Last time batteries went down I hooked up charger and bus started immediately...
Not so today...
Should the charger be hooked up to only one battery, or both?
Thanks
What voltage charger?
You just got lucky last time?
12 volt charger on 24 volt system, you have to charge one battery at a time.
Happy coaching!
Buswarrior
Old as dirt(it looks) 24 volt charger...came with the bus...wasnt even sure what it was at first...thought a portable heater...tried to post a pic but forgot how at the moment...
Old charger
Just took a little patience...
Hooked to both batteries...
Charger dont look like much but still works...
20 minutes and fired right up...
Thanks
length of charge is related to depth of discharge.
Nothing wrong with an old charger, does the job, keep it around.
Better find what is murdering your batteries before damage is done.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Quote from: buswarrior on November 04, 2018, 04:54:53 AM
length of charge is related to depth of discharge.
Nothing wrong with an old charger, does the job, keep it around.
Better find what is murdering your batteries before damage is done.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
And rate of charge.
Also, learned recently the hard way what damage is done by low batteries. My car starter went out. Turned out the contacts get burned when used with low voltage. Not a big deal to change. Then the starter in the bus went out. Same damn thing. Started too many times on low voltage. Lot bigger deal to swap out. Lesson learned = keep batteries fully charged and water levels up.
Curious...is it better to get a dual bank 12V charger or get a 24V charger for keeping batteries topped off?
I'm using a dedicated 24v charger for the coach batteries.
https://www.ltdrvparts.com/PROGRESSIVE-DYNAMICS-25-AMP-24-VOLT-CONVERTER-CHARGER-PD9225-24-PD9225-24.htm
Puts out 25 amps at 24v. Multi-stage charging. I keep it on all the time when I've got shore power to keep the batteries topped off. Last year I kept them charged using a single 12v charger, but that required too much involvement. The single 24v charger was simple to wire, easy to use, and I wouldn't go back.
This charger is in addition to the one that charges the house batteries.
Since dedicated chargers for 24 volt aren't as plentiful, they tend to be more expensive than Automatic 12 volt ones. You can usually buy 2 12 volt cheaper.
There have been many starters burned out from mostly newbie owners here from trying to start a coach with bad batteries or poor connections or in cold weather with no block heater.
Quote from: chessie4905 on November 04, 2018, 07:16:43 PM
Since dedicated chargers for 24 volt aren't as plentiful, they tend to be more expensive than Automatic 12 volt ones. You can usually buy 2 12 volt cheaper...
If you're talking about multi-stage/smart chargers, I'm not sure that this is true. Especially if you are looking for chargers designed to be hardwired and permanently installed. The 24v charger I posted was under $200, good quality, and meant for full-time use. Not sure if you'll find two 12v chargers for much less, especially if the low-quality imports are excluded.
Amazon sells a 12/24 volt pulse charger for 35 bucks fully automatic that will keep the batteries topped off I got sick of the Battery Tenders @ 100 bucks each and so far the Amazon charger is working good,Like Walter posted a cheap 24 v scooter charger will work too
I was referring to something like this. Or one with higher amperage.
https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SC1305-Automatic-Battery-Charger/dp/B0756MDZ1L?ref=silk_at_search
I use a roll around 12 volt for quick boost/charge for all my batteries and vehicles if needed. The coach uses pulse chargers to keep them maintained. I have found the batteries will consume water even with a pulse charger. I check and add water, if needed,every 3 months. I currently use a distribution box that charges each of 4 house batteries in order for 15 minutes per. When the inverter is on,it does the maintaining,then the distribution box is connected to the two start batteries instead.
Its tough for new owners to shell out $200 bucks for a 24 volt charger. That is usually one of the later items they consider.
I use this to maintain, although originally purchased for cycles.
https://www.amazon.com/PulseTech-4-Station-QuadLink-Battery-Charger/dp/B00J4VTC4G/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1541421503&sr=8-6&keywords=pulse+charger&dpID=515cbtZ1U-L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
Those are good options, but in reality are not saving that much money. By the time you buy two of the Schumacher 12v units you're already in for $130, and that's the price for buying used from Amazon. And you still don't have a built-in charger. For $60 more you can have a keeper charger that will be built-in and provide convenience.
To me, I'd rather spend the extra few bucks up front and not have to buy it twice.
This was an example. There are others out there at similiar prices. Or a single higher amp version with the flexibility to use on other vehicles. Your dedicated charger is a fine idea. Good inverters can take care of batteries also.
Busnuts either don't like spending money, or don't have money to spend.
The best solution for most readers will be the cheapest immediate solution.
This discussion is about maintaining the coach batteries, not charging them up.
No great number of amps is required. The car charger the busnut, or his best buddy, has now will do the job just fine at the 2 amp setting.
Motivation to swap the wires periodically?
DO YOU WANT TO PAY FOR AN UNNECESSARY NEW STARTER THAT YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR KILLING???
Unfortunately, many find themselves parked in storage yards with no power available. An accelerated solar panel install is very desirable.
You can obsess about choosing the beginning pieces of a larger system that you will add to, or just buy something cheap now to protect your batteries and starter.
If you don't know what to do, get a package/bundle, controller and panel together. Just as an example on Amazon.ca, with CDN dollars, Amazon and Ebay searches are your friend:
https://www.amazon.ca/ALEKO-SP30W24VLM118-Monocrystalline-Charging-Controller/dp/B016PHSJWM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541426249&sr=8-1&keywords=24+volt+solar+panel&dpID=517CnF9Hx1L&preST=_SY300_QL70_&dpSrc=srch
There's just as much ca$h to spend as you want or have, but a busnut does not need to spend lots of money, and at this stage of the conversion, ca$h is rarely plentiful... it must be spent in a careful order, or you're going to be spending it on self inflicted distractions.
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Too good to be true?? $33.89
https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Battery-Charger-Intelligent-Motorcycle/dp/B0797XMSDL/ref=sr_1_9?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1541428240&sr=1-9&keywords=24+volt+battery+charger#customerReviews
I'm sure it's lightly built and junk, but some commenters say that they use it on trolling motor batteries and golf carts with success. Some comment that it's not fast enough for golf carts but if you're talking about a maintainer for a winter, that wouldn't matter. Would I entrust high-$$$$$ batteries to it? Dunno, I'd have to think about that.
For those that know, that high voltage unregulated charge feature has its purposes, and in a cheap charger too!
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Quote from: Oonrahnjay on November 05, 2018, 06:37:56 AM
Too good to be true?? $33.89
https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Battery-Charger-Intelligent-Motorcycle/dp/B0797XMSDL/ref=sr_1_9?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1541428240&sr=1-9&keywords=24+volt+battery+charger#customerReviews
I'm sure it's lightly built and junk, but some commenters say that they use it on trolling motor batteries and golf carts with success. Some comment that it's not fast enough for golf carts but if you're talking about a maintainer for a winter, that wouldn't matter. Would I entrust high-$$$$$ batteries to it? Dunno, I'd have to think about that.
Quote from: Oonrahnjay on November 05, 2018, 06:37:56 AM
Too good to be true?? $33.89
https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Battery-Charger-Intelligent-Motorcycle/dp/B0797XMSDL/ref=sr_1_9?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1541428240&sr=1-9&keywords=24+volt+battery+charger#customerReviews
I'm sure it's lightly built and junk, but some commenters say that they use it on trolling motor batteries and golf carts with success. Some comment that it's not fast enough for golf carts but if you're talking about a maintainer for a winter, that wouldn't matter. Would I entrust high-$$$$$ batteries to it? Dunno, I'd have to think about that.
It works good keeps my start batteries right on the money has a manual mode too that will go up to 16v to replenish a old tired 12 v battery I haven't tried it 24v ,the draw back is it is pulse charger so it is slow on automatic heck of lot better than the battery minder and tenders for a lot less money lol and it has pretty LED's
Heres a Century brand new model that also does 24 volt.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Century-12-and-24-Volt-High-Frequency-Battery-Charger-K3234-1/205187171
Solar will work good to keep battery charged. But it looks like prices have really jumped. I bought Renogy 100 w panels in May of this year .Last one was 100 watts for $100 and now see the same at almost double.Have prices gone up that much?
The Trump Tariffs kicking in?
Just a guess?
happy coaching!
buswarrior
Electric wheelchairs are very often 24v. You can check Ebay or Craigslist for used chargers.
Quote from: Oonrahnjay on November 05, 2018, 06:37:56 AM
Too good to be true?? $33.89
https://www.amazon.com/Automatic-Battery-Charger-Intelligent-Motorcycle/dp/B0797XMSDL/ref=sr_1_9?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1541428240&sr=1-9&keywords=24+volt+battery+charger#customerReviews
I'm sure it's lightly built and junk, but some commenters say that they use it on trolling motor batteries and golf carts with success. Some comment that it's not fast enough for golf carts but if you're talking about a maintainer for a winter, that wouldn't matter. Would I entrust high-$$$$$ batteries to it? Dunno, I'd have to think about that.
Careful now the writing on the front is Russian and they can probably read your emails through it too, Hey just sayin ;)
Running something like that my fear would be coming home to find the bus (and house and barn) burned to the ground due to a catastrophic failure. At the least I'd be concerned my batteries would be fried. I've had problems with more than a few lower cost chargers over the years, and I just don't think it's a good idea to take chances with things like this.
Even the cost of the batteries alone makes buying a trustworthy charger important, even more so if there is any risk to the bus or buildings next to it.
If the decision is made to buy a low-cost charger just to maintain the batteries, then at least get one that has a known quality level and reputation.
Don't they make temperature probes for batteries that could be wired into a relay to disconnect charger incase it goes Devcon5? I think any charger could go bad, some sooner, and some batteries probably went bad from not checking and adding water as needed.
Quote from: chessie4905 on November 05, 2018, 03:33:45 PM
Don't they make temperature probes for batteries that could be wired into a relay to disconnect charger incase it goes Devcon5? I think any charger could go bad, some sooner, and some batteries probably went bad from not checking and adding water as needed.
They all can go bad you got that right Chessie ,the cheap ones are worth a try mine is doing a good job I checked it everyday with a meter for week or so . I don't why Richard is afraid I had a $400.00 ProMariner hard wired charger in place later in it's short life it cooked 2 -8D starting batteries then a $2000+inverter charger with heat probes help do a number on $4200.00 (6-8D Glass Mats) batteries.Why not try cheap the big buck s*** is not working for me
Quote from: chessie4905 on November 05, 2018, 03:33:45 PM
Don't they make temperature probes for batteries that could be wired into a relay to disconnect charger incase it goes Devcon5? I think any charger could go bad, some sooner, and some batteries probably went bad from not checking and adding water as needed.
as much as I know how important it is for you to be right :)
The Defense readiness Condition (DEFCON) is an alert state used by the United States Armed Forces. ... It prescribes five graduated levels of readiness (or states of alert) for the U.S. military. It increases in severity from DEFCON 5 (least severe) to DEFCON 1 (most severe) to match varying military situations.
devcon is epoxy. :)
So does that mean Devcon 5 is for 5 tubes of epoxy? Sorta sounds like an emergency condition to me...
Jim
There are all kinda if ways to keep your batteries charged ,Richard is using a converter charger unit I guess his rv uses it for to power the DC for items in the bus ,I never have any luck with the combo units myself.I have the same unit 12v version in the van just replaced it after 4 years of service