full-time AC questions

[Kinder]

Hello,

I've only had my AS for a month, and I am currently at a park with a full hook-up and have no tow vehicle. I like the location, so I won't be moving for the foreseeable future. I have a 79 Excella 500, 31', and am wondering what (if anything) I should do with the batteries/12 volt system. It seems like my meter is showing excessive energy use when I have nothing at all turned on besides the digital clock... I wonder if it could be related to charging batteries that I will not be needing, univolt, or ??? Should I simply disconnect the 2 (brand new) batteries? And then charge them every month or so?
Thanks

[mello mike]

Originally Posted by Kinder

I have a 79 Excella 500, 31', and am wondering what (if anything) I should do with the batteries/12 volt system. It seems like my meter is showing excessive energy use when I have nothing at all turned on besides the digital clock... I wonder if it could be related to charging batteries that I will not be needing, univolt, or ??? Should I simply disconnect the 2 (brand new) batteries? And then charge them every month or so?
Thanks

...an AC cut off switch for your univolt charger. You'll boil your batteries dry if you don't. You need them for your 12 volt lights, fans, detectors, etc...

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by mello mike

...an AC cut off switch for your univolt charger. You'll boil your batteries dry if you don't. You need them for your 12 volt lights, fans, detectors, etc...

Some folks use a simple plug-in timer, with their Univolt hooked up to it. They set the timer so that the Univolt runs for 30 minutes or so a day, if the batteries seem to be slowly discharging, extend the time a bit.

[infinite LUX]

it took me a couple of weeks to figure out that the "buzz" of the charger could easily be turned off with the switch on the wall, on the right side of the front couch.

[Pick]

I always leave my Univolt on. Just check the batteries every 2 weeks for water, more often during hot weather.

[SafeHarbor]

Hi, Kinder,

I leave my Univolt on all the time, but I only check the batteries once per month. The older one has some trash floating in it now, but it's still got 2.2V differential between all the cells, so it's not a goner yet.

If you LIVE in the trailer, I think that the normal course of using the lights, fans, and other 12V appliances is enough to keep the Univolt from killing the baterries. Please do be sure that you only put distilled water in your batteries. (I think some tap water contributed to my dirty battery fluid, but that was before I owned it, and it came from the frigid north, so I'm not sure what effect extreme cold has on batteries.)

I'm curious -- where and how are you measuring the energy usage?

I'm sure somebody with more knowledge will chip in here, but I think you need to keep your batteries in the circuit. They "smooth out" the power from the Univolt. I know from my Argosy that if you run the Univolt without a battery, you end up replacing a LOT of light bulbs.

Hey, you have two brand new batteries? Great. I'd be trying to take care of them and prolong their life as long as possible.

Lamar

[Kinder]

Thanks for the tips. I really like the idea of just topping off the batteries every couple weeks as I do indeed live full-time in it and run the fans and lights for a few hours each day. I measure energy use simply by the KW on the meter outside. Yep, brand new batteries.

I'll have to look for this switch to minimize the buzzing, although it is not noticeable when the univolt is hidden by the access panel. Not sure my AS has anything there beyond the exterior light switches.
On a mildly related note, how efficient are the bulbs do you think? I would love to replace them with LEDs or ?? as they do get pretty warm as I read at night. Any sources for something that specialized + little?