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09-26-2018, 12:54 PM
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#21
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3 Rivet Member
2014 19' Flying Cloud
Eugene
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 115
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Legal Liability Issues?
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickyNelson
As a newbie there are so many things you can avoid by being part of this forum. Thank you to all of you for your expertise and experience. There are also many things you have to find out the hard way. I am in the process of finding out the hard way with my wet batteries that I need to replace after sitting up to 3 weeks at a time in storage. I would've loved to see the battery shutoff as standard. I am going to Amazon now to order it now. Thanks!
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From what I have been told: The propane indicator "has" to be left on at all times to satisfy some code rule. Because of that, I am sure that Airstream doesn't dare supply a way to turn it off, regardless of what might be prudent (assuming that most AS owners would turn off their tanks, in storage). D
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09-26-2018, 02:00 PM
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#22
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2 Rivet Member
2016 19' Flying Cloud
Newtown
, Connecticut
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 66
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Winter Battery Maintenance
Will keeping my 19 FC plugged into 30 amp service keep the batteries in good shape over the winter when left connected in place on the trailer?
There are 2 AGM batteries. Also, my unit has a 80w solar panel. Will this provide enough charge to keep the batteries in good shape if not connected to 30 amp service? Thanks.
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09-26-2018, 03:46 PM
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#23
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Half a Rivet Short
2017 30' Classic
2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 15,735
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brundom
Will keeping my 19 FC plugged into 30 amp service keep the batteries in good shape over the winter when left connected in place on the trailer?
There are 2 AGM batteries. Also, my unit has a 80w solar panel. Will this provide enough charge to keep the batteries in good shape if not connected to 30 amp service? Thanks.
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Hi
The best approach is to plug the trailer into a 7 day timer and let it power things up a couple hours each week. They are a $5 to $15 sort of thing from Amazon. There is nothing magic about this one or that one. If you already have one lying around it will do a fine job.
Bob
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09-26-2018, 03:53 PM
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#24
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Stream of Consciousness
2014 27' FB International
Snoqualmie
, Washington
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AirMiles
Your batteries were probably drained to 8.9 Volts, not 8.9%. In my experience, this level of draw down will permanently damage a battery, but I'm not an AGM battery user. I too murdered my first set of Airstream batteries in a similar way. After about 30 days of non-use, the parasitic loads will begin damaging the batteries. The solution to stop these parasitic loads is to disconnect the negative battery cables when you will not be using your Airstream for more than 30 days.
I installed a battery disconnect post so I can flip one lever to disconnect the batteries. Here is what I installed: https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20148...PT3GRJVEZ183S8
This is a picture of it installed: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...ml#post2079369
Flipping this lever each time you store your Airstream will solve your battery issues.
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Do you need to do this for both negative cables or just the one you show in the pic?
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09-27-2018, 08:06 AM
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#25
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Half a Rivet Short
2017 30' Classic
2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 15,735
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DTCOnyx
Do you need to do this for both negative cables or just the one you show in the pic?
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Hi
You only need a switch on one side of the battery.
The math on "how long" for a battery in storage:
24 hours in a day, 30 days in a month gets you 720 hours in a month.
A normal battery setup has 70 to 100AH of usable capacity.
If your parasitic draw is < 0.1A you probably are ok for a month.
If your draw is 0.25A ( a much more likely number) you are ok for about 10 days.
Indeed a lot depends on *exactly* what is on your particular trailer.
If your batteries are only charged to 80% of capacity, cut all those numbers about in half. If they are a bit old / damaged, that also cuts into your time. If they self discharge (which all batteries do) that comes off the allowance as well.
So, how lucky do you feel?
Bob
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09-27-2018, 09:08 AM
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#26
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2 Rivet Member
2016 19' Flying Cloud
Newtown
, Connecticut
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 66
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Quote:
Originally Posted by uncle_bob
Hi
The best approach is to plug the trailer into a 7 day timer and let it power things up a couple hours each week. They are a $5 to $15 sort of thing from Amazon. There is nothing magic about this one or that one. If you already have one lying around it will do a fine job.
Bob
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Hi Bob,
When the 7 day timer is not on will the solar panel provide some charge as well?
Thanks
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09-27-2018, 09:17 AM
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#27
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Rivet Master
2018 27' Globetrotter
Apollo Beach
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,401
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DTCOnyx
Do you need to do this for both negative cables or just the one you show in the pic?
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You need to disconnect the two black cables that go into the Airstream. If you have 12V batteries, you need to disconnect both negative posts. If you have 6V batteries like the picture, you only need to disconnect the one post with the two black cables attached.
__________________
2021 Northern-Lite 10-2 & F350 DRW PSD, 600W Solar/Victron/600A BattleBorn
146 nights 31,000 miles (first 10 months!)
Sold: 2018 GT27Q, 74 nights 12,777 miles
Sold: 2017 FC25FB, 316 nights 40,150 miles
Sold: 2013 Casita SD17 89 nights 16,200 miles
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09-27-2018, 09:34 AM
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#28
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AirMiles
You need to disconnect the two black cables that go into the Airstream. If you have 12V batteries, you need to disconnect both negative posts. If you have 6V batteries like the picture, you only need to disconnect the one post with the two black cables attached.
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Our Classic has two separate battery boxes with the pos & neg cables from each leading to a buss bar. The neg buss is mounted where a disconnect switch would be difficult.
Took both pos cables off the buss ran them to the switch then back to the buss bar, a bit of a pain but worth it.👍
Bob
🇺🇸
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
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09-27-2018, 10:28 AM
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#29
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Rivet Master
2015 27' Flying Cloud
Newberg
, Oregon
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 1,052
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In the winter, after winterizing the trailer, I pull the batteries out and bring them home to winter over in my garage. Every two to three month or so, I throw them on a battery tender to top them off. Trojan group 24 wet cells. In the summer I just disconect the negative cables from the posts when not using the trailer. So far, so good. By the way, I destroyed the original interstates in short order by not understanding the system.
Mike
__________________
2015 27ft FC FB
WBCCI #3960
2019 F150 ecoboost
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09-27-2018, 12:35 PM
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#30
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4 Rivet Member
2013 20' Flying Cloud
2014 16' Sport
2019 23' Flying Cloud
Dunedin
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 343
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I have a 20 foot flying cloud and I have a battery disconnect switch right by the front door. I turn that off when I leave my camper for any amount of time in storage. My two batteries are holding a charge just fine. Am I lucky or am I missing something ?
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09-27-2018, 01:00 PM
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#31
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
New Borockton
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,593
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Native143
I have a 20 foot flying cloud and I have a battery disconnect switch right by the front door. I turn that off when I leave my camper for any amount of time in storage. My two batteries are holding a charge just fine. Am I lucky or am I missing something ?
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That is an option but most flooded batteries are going to self discharge ~15% per month barring any parisitic load.
Less for AGM and a lot less for Lithium. If your sniffers bypass the shut off switch, I would pull their fuses or disconnect the battery instead.
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09-27-2018, 03:38 PM
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#32
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3 Rivet Member
2014 19' Flying Cloud
Eugene
, Oregon
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 115
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ROBERT CROSS
Our Classic has two separate battery boxes with the pos & neg cables from each leading to a buss bar. The neg buss is mounted where a disconnect switch would be difficult.
Took both pos cables off the buss ran them to the switch then back to the buss bar, a bit of a pain but worth it.👍
Bob
🇺🇸
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Question: Why doesn't the Positive terminal get disconnected? Why just the Negatives? A AS service person told me that the positive side should be disconnected for any reason of battery disconnection. Dave
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09-27-2018, 04:07 PM
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#33
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave-Nancy
Question: Why doesn't the Positive terminal get disconnected? Why just the Negatives? A AS service person told me that the positive side should be disconnected for any reason of battery disconnection. Dave
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Should NOT be disconnected for any reason?
If that is what the AS person said, they are correct.
For safety, you always remove neg first when disconnecting a battery for removal/service.
For a cut-off switch you can use pos or neg.
Bob
🇺🇸
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
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09-27-2018, 04:16 PM
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#34
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ObviouslyKnot
Currently Looking...
KAILUA
, HI
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 862
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Especially since everybody knows electrons flow out of the positive, back to the negative terminal.
__________________
James Mileur, HY80-2-Al,
2017 Classic Twin, 2016 RAM 3500 Megacab, ProPride hitch
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09-27-2018, 05:21 PM
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#35
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Rivet Master
2007 22' International CCD
Corona
, California
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 9,180
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Quote:
Originally Posted by james.mileur
Especially since everybody knows electrons flow out of the positive, back to the negative terminal.
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The one thing, sadly, that the various pioneers in the field of electricity got dead wrong.
In reality, electrons flow from the negative terminal to the positive terminal.
"Conventional Current" says that current flows from positive to negative, but it's actually "holes" flowing in that direction when you are talking transistors and other solid-state stuff...
In any case, put the battery shut-off switch in the positive lead of a battery if practical. Breaking the circuit anywhere does shut it off just as well.
When disconnecting battery cables, however, ALWAYS disconnect and insulate/isolate the GROUND lead first. Then take the positive lead off. It helps avoid melting stuff when the wrench on the positive terminal slips and hits something grounded.
__________________
Rich, KE4GNK/AE, Overkill Engineering Dept.
'The Silver HamShack' ('07 International 22FB CCD 75th Anniversary)
Multiple Yaesu Ham Radios inside and many antennae sprouting from roof, ProPride hitch, Prodigy P2 controller.
2012 shortbed CrewMax 4x4 Toyota Tacoma TV with more antennae on it.
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09-27-2018, 05:40 PM
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#36
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
New Borockton
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,593
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave-Nancy
Question: Why doesn't the Positive terminal get disconnected? Why just the Negatives? A AS service person told me that the positive side should be disconnected for any reason of battery disconnection. Dave
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If you reconnect the positive cable after the negative you will get a nasty spark. Either disconnect the negative or both but always reconnect positive before negative.
__________________
Randy...Converters, Inverters, Trimetric, Surge Protectors, Zamp, Smartplug, AGM Batts
888-828-1893
Bestconverter.com
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09-27-2018, 08:54 PM
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#37
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New Member
2019 27' International
Sandia Park
, New Mexico
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 2
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Any thoughts on using a 12v battery tender that was used for a motorcycle to provide a trickle charge to the AGMs?
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09-27-2018, 10:43 PM
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#38
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"Cloudsplitter"
2003 25' Classic
Houstatlantavegas
, Malebolgia
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 20,000
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Welcome Aboard!! 👍
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tpdittman
Any thoughts on using a 12v battery tender that was used for a motorcycle to provide a trickle charge to the AGMs?
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I've used this to maintain our boat AGM for yrs.
800ma requires a looong charge on a dead battery and even then would not top-up an AGM completely. Good maintainer though. 👍
__________________
I’m done with ‘adulting’…Let’s go find Bigfoot.
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09-28-2018, 06:57 AM
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#39
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Half a Rivet Short
2017 30' Classic
2022 Interstate 24X
Carlisle
, Pennsylvania
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 15,735
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brundom
Hi Bob,
When the 7 day timer is not on will the solar panel provide some charge as well?
Thanks
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Hi
It will if there is sunlight on the panels. Depending on your storage location that may be an iffy sort of thing. If you can count on solar all winter long, don't worry about the timer and shore power hookup.
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The only reason to disconnect the negative first on a battery is safety. If the wrench slips and hits a part of the frame, no spark ( negative and frame are at the same voltage). Once the negative is off, getting a wrench between the positive and frame *should* have no effect.
Hmmmm .... did I unplug the converter? .... did I shut down the solar? .... If you missed those steps, the positive is still likely hot to ground, even with the battery negative pulled. A wrench that shorts the positive will still create issues (like blowing the output fuses in your converter ....).
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Pulling the positive cable or not makes no difference safety wise. What it *does* do is give you a second set of wires lying around in the battery box. Get those wires to the wrong battery terminal and you have some major problems. Only playing with the negatives is intended to eliminate confusion when you put things back together.
Bob
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