keeping battery charged

I have a what may be a basic question for all of you, but I'd like to know if I keep my TM plugged into power while it's closed is it keeping my battery charged?

Thanks,
Bruce
2006 2619

Yes, and on a 2006 you won't really have to worry about overcharging the battery either. However, personally I would plug it in for a day or two to charge the batteries and then disconnect the leads to prevent parasitic draw (like the power radio antenna) and repeat maybe in a month or two. If you do keep it plugged in constantly you may need to watch the water levels more closely.

Thanks greentail for the response. I looked to see if the power antenna was lit and it's not. Could that be because the trailer is closed? I'll probably unplug once in a while as you suggested.
Bruce

[Barb&Tim]

Originally Posted by b&pcamping

Thanks greentail for the response. I looked to see if the power antenna was lit and it's not. Could that be because the trailer is closed? I'll probably unplug once in a while as you suggested.
Bruce

By Trailmanor schematic -- the Co/Lp, Water Heater Ignition, Radio Antenna, Interior Rear Roof lights and (if Applies) King sized bed storage lights are all routed through the Bath Wall Switch which is off when the TM is closed.

[scrubjaysnest]

Although the manual says it is a three stage charger the inverter really isn't when you read the fine print. It doesn't say what the float values are and the other two stages only supply 13.6 volts per the manual. I wouldn't leave it plugged in. better to get about a 5 watt solar panel and wire it up.

[Barb&Tim]

Originally Posted by scrubjaysnest

Although the manual says it is a three stage charger the inverter really isn't when you read the fine print. It doesn't say what the float values are and the other two stages only supply 13.6 volts per the manual. I wouldn't leave it plugged in. better to get about a 5 watt solar panel and wire it up.

I read the manual this afternoon and i noticed the omitted voltage values for bulk mode and float mode --- but i don't get how you arrived at it not being a three stage charger?


Actually, i think they left those voltage values out of the manual on purpose since (for instance) during bulk charging the voltage values can vary widely due to amount of battery discharge and battery temperature.
Tim

[scrubjaysnest]

Originally Posted by Barb&Tim

I read the manual this afternoon and i noticed the omitted voltage values for bulk mode and float mode --- but i don't get how you arrived at it not being a three stage charger?


Actually, i think they left those voltage values out of the manual on purpose since (for instance) during bulk charging the voltage values can vary widely due to amount of battery discharge and battery temperature.
Tim

My converter on the '11 is a 55 amp model. In order to push 55 amps into the battery in bulk mode it would have to be on the voltage would need to be around 14.6 to 14.7 and this assumes there are no other drains on the system. I just installed one of the latest 3 stage converters on a friend trailer and it stilled boiled the battery dry while we weren't there this summer, I had suggested they not leave the battery connected but get a small solar panel instead. Others have said this before on this form the converters a pretty dumb.

[Barb&Tim]

Thanks for the reply, -- but . . I'm still puzzled about why you think the converter in the TM is not a three stage charger when the manual says it is.

Tim

Edit: Looking around today, found that the manual & Spec sheet for the WFCO 8900 series on the website

http://www.wfcoelectronics.com

gives a little more info than the one i got with my TM.

Absorption 13.6v
Bulk 14.4v
Float 13.2v

Even more interesting to me is the more verbose description of three modes of operation on pg 6 of the manual.

For manual & spec sheet download:

http://www.wfcoelectronics.com/index...=114&Itemid=97



----

Tim

Originally Posted by Barb&Tim

By Trailmanor schematic -- the Co/Lp, Water Heater Ignition, Radio Antenna, Interior Rear Roof lights and (if Applies) King sized bed storage lights are all routed through the Bath Wall Switch which is off when the TM is closed.

That's a nice upgrade from 2006 where unless you modify yourself the power antennae will stay on.

[scrubjaysnest]

Originally Posted by Barb&Tim

Thanks for the reply, -- but . . I'm still puzzled about why you think the converter in the TM is not a three stage charger when the manual says it is.

Tim

Edit: Looking around today, found that the manual & Spec sheet for the WFCO 8900 series on the website

http://www.wfcoelectronics.com

gives a little more info than the one i got with my TM.

Absorption 13.6v
Bulk 14.4v
Float 13.2v

Even more interesting to me is the more verbose description of three modes of operation on pg 6 of the manual.

For manual & spec sheet download:

http://www.wfcoelectronics.com/index...=114&Itemid=97



----

Tim

Glad to see there is more info on the web sight. I have found many times these things are just advertising hype but when we get home next month from our Gulf fishing trip I'll get the TM out, set it up and run a series of tests. My personal experience is even the converters that claim to be three stage will still boil a battery dry. It would be really nice if the RV industry is finally putting true three stage charging in the converters.