Battery Use

[PopRichie77]

Lead acid batteries go dead over time, even when not connected, a float charger prevents that from happening. Yes they are left on all the time.
Here, are a couple very good articles about batteries.These articles are from Progressive Dynamics but almost all manufactures of RV battery chargers now make them the same way, 4 stage charging. The charger that comes in Hi-Lo s is a single stage charger.
Battery Basics
Battery Management 101

 

[RCREYES]

Just to follow up. I did another test a few weeks ago and after charging my battery overnight, I had disconnected it from the HiLo and was going to let it sit for a few hours and then test the voltage, well by the time I got the battery in the garage and checked it with a volt meter to see the starting point it was already reading around 11.5v and within the next 10 mins or so it was completely dead at 10.5v. So needless to say I ended up buying a new battery, and right now I am just pulling it out of the trailer and keeping in my garage, since I haven't figured out if my solar panel is working correctly yet.

Anyways, I had a question for RCREYES, with that float charger do you keep that connected all the time?

I do keep it connected all of the time. I do remove it when I am going to use my trailer. A float charge will not overcharge your battery so you won't get boil over.

 

[PappaP]

Thanks pop and RCReyes

That was my main concern is if it would boil the battery and cause damage over time. I thought it was ok, but just better to ask from experience.

Thanks

 

[davidc-HILO]

I have a stupid little 12v solar panel I bought for $20 (coleman) that has been doing a pretty good job of keeping my battery charged while it's been sitting in the storage lot...

I'm not all that concerned about the battery yet, I won't need it that much sitting at the campground hooked up to shore power... no need spending a bunch on a good deep cycle that won't see much actual use...