outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? October 02, 2015, 12:54:56 am Yahoo Message Number: 156123I've seen a few old postings about battery tenders but I'm not clear on a few things. Our is sitting outside being used as a design office for a year or two. It is plugged in to the 110, the septic line and a direct hose line from our well pump. The engine battery is dead so we heard of the Battery Tender 021-0156 Battery Tender Plus 12V Battery Charger True Gel Cell Model How does one tell which battery tender is correct for the battery you have, if you need a special outdoor model, what to do (if anything) if you have any solar panels, etc.??
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #1 – October 02, 2015, 12:39:19 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156130It's my experience that the battery tender you mentioned will slowly charge the battery and keep it charged since it has a built-in sensor. The battery tender should work on any 12V batteries. I'd simply attach it to the truck battery under the hood and then close the hood. If LD installed your solar panels, then they charge the house batteries but not the truck batteries. If I'm wrong, we'll both find out rather quickly!Ed & Margee Fort Worth
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #2 – October 02, 2015, 02:40:32 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156131If you have solar panels AM Solar sells a charge controller that will allow you to route power to engine battery as well as coach batteries. It works very well. I have stayed in the same place for a month without starting engine. Fires right up every time.bobmoore14
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #3 – October 02, 2015, 04:06:00 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156133Ed and Margee wrote; " If LD installed your solar panels, then they charge the house batteries but not the truck batteries. " You are right. The chassis battery is allowed to run down on its own. but very slowly. Larry Wade brought up the Trik-L-Start battery maintainer on this forum awhile back. I bought one and it works great. The excess solar panel power not needed once your house batteries are fully charged, is diverted to your engine (chassis) battery, to keep it topped off. It was easy to install. I moved the radiator coolant tank over to one side temporarily to get better access to the isolator wiring. It looks like they now have theTrik-L-Start Ultra. (makes me wonder what they changed or fixed from mine). RonB and Bluebelle a '99TKB. Here is the link: http://www.lslproducts.net/TLSPage.html
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #4 – October 02, 2015, 05:36:15 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156134The downside to this device (Ultra TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer) One more box to install, One more thing to go wrong, and something else to wire. Since you need a solar charge controller anyways why not get one with this feature integrated into it? This device seems like a bandage to put on a poorly planned install, but for some probably the cheapest solution.bobmoore14Tecopa Hot Springs, and loving it.
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #5 – October 02, 2015, 05:52:55 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156135Thanks to Bob Moore, my To-Do list is once again growing and not shrinking. I need to find out if our Solar Charge Controller has this feature. If we have or can get this feature, I can see how it would be mighty useful. Thanks for the project Bob! Ed & Margee Fort Worth
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #6 – October 02, 2015, 06:23:37 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156139Ed, I have many faults but lack of imagination is not one of them. I once tried to find a way to install a Pinball Machine in my LD. Had to abandon the idea because it would have meant cutting into my Overhead storage cabinets. But I did figure out a way to tow my Jeep Cherokee toad and a motorcycle. Now if only I could figure out a good way to install an outdoor shower with hot and cold water. After long motorcycle rides in the desert I need a way to clean off without tracking all the dirt in the LD. Thanks to Larry Wade I have many cool upgrades including a stainless steel sink, sealevel gauges, and 4 solar panels. How many 23.5 LD's have 480 watts worth of solar panels? I think mine is unique in many ways thanks to Larry's ability to install damn near anything in an LD. I wish I had half his brains.Time to go eat some tamales. I just love them with chile verde salsa. I know someone who makes the best that can be had. Life is good.bobmoore14Tecopa Hot Springs for a few...
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #7 – October 02, 2015, 07:18:15 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156142Of course, the trik-l-start costs around $30 and the new solar controller runs over $200. Additionally, the new controller may very well not fit the opening where your current model is installed.I don't have a trik-l-start so not trying to sell you on any particular solution.Jim C
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #8 – October 02, 2015, 07:59:08 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156144"Of course, the trik-l-start costs around $30 and the new solar controller runs over $200. Additionally, the new controller may very well not fit the opening where your current model is installed."Exactly. We all start with the electrical system that Lazy Daze gave us. Yes, you can rip out everything that came from the factory (converter, inverter, solar charging controller, etc.) and start over from scratch, but that's an expensive proposition. (I know--I've been there and done that, as have a few others here.) Devices such as the Trik-L-Start can be cost-effective ways to upgrade an existing system, rather than spending hundreds or thousands of dollars to place it completely.Andy Baird
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #9 – October 02, 2015, 07:59:26 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156145Jim, As I said the trik-l-start may be a cheaper solution for some. But If you have a charge controller capable of charging both banks of batteries it's a better, more integrated solution. There are always cheaper solutions but if you full time it could mean more headaches. The Fleetwood motorhome I saw with the failing Home Depot solar panels after 3 years made me laugh. I bet they were a lot cheaper than an AM Solar panel. Is it worth the headaches to always buy cheaper things? For me. NO. My solar setup installed by Larry Wade with an AM solar kit is over 4 years old and running strong. I have had my LD airborne at high speeds off-roading in the Nevada desert. Solar setup has never given me a problem. Quality rules.bobmoore14 Going to soak in the Tecopa hot springs with a Margarita. Life is good.
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #10 – October 02, 2015, 09:54:24 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156155Bob, just so we are clear. I wasn't responding to you but to the OP and I thought my point was worthy of thinking about and also easy to understand. I also wasn't offering an opinion on the work of AM Solar or Larry Wade both of whom I respect. Nor was it a comment on how you choose to outfit your rig.Jim C
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #11 – October 02, 2015, 10:27:31 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156157I love this group. I have yet to ask a question that I don't get quick, helpful and friendly advice on. Do you think people who spend time outdoors like those of us with LD's might be in the less cranky pile of humans???
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #12 – October 02, 2015, 11:28:57 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156164No objections to any comments. I suggest we all eat some chocolate followed by some other sinful solutions. Time to fire up the blender. Anybody like Margaritas with Herradura Tequila? I find Patron rather good too.As with many things including solar, you pay your money and take your choice. Thank someone we have that choice.bobmoore14 Headed to Santa Barbara for the ultimate tamales, then Morro Bay for fresh seafood. Time to dream about British Motorcycles....
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #13 – October 03, 2015, 06:15:59 am Yahoo Message Number: 156166Hi Bob. You said; " One more box to install, One more thing to go wrong, and something else to wire. Since you need a solar charge controller anyways " The innards of that Trik-L-Start are the equivalent of what is in your solar controller, possibly much simpler. So that means nothing extra to go wrong. Your controller's extra output is probably meant for more house batteries. The Trik-l-start is intended for the engine starting chassis battery. Runnng wires from your controller to the chassis battery has to be harder than putting in the three wires for the Triklstart. one of those is a ground wire; pretty easy! One wire to the house battery plus 12v. and the other to the plus 12v. of the chassis battery. Piece of cake for Larry Wade. I'll bet that is why he used this device. Also, if someone doesn't have solar, the Trik-L-Start will work plugged in, with just the converter to charge both house and chassis battery. In my case it was an easy upgrade to add, rather than replace my still functioning very good solar charge controller.(MPPT) RonB
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #14 – October 03, 2015, 10:11:37 am Yahoo Message Number: 156169As is too often the case Bob you become insulting and tiresome on what should have been a very simple topic. You have somehow imagined that some people here are questioning AM Solar or the products they sell. Apparently, anything that disagrees with your notions is not to be tolerated.With as much respect as I can muster I would ask you to leave it alone.Jim C
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #15 – October 03, 2015, 11:07:53 am Yahoo Message Number: 156171I put a Blue Sky solar charge controller in my LD about a year ago when the previous charge controller failed. It has the second outputs, but I have never used them. I may eventually run wires from the solar controller to the engine battery if I store the rv, or maybe if I decide to stop moving for a long time. The longest I have stopped driving for in the last few months is about 3 weeks (in warm weather) and I had no problem with the engine battery.A cheesier but easier method I used a couple times when the rv was stored last winter was to turn on the inverter for the tv and plug in a trickle charger, which required running an extension cord out one of the front windows and under the hood.
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #16 – October 03, 2015, 11:38:00 am Yahoo Message Number: 156173X2
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #17 – October 03, 2015, 01:04:04 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156177Jim, No insult intended. I stick to the facts and throw opinion, ego, speculation out of the mix. I like learning new things. If you would like I can send you a copy of the Blue Sky manual to show you what I have stated is true.What bothers me is when people offer opinion as fact i.e. saying things about hardware circuitry they can't back up with fact. It is not the same. There are many good Solar outfits out there. The reason I like AM Solar is they provide complete kits for the RV, er. I happened to be in Eugene OR so I took a little side trip to their location in Springfield. They took the time to show me the facility explaining some things about Solar.They helped me with the design of my system even though they didn't install it. If you know of a better outfit or better hardware then they offer I would like to hear about it. Especially if they serve the Nevada area. I think there are many good solutions out there for the RV crowd. It's good that we have a choice. What works for me certainly doesn't for everyone.Each to there own,bobmoore14Tecopa Hot Springs
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #18 – October 03, 2015, 03:21:17 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156178Bob, either you aren't reading these comments or aren't comprehending.I don't need a manual as I am familiar with the Blue Sky. I am familar with AM Solar and am not questioning any of that. I just find your last response to another commenter obnoxious and out of line as happens all too often with your comments when you don't agree with either the topic or the poster.Jim C
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #19 – October 03, 2015, 03:25:14 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156179Guys, I think we've beaten this discussion to death, so let's move on, OK?Andy Baird
Re: outdoor standing 26 midbathLD/battery tender/solar panel? Reply #20 – October 03, 2015, 04:02:20 pm Yahoo Message Number: 156181Andy, Agreed and thank you.bobmoore14