Battery trickle charging

[Ped]

I have a 2016 23’fb that is stored under cover loosing the ability to maintain solar power. Since I have two 6volt batteries in tandem do I need to buy a special battery charger to keep the batteries charged while it is being stored?

[rmkrum]

Nope. I have a similar setup. (Referred to as a series connection if they are two 6 volt batteries like mine)

A decent 12 volt smart charger will work just fine. I use a 3amp battery tender by Deltran.

[Overstreet]

If you have power at storage for a trickle charger, how come you don't just plug in the AS?

[uncle_bob]

Hi

If you are storing for less than a year at a time, why not just put in a disconnect switch?

Bob

[Shermy1987]

Originally Posted by uncle_bob

Hi

If you are storing for less than a year at a time, why not just put in a disconnect switch?

Bob

The question is about trickle charging. But anyhow. Lead acid batteries have a reaction rate that increases at a rate of about 3 times with every increase of 10 degrees F. Therefore if the batteries are sitting out in an Air Stream, or a metal battery box over summer, the discharge rate can get high enough to reduce longevity in a matter of Months. And. Leaving for a camping trip with fully charged batteries makes a lot of sense.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Shermy1987

The question is about trickle charging. But anyhow. Lead acid batteries have a reaction rate that increases at a rate of about 3 times with every increase of 10 degrees F. Therefore if the batteries are sitting out in an Air Stream, or a metal battery box over summer, the discharge rate can get high enough to reduce longevity in a matter of Months. And. Leaving for a camping trip with fully charged batteries makes a lot of sense.

Hi

Unless you have a very unusual battery, you will see about 5% / month in the hottest 3 months of the year. That will drop to < 2% pretty quickly and go to near zero in the winter. Net result is a battery that drains maybe 40% to 60% in a year. That's way longer than I can imagine somebody storing a trailer that actually I in use.

If you are a more normal person who uses the trailer a bit, you only store in the winter. Thats when the discharge rate on the batteries should be near zip. Yes it does depend on your being in an area that gets out of the 80's in the winter. In that sort of area, why store? go camping !!!!

Trickle chargers *can* damage batteries. They cost money. They need to get set up and be powered. All of those things are good reasons to avoid them if possible.

Indeed if you have batteries that are past their use by date, they have very little capacity left. They will run down in less time than functional batteries. The answer there is to watch the sales at Costco

Bob