Battery charging when hooked up to electric?

[IrishReb]

Well here is another newbe question. I know that the battery is charging when towed from my truck. I was wondering about when hooked up to electric.... Does it continue to charge?

 

[boatto5er]

Unless you have a battery cut off switch turned to off, the built in converter will charge your battery when you are connected to shore power.

 

[Bob&Patty]

X2 for the charging when on shore power.

 

[danemayer]

Well here is another newbe question. I know that the battery is charging when towed from my truck. I was wondering about when hooked up to electric.... Does it continue to charge?

Hi IrishReb,

The Manuals section of the forum has some documents and links that may be helpful to you. Here's a link to some basic info on RV electrical. Page 3 of the 12V Block Diagram & Diagnostics illustrates and explains the answer to your question.

 

[JohnDar]

Based on my experience with the Progressive Dynamics converter in mine, you can tell when the converter is running a boost charge to the battery because the 12V lights with suddenly brighten while in boost mode and them dim back to normal when it's in maintenance mode. For about $25, you can order an indicator pendant from them that will tell you what the converter status is. It's the small device with the wizard on it between the suppressor readout and the awning switch.


View attachment 23352

 

[wdk450]

I recently purchased 2 of these very small, inexpensive digital DC voltmeters off of E-Bay to monitor the battery voltage. One will be inside at the control panel, and one will be outside in either the battery or front compartment. I plan to use the inside voltmeter to monitor the converter battery charging voltages, and the outside voltmeter to monitor the battery as I hook up to the truck to check the truck trailer charging system to ensure the battery is getting charged going down the road.

Here's the link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/370669082952?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

 

[IrishReb]

Was this device easy to install? How does it connect to the battery?

 

[wdk450]

IrishReb:
I assume your reply was addressed to me: "Was this device easy to install? How does it connect to the battery?"

My trailer is undergoing some exterior damage repair at my RV servicer, and has been there several weeks.
The DC voltmeters are about 1 inch wide by 1/2 inch high (with screw hole ears on the ends) about 1/4 inch thick, only have 2 wires (red and black) going to it, and came with no documentation.

I will find this thread and let people know how they work once I get them hooked up.

 

[JohnDar]

In the event the question was about the Charge Wizard pendant for the converter, it simply plugs into the converter. The one problem for me was the short cord it came with. So I picked up a comm line repair kit at Home Depot and made a longer one from some 2-pair phone cord I had on hand. Pretty easy fix.

Check which brand of converter was installed in your rig, however. Mine is a Progressive Dynamics 9200 Series. Heartland has been using another brand in some newer rigs, so they may or may not have the same accessory.