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Vitaver · 10-29-2022, 01:11 PM

Anyone knows how to keep the batteries topped off with a battery tender in my situation? I don’t keep the batteries in the traditional box behind the propanes, but inside the locker as upgraded to 4 lithium ion batteries inside of it and there is no obvious access for a cable. See pic.

**richard5933** · 10-29-2022, 01:52 PM

Need more information...

Are you parked outside or inside?

Do you have rooftop solar?

Are you using the batteries for anything at all during the time you want to keep them topped off?

We have lithium batteries like yours, also mounted inside the trailer. When we are plugged in we let the converter handle the "topping off" if there is no sun on our site. There is no need to use anything else if you have have a multi-stage converter or inverter/charger. It's more than capable enough to keep things topped off.

When we are not plugged in but still outside, I let the solar panels and the solar charge controller handle the charging. The solar charge controller is more than capable of keeping the batteries maintained and nothing else is needed.

During the times we are not using the trailer and have no need for lights and such, I use a manual battery disconnect to fully shut off the power in/out of the batteries. The lithium batteries can sit for months at a time safely if fully charged. Unlike lead acid batteries, there is absolutely no reason to keep a trickle charger on them. In fact, it might be worse for them in the end than just disconnecting and letting them be.

The Battleborn website mentions that for most applications a battery maintainer on lithium RV house batteries is not needed - just fully charge and disconnect.

All that said, if you absolutely want to have an external battery maintainer on the system you can use your portable solar panel connection port to connect it.

John Ware · 10-29-2022, 01:56 PM

Get an extension cord to go between your battery tender and the pigtail that connects to your batteries.

Vitaver · 10-29-2022, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richard5933

Need more information...

Are you parked outside or inside?

Do you have rooftop solar?

Are you using the batteries for anything at all during the time you want to keep them topped off?

We have lithium batteries like yours, also mounted inside the trailer. When we are plugged in we let the converter handle the "topping off" if there is no sun on our site. There is no need to use anything else if you have have a multi-stage converter or inverter/charger. It's more than capable enough to keep things topped off.

When we are not plugged in but still outside, I let the solar panels and the solar charge controller handle the charging. The solar charge controller is more than capable of keeping the batteries maintained and nothing else is needed.

During the times we are not using the trailer and have no need for lights and such, I use a manual battery disconnect to fully shut off the power in/out of the batteries. The lithium batteries can sit for months at a time safely if fully charged. Unlike lead acid batteries, there is absolutely no reason to keep a trickle charger on them. In fact, it might be worse for them in the end than just disconnecting and letting them be.

The Battleborn website mentions that for most applications a battery maintainer on lithium RV house batteries is not needed - just fully charge and disconnect.

All that said, if you absolutely want to have an external battery maintainer on the system you can use your portable solar panel connection port to connect it.

Parked outside and covered with snow as we speak. No 50 AMP power outlet nearby. 3 solar panels… covered in snow. The purpose to keep the batteries topped off would be to avoid winterization by keeping the furnace running which I believe uses propane (have 60 pounds of it) and some electric for the fan (that is why the need of a tickle charger or battery tender as they call them). Plan to take off on trips between max a week parked and to avoid emptying all tanks, winterizing only to reverse the process just days appart.

Vitaver · 10-29-2022, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Ware

Get an extension cord to go between your battery tender and the pigtail that connects to your batteries.

That would be great, but have no idea where to find such… especially on the outside of the rig.

**richard5933** · 10-29-2022, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vitaver

Parked outside and covered with snow as we speak. No 50 AMP power outlet nearby. 3 solar panels… covered in snow. The purpose to keep the batteries topped off would be to avoid winterization by keeping the furnace running which I believe uses propane (have 60 pounds of it) and some electric for the fan (that is why the need of a tickle charger or battery tender as they call them). Plan to take off on trips between max a week parked and to avoid emptying all tanks, winterizing only to reverse the process just days appart.

You're going to need an outlet for the battery tender, so why not just use an adapter and plug in the trailer. No need for a separate external battery tender in this situation - the one already onboard is more capable, is bought and paid for, and requires no additional wiring.

A simple dog bone adapter will allow you to plug in your trailer's 50-amp plug into a household outlet. Only caveat is to make sure that you don't have anything running on 120v inside the trailer turned on which might overload the household outlet you're plugging into, but there should be more than adequate power to do what you're proposing.

John Ware · 10-29-2022, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vitaver

That would be great, but have no idea where to find such… especially on the outside of the rig.

Amazon. I added a picture of one to my first post.

Vitaver · 10-29-2022, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richard5933

You're going to need an outlet for the battery tender, so why not just use an adapter and plug in the trailer. No need for a separate external battery tender in this situation - the one already onboard is more capable, is bought and paid for, and requires no additional wiring.

A simple dog bone adapter will allow you to plug in your trailer's 50-amp plug into a household outlet. Only caveat is to make sure that you don't have anything running on 120v inside the trailer turned on which might overload the household outlet you're plugging into, but there should be more than adequate power to do what you're proposing.

I thought you could only feed 50AMPS to that port, yes I can send 110. I appreciate it!

**azflycaster** · 10-29-2022, 02:34 PM

Don't confuse amps with volts. A household plug is 120 volts and 20 amps. Plenty of power to feed the converter to keep the batteries charged.

60 pounds of propane sounds like a lot, but the furnace will eat about 1/3 of a gallon of propane per hour when running. 60 pounds is equal to around 14 gallons.

**richard5933** · 10-29-2022, 03:32 PM

50-amp vs. 30-amp vs. 20-amp can be confusing. Generally speaking, it refers to the max current that can by pulled from the outlet before the breaker trips. You can plug your 50-amp trailer into a 20-amp outlet if you use the proper adapter, but you do have to be careful not to turn on more devices inside the trailer than the 20-amp outlet can power. Running your battery charging circuit should not be a problem.

Here's an adapter that will allow you to just use a good-quality household extension cord to plug in the trailer.

https://www.amazon.com/Kohree-Adapte...8-2-spons&th=1

Vitaver · 10-29-2022, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Ware

Amazon. I added a picture of one to my first post.

I missed the trail, I thought your post was very useful and will do exactly as you suggested.

Vitaver · 10-29-2022, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Ware

Get an extension cord to go between your battery tender and the pigtail that connects to your batteries.

Where do you connect the pigtail on the outside (where is the port/receptacle) of the TT please?

Wazbro · 10-29-2022, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vitaver

Where do you connect the pigtail on the outside (where is the port/receptacle) of the TT please?

The adapter he linked plugs into the older connection for shore cord. Your trailer may have the SmartPlug and require this.
https://www.etrailer.com/s.aspx?qry=smartplug+50+15
You could also use your cord and a 15amp to 50amp adapter like this.
https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Plug-Ada.../CAM55168.html

ROBERT CROSS · 10-30-2022, 07:50 AM

Our BB's stay in the AS, isolated,(no draw), without any add-on charging, 5 seasons, SFSG.

Bob
🇺🇸

ITSNO60 · 10-30-2022, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vitaver

Where do you connect the pigtail on the outside (where is the port/receptacle) of the TT please?

The extension pictured is for the 12 volt side, you connect one end to your battery bank and leave the other end in an accessible area outside the trailer. Then you plug in your battery maintainer to a wall outlet and plug the 12 volt charging cable into the 12 volt extension you left accessible, usually zip tied underneath near the edge of the trailer where it is easy to access.
The cable pictured is SAE which works with most battery maintainers like Deltran Battery Tender but if you go with Victron you will need a different style, which is available on Amazon or from a Victron dealer.

John Ware · 10-30-2022, 08:52 AM

ITSNO60, thanks for explaining the extension cord for me. I got busy skinning another cat.

Vitaver · 10-30-2022, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ITSNO60

The extension pictured is for the 12 volt side, you connect one end to your battery bank and leave the other end in an accessible area outside the trailer. Then you plug in your battery maintainer to a wall outlet and plug the 12 volt charging cable into the 12 volt extension you left accessible, usually zip tied underneath near the edge of the trailer where it is easy to access.
The cable pictured is SAE which works with most battery maintainers like Deltran Battery Tender but if you go with Victron you will need a different style, which is available on Amazon or from a Victron dealer.

This part: “ connect one end to your battery bank and leave the other end in an accessible area outside the trailer”. Failing to find an accesible area outside the trailer for the pigtail cable to travel from the battery bank (inside the trailer) to the ‘accessible area’ outside the trailer. Is there a hole, connector, receptacle or plug in the AS outside for that? The only ones I see are for the solar panels and for propane right but the A frame/propane tanks/hitch.

Thank you.

**richard5933** · 10-30-2022, 11:17 AM

Even if you decide to add an external battery tender instead of using the one already in your trailer, you should still get yourself a couple of adapters. One which is handy is for plugging in your 50-amp shore power cord to a 30-amp pedestal. There will be times you won't have access to a 50-amp pedestal and will need this.

The other is like the one I linked to earlier which allows you to use the adapter and then run an heavy duty extension cord to plug into a 20-amp household outlet. There will be times that you need to do this as you travel around and having the adapter is handy. There are also similar adapters which go on the end of the 50-amp shore cord and allow you to plug it into the household outlet. Your choice which is more convenient.

Vitaver · 11-18-2022, 05:57 PM

I got the plug that fits the AS and using a 50’ extension cable, plugged into an outlet. It trips the FGI every time. Worst off, not sure if due to this, but my trailer got all 4 lithium batteries down to zero, won’t even light the led of “Store/In use” switch or show any reading whatsoever on the panel that shows battery charge, tanks fill level, etc. Totally dark. Connected my generator and brought the batteries to 9.5V before I had to go, put it on Storage. Any idea why this? Mind you it has 3 solar panels on the roof and it has been sunny.

Did the continuity test with the amp meter and there is no short.

Wazbro · 11-18-2022, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vitaver

I got the plug that fits the AS and using a 50’ extension cable, plugged into an outlet. It trips the FGI every time. Worst off, not sure if due to this, but my trailer got all 4 lithium batteries down to zero, won’t even light the led of “Store/In use” switch or show any reading whatsoever on the panel that shows battery charge, tanks fill level, etc. Totally dark. Connected my generator and brought the batteries to 9.5V before I had to go, put it on Storage. Any idea why this? Mind you it has 3 solar panels on the roof and it has been sunny.

Did the continuity test with the amp meter and there is no short.

Does your cord trip the GFI without being hooked to trailer?

Some people have had issues with their converter tripping GFI outlets/breakers. Though solar should keep batteries charged with minimum loads.

EDIT; Some converters and solar controllers wont charge batteries unless they see a minimum voltage from the batteries.