OK to connect a battery charger when the internal one fails?

[DJW]

Hi! Trying to help a friend who's internal charger/power supply has failed. He has a new one on its way from A/S, but needs temporary 12 V. power. Will any harm be done if I loan him my regular Sears "smart" car battery charger and we just leave it hooked up (clamped directly to the batteries outside)? He has a solar charger (factory installed) but it isn't enough in the shady place he's semi-permanently parked in.

Thanks in advance-

Don

[RickDavis]

That should not cause any problem. Probably would be wise to be sure the factory converter is disconnected from the battery, depending on its failure mode

[idroba]

Some of the "smart" portable battery chargers shut off when they sense the battery is fully charged and will not turn on again when it drops. If the Sears unit does that, it may have to be re-booted now and then. If not, you should have no problems at all, but as suggested above, you might consider disconnecting the original converter/charger.

[ronurbanec]

I to have kinda having the same problem. I have a 1974 Argosy 28' and it doesn't have a 12 volt generator as an option, also the converter/charger has been removed. Can I use a 12 volt battery charger, like a trickle charger or a regular battery charger in it's place?