do not know that it is would connecting the AS to the pedestal 50 amp, leaving the battery diconnect switch to store and plugging the CTEK on the 15 amp of the pedestal and connecting it directly to the batteries make sense or am I making this more complicated then it needs to be

One more time on the last paragraph and we are there.

I think I got it now from rereading above. If you are in store, ANY charger connected direct to your batteries will charge them if it doesn't have to go through that shutoff switch.