I know I have searched and searched, store or use?

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by THEPILL

I have read and read and cannot get a straight result.
. . .

So we may be right back where we started?



Plenty of advice for you to sort through . . . any chance of a photo of your Use/Store switch?

Good luck,

Peter

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by rmkrum

Mine is slightly customized. The solar panel controller is connected directly to the battery side of the Airstream OEM use/store latching relay. Rest of the wiring is bog standard from the factory. Propane detector runs all the time. In the summer heat in the high desert areas of Southern California I leave s fantastic fan with a cover running on the thermostat to keep the interior temperature reasonable. There is plenty of solar power alone to keep the batteries properly charged.
I do check battery water levels every month to be sure the plates are covered. I have a battery watering system on my two Golf Cart batteries that makes it easy to check and fill. So far, it uses very little water. The solar controller has a temperature sensor on the batteries and is an MPPT type with a 150 watt panel. The kit came from AMSolar and was self-installed 5-6 years ago by my son and me.

Not to confuse things further, but I might. If one is interested in reducing or eliminating parasitic drain, (propane detector on all the time) that single wire can easily be relocated. I know......safety and manufacturer code requirements and all....but let's be realistic, when would I ever be occupying the trailer with the store switch to "off". I simply removed the 12v feed for the propane detector from the positive junction block (hot all the time) to the breaker box positive bar. (downstream from the store switch). It has its own inline fuse. I still have about 75mA of parasitic draw which I have never chased down. Theory is the hydraulic brake actuator may have a keep alive circuit in its board. Not sure I want to eliminate that "always hot" circuit.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Relocated, or switched.

Bob
🇺🇸

[r carl]

Originally Posted by THEPILL

I have read and read and cannot get a straight result.

Today I had a 30 amp outlet installed and I am planning on keeping my AS plugged 24/7.

So question is the switch by door where should it be? Store? or Use? for best battery results.

Thank you, been awhile since I was on.

If you have upgraded to a more advanced multistage converter/charger then just leave it in use.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by r carl

If you have upgraded to a more advanced multistage converter/charger then just leave it in use.

Another question would be... why 24/7?🤔
I have found that when 'on the pad'... plug in when needed works better for us, regardless of use/store mode.

Bob
🇺🇸

[jnm30327]

I installed a kill switch on the battery. This cuts off all discharge (even for the propane detector) and all charging. It has given me peace of mind that I am neither discharging the battery with parasitic draws while in storage, nor do I have to worry about over charging the battery.

I have AGM batteries with a very low self discharge rate. Even after two months in storage, I have found the battery still fully charged just as I left it.

[Tomzstream]

Sheeesh! Ask a simple question...

If you have access to 30 amp, you most likely have a decent 15 or 20 amp 115V circuit as well. Just go buy a good quality Battery charger like a BatteryMinder brand and hook that up to your battery and let it maintain the charge. Use your 30 Amp for stuff in the trailer, like running the fridge before a trip to cool it down, or even running the AC to dehumidify once in awhile. Otherwise, put it in store. This solution is a lot less hassle than replacing your converter.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Tom,

You have been here long enough and should have realized by now that even 'simple' questions, simply asked, will not necessarily receive simple answers...correct answers will depend on the number of replies.

Bob
🇺🇸

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Tom,

You have been here long enough and should have realized by now that even 'simple' questions, simply asked, will not necessarily receive simple answers...correct answers will depend on the number of replies.

Bob
[emoji631]

The number of responses only increases the likelihood of a correct answer.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

The number of responses only increases the likelihood of a correct answer.

Rich.
You are so right...it was just today I learned, 'beefy' tow vehicles 'prevent' sway. 🤔
I never knew.

Bob
🇺🇸

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS

Rich.
You are so right...it was just today I learned, 'beefy' tow vehicles 'prevent' sway. 🤔
I never knew.

Bob
🇺🇸

huh, who'da thunk it?

[majorairhead]

Originally Posted by Tomzstream

Sheeesh! Ask a simple question...

If you have access to 30 amp, you most likely have a decent 15 or 20 amp 115V circuit as well. Just go buy a good quality Battery charger like a BatteryMinder brand and hook that up to your battery and let it maintain the charge. Use your 30 Amp for stuff in the trailer, like running the fridge before a trip to cool it down, or even running the AC to dehumidify once in awhile. Otherwise, put it in store. This solution is a lot less hassle than replacing your converter.

This is what I did back in the day before having a high tech converter...

[guskmg]

The only 100% best solution is a master DC disconnect, a master solar disconnect, and a master inverter (or converter) disconnect. Since you already have a Main AC circuit breaker you can isolate any or all electrical sources. My system has an AC input circuit breaker to the inverter. All converters are protected with a circuit breaker. In storage, you can turn them all off to prevent residual drain. No need to disconnect the AC power cord. Then if you have a system go down you isolate and keep on camping.
guskmg

[franklyfrank]

Originally Posted by THEPILL

I have read and read and cannot get a straight result.

Today I had a 30 amp outlet installed and I am planning on keeping my AS plugged 24/7.

So question is the switch by door where should it be? Store? or Use? for best battery results.

Thank you, been awhile since I was on.

/FWIW, I keep my AS connected to shore power at the house 24/7/365 and have been doing it with two different AS the last 7 years. With the USE switch in the on mode. Never any problems whatsoever. During this time period I replaced the two Interstate Batteries only once on the 2013 trailer.
PS all original converters.

[Lotus54]

I suggest it completely depends on your built in charger and what type.
Mine (2006 AI) came with a charger that keeps charging (often called ‘trickle’). This will kill your battery after extended time.
I changed it to a ‘float’ type charger. This will charge until battery if up- then change to a ‘float voltage’ (about 14Vdc, just below ‘gassing’).
With a decent float charger you can leave the battery on indefinitely. I’ve done it with many, many batteries over the years.

I also fit another outlet inside my Van so I could plug (and leave hooked up all the time) a Battery Tender (brand) float charger to the starting battery. So anytime the van is plugged in the starting battery is topped up.

Ive had great results over the last 15 some years with Battery Tender brand, so I keep using those. Certainly there are others, but they price is not high and (so far) they have always worked great.

I leave my AI plugged in all the time when not using it, with the battery in ‘use’ position.

[cazual6]

Short Answer: Plug it in and TRY to put it in STORE and see what happens.

There's your answer.

[gnijman]

How does the advice change if an owner has switched from the stock “add liquid” batteries to the no maintenance gel batteries?

[WestieHouse]

Originally Posted by jnm30327

I installed a kill switch on the battery. This cuts off all discharge (even for the propane detector) and all charging. It has given me peace of mind that I am neither discharging the battery with parasitic draws while in storage, nor do I have to worry about over charging the battery.

I have AGM batteries with a very low self discharge rate. Even after two months in storage, I have found the battery still fully charged just as I left it.

Yup - exactly as I have done with the same excellent results. AGM batteries have held charge for up to 4 months in storage.

The “in use - store” switch has been the most perplexing aspect of my Airstream experience for over 4 years!

[rmkrum]

It’s a weird arrangement. The relay itself latches mechanically either on or off. The red LED on the panel is not connected to the relay. It just tells you there is 12 volt power in the trailer to run your 12 volt stuff. The red light comes on if the battery (if the relay is latched closed) or the converter (on shore power) is putting out 12 volt power.

It’s just the way it works. The only advantage is that it draws absolutely no power for the relay unless you are pushing the switch to either ‘use’ or ‘store’ when you release the switch the relay locks and then sucks no power. Clever, but a bit weird.

I have a Blue Sea Systems battery relay I’m going to use to replace the confusing one, and it has indicator LEDs that tell the true open/closed state of the relay all the time. BUT the indicators pull a bit of power off the batteries all the time for that convenience...

I just can’t win on this one.

[pontzdav]

For storage more than 2 weeks I disconnect the wires at the batteries and connect the “Battery Tender”. Has worked great for any length of storage for me.

Battery Tender 022-0165-DL-WH 12-Volt 2-Bank Battery Management System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NCOKV0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cncNCb387HQSG