Battery Trickle Charger December 25, 2008, 04:16:47 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98132Anyone have experience with this unit?http://tinyurl.com/7mkf6qSounds like it could be useful.Ray
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #1 – December 25, 2008, 04:23:12 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98133Ray,Your link points to a "Kitchen Queen Wood Cook Stove" not a trickle charger.Alex
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #2 – December 25, 2008, 04:29:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98134Maybe you put your batteries on the stove to charge them up? ;>)Rick
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #3 – December 25, 2008, 05:06:48 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98135Me thinks that stoves too big to fit inna LD....^_^ Original message from Alex Rutchka ax.rutchka@...>: Ray,Your link points to a "Kitchen Queen Wood Cook Stove" not a trickle charger.Alex
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #4 – December 25, 2008, 05:10:46 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98136hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! Original message from "Rick" devoyr@...>: Maybe you put your batteries on the stove to charge them up? ;>)Rick
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #5 – December 25, 2008, 05:50:45 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98137Glad I found someone awake on the Group this Christmas Day and provided some needed levity.Let's try this link! http://www.bestconverter.com/Ultra-Trik-L-Start_c_124.html Ray
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #6 – December 25, 2008, 07:14:36 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98140Well, the skeptic in me says "This $50 device does the same job as a $1 clip lead across my isolator." But that's unfair, because it's a gross oversimplification. The Trik-L-Start is "intelligent," in the sense that you can leave it in place all the time and it will always do the right thing--unlike a clip lead, which must only be used under specific circumstances, and removed when not in use.I like the idea, but $50 is a leetle high for what it does--for my taste, that is. If it were $25, I'd probably buy one. But that's just me. I certainly wouldn't tell anybody NOT to buy it. If it works as claimed, it performs a useful job.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #7 – December 25, 2008, 08:09:49 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98141Andy, I was thinking the same thing, though I'm smart enough not to suggest I belong to the "great minds think alike club". In any case, I've installed a contactor (relay) with switch to provide a boost or jump start if the engine battery is low. This contactor connects the two battery positive terminals that are available at the existing diode isolator. I can flip the switch to activate this contactor and it provides a charge to the engine battery . . . just have to remember to turn the switch back off again (g).bumper Yonder
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #8 – December 25, 2008, 09:27:18 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98142If you have sun a solar panel like this works well: http://www.flickr.com/photos/safoocat/2745018535/Michelle
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #9 – December 26, 2008, 11:49:55 am Yahoo Message Number: 98144"I've installed a contactor (relay) with switch to provide a boost or jump start if the engine battery is low."That's a good, simple solution, and a lot less expensive than the Trik-L-Start. In my experience it's pretty rare for the starting battery to run down, so a low-cost "use it when you need it" solution like yours is probably more cost-effective for most of us than the admittedly elegant fifty-dollar Trik-L-Start box. Michelle's suggestion of trickle-charging via a small solar panel is another possibility; just make sure it has blocking diodes to prevent discharge at night. (Some of the really small panels don't.) Me, I take the lazy way out: I just carry jumper cables that are long enough to reach from my house batteries to my starting battery. :-) I used them a few times when I was vacation-camping with Gertie, but haven't needed to since I got Skylark. Fulltiming tends to keep the starting battery pretty well charged... unless you leave something plugged into the dashboard (e.g., GPS receiver) turned on.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #10 – December 26, 2008, 04:04:26 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98153This is a good discussion. Most any low power 12V DC wall wart will also keep the engine battery charged but it's somewhat convoluted since you'd need to run it from A/C. One other method I have used is a 12V extension cord with male plugs at each end one plugged into the dash socket and another plugged into one of the house sockets. That will keep the batteries at the same potential. Just be sure to unplug it before turning on the starter or it will melt or blow a fuse. Also be sure not to touch the hot center tip to any ground.. I, like Andy, also keep a set of jumper cables and since I have a house battery in the engine compartment it's easy for me to jump it to the engine battery however now that I've installed additional house battery amidships I'll have to isolate them from the engine compartment house battery as the wires aren't large enough to handle starting amperage. I may install an isolation switch at some point however with my small solar panel on the engine battery so far I haven't had to add additional charge to it.Michelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #11 – December 26, 2008, 04:48:00 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98155QuoteOne other method I have used is a 12V extension cord with male plugs at each Quoteend one plugged into the dash socket and another plugged into one of the house Quotesockets. That will keep the batteries at the same potential. Just Michelle, on our '83 the dash 12V socket is wired to the house battery. I believe this was standard for LD.Steve
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #12 – December 26, 2008, 05:30:34 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98156i would rather use this http://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SS-51A-PE-Automatic-Manual-Charger/dp/B000H90XHY/ref=sr_1_41?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1230257085&sr=1-41works better in my opinion for maintaining As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #13 – December 26, 2008, 06:19:06 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98157"i would rather use this [Schumacher 10-amp AC-powered battery charger]."That charger is intended for a rather different purpose the what we were originally talking about here. The Trik-L-Charge unit that began this discussion is meant to keep one's starting battery from losing charge during periods of inactivity (e.g., when parked for an extended period, or when the rig is in storage) by feeding in a small amount of power. The alternatives suggested here are aimed at the same goal--either keeping the starting battery topped off with a small solar panel, or temporarily joining the house batteries and starting battery with a relay or with jumper cables.In that kind of long-term situation, I'd be very leery of leaving a 10A charger like the Schumacher unit connected to any battery--even if it claims to prevent overcharging. That's especially true given the customer review on the Amazon page you pointed to:"Charger got very, very hot when charging but it did charge battery (deep cycle battery). It actually heated up the room it was in. Went to fully charged condition at about 7 amps as opposed to 5 amps that the manufacturer said it would do."If 7 amps is Schumacher's idea of trickle charging, your starter battery could be cooked in a very short time with this unit. It may be suitable for charging a dead battery, but it sounds UNsuitable for maintaining a charge over weeks or months.Andy Baird http://www.andybaird.com/travels/
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #14 – December 26, 2008, 06:48:57 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98158k sorry missed begining. I use this charger when I have shore power and have left it on for weeks at a time while I was out otr in big truck to keep fridge and stuff running no problems. I eventually went to harbor freight and got their 45 w solar panel set up. works good to keep a house style fridge running but a thermolectric cooler, batteries (4) will go dead in about 10 days. I had these on a 90 dodge van hi top you couldn't see them. Only problem I had was the controller would suggest anyone going this way to get a seperated more durable controller. the 12v socket come loose and fell back into unit on one I had.
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #15 – December 26, 2008, 10:50:02 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98161Schumacher has four trickle chargers: http://store.schumachermart.com/battery-chargers-automotive-trickle-chargers.htmlI have used this model for years: http://store.schumachermart.com/1050-pe.html It's a 50 10 2 charger and will trickle charge in the 2 position and start your rig in the 50 position and keep you going in the 10 position while you are running several computers and other items. The company says it's not rated for multiple batteries but I currently have it on two wheel chair batteries in my stick and brick an they do just fine in the 2 amp position from which we run two computers and their accessories all day every day.I wouldn't be afraid to use it in the motorhome.Michelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #16 – December 26, 2008, 11:14:07 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98162My dash socket has been tampered with. A wire from it runs over to the fuse panel under the dash and is plugged into one of the spaces that has 12 volts on it. I also run the rear view camera monitors from that power source. I wouldn't mind it being hooked to the house batteries.I could tap into the radio power. That would make it easy enough. I've been planning on pulling that cigarette lighter socket out of there and would like to install a decent 12 volt power bus, just haven't figured out what's better as so many things come with the cigarette plug type connector. It looks like we've decided to stick ourselves with an inferior type plug out of convenience to a past time. Maybe it's not so bad. Does anyone know of something better?Michelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #17 – December 27, 2008, 12:01:01 am Yahoo Message Number: 98163Michelle, That would be Bosch "BMW" style plugs and jacks. They are available at www.powerletproducts.com or can be had a John Deere tractor dealers or BMW motorcycle shops. Smaller than a cigarette plug, they are an order of magnitude more reliable and handle more current too.bumper
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #18 – December 27, 2008, 07:10:20 am Yahoo Message Number: 98164On Fri, 26 Dec 2008 21:54:02 -0800, "bumperm" wrote these inspiring words:QuoteThat would be Bosch "BMW" style plugs and jacks. They are available at www.powerletproducts.com If this is an example of the "BMW" style plugs, they must be darn good ones at $40. Weather and vibration resistant. http://www.powerletproducts.com/product/cigarette-socket-panel-mount-kit-24/4 I would not use the junk found at auto parts stores, but the quality of the sockets LD uses seems adequate to me. Or am I missing something here???I bought several the last time I was at the Mothership. $5 each, I think.Cheers, Don
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #19 – December 27, 2008, 11:25:09 am Yahoo Message Number: 98171Don, There are two basic types of cigarette sockets. The ones intended to power cigarette lighters are heavy duty, high current, and robust. The ones intend to power accessories only are a mixed bag. Quality, or lack thereof, depends on the manufacturer and/or model. The problem with all cigarette style outlets is that the center hot lead is dependant on a little push-in contact - - there's no "wiping action" and so corrosion, dirt, or a loose fitting barrel can create resistance at the point of contact. It's really a poor design, but it looks like we are stuck with it as a standard. The Bosch "BMW" plug I've written of before, is both smaller and more robust. The center contact is a shaped pin that *does* use wiping action and a spring clamp inside the jack or plug for both the positive and negative (ground) terminals. With the Bosch plug, you will not experience a bad connection due to plug design. The Bosch plug is particularly good for heavy current devices like the sewage pump macerator - - I installed a weather proof jack for this on the outside skirt near the dump valves.bumper Yonder Minden NV
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #20 – December 27, 2008, 05:04:20 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98184Thanks Bumper, I bookmarked it in case that route is chosen. They are also found on ebay with a search for Powerlet.best,Michelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: Battery Trickle Charger Reply #21 – December 27, 2008, 06:29:27 pm Yahoo Message Number: 98185My dash socket is rinky dink though 26 years old. It doesn't fit snug in the cowling, doesn't make constant contact and occasionally shorts and blows a fuse. I'm simply tired of messing with it. I do have a nice three outlet set up but still would need a good place to plug it in.I'm sure some auto parts stores would have a good quality socket.Michelle * http://safoocat.blogspot.com/%c2%a0 * http://flickr.com/photos/safoocat/ * http://amazon.com/shops/safoocat As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
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