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Old 01-17-2021, 08:15 AM   #1
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12V Battery Charging?

I have a Zinger Destination Trailer with the typical 12V Battery mounted on the tongue.

Question: How does the converter keep the battery charged?

I replaced the battery today and there are only 2 cables. The are both either 4 or 6 AWG (one black/positive and one white/negative).
No other external wiring was present.

Trying to figure out how the battery charge is maintained when plugged into shore power.

dh
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Old 01-17-2021, 09:17 AM   #2
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When your RV is connected to shore power, the batteries charge. An RV Converter/Charger that converts the power to 12-volt DC and then sends charge to the battery. Make sure you keep battery topped off with distilled water. And I suggest adding a battery shut off when your not using the camper if you don’t have one. This is the one I use. Purchased at Camping World.
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Old 01-17-2021, 09:46 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Papa-T View Post
When your RV is connected to shore power, the batteries charge. An RV Converter/Charger that converts the power to 12-volt DC and then sends charge to the battery. Make sure you keep battery topped off with distilled water. And I suggest adding a battery shut off when your not using the camper if you don’t have one. This is the one I use. Purchased at Camping World.
Thanks for the reply. Still need more info as it is not clear to me. There are only 2 cables attached to battery. Normally, this indicates the battery is supplying power not recieving it. How does the converter supply a charge back to battery?
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Old 01-17-2021, 09:56 AM   #4
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The two wires run back to the converter. The converter makes 12 volt and supplies the camper plus charges the battery when plugged in. When not plugged in the battery supplies the 12 volt.
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Old 01-17-2021, 10:08 AM   #5
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I will add this.
Think battery charger at home - 2 wires. The converter - battery charger- will regulate the amount of charge to the battery to keep it charged but not over charged while at the same time power all the 12 volt in the camper. Then when you unplug the 110 the battery then along the same wires powers all the 12 volt in the camper.

Of course this is a simplified explanation.
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Old 01-17-2021, 12:23 PM   #6
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I will add this.
Think battery charger at home - 2 wires. The converter - battery charger- will regulate the amount of charge to the battery to keep it charged but not over charged while at the same time power all the 12 volt in the camper. Then when you unplug the 110 the battery then along the same wires powers all the 12 volt in the camper.

Of course this is a simplified explanation.
Thanks for the explanation.

I guess I am missing the data on how the converter decides to transfer from being a charger vs. allowing the 12v battery to provide load side power while being plugged into 110v shore power.

Thanks again
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Old 01-17-2021, 01:01 PM   #7
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When plugged into 110 power the battery does not supply power to the camper the converter does. The "electronics" in the converter charge the battery and supply the camper . You can disconnect the battery and still have 12 volt in the camper as long as it is plugged in to 110. Most converters have 3 modes - Normal - powers dc loads and charges the battery - Trickle - maintains battery charge And Fast charge mode used after the battery is drained down as in dry camping.

Look up WFCO. They are a major converter supplier and there is a lot of good information on there website.
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Old 01-17-2021, 03:51 PM   #8
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Simply put, when plugged into shore power those 2 cables are incoming charge from the converter, unplugged they're outgoing 12 volt power, the converter is sophisticated enough to know the difference.
As stated you can operate the 12 volt system without batteries with the converter, but if operating slides, jacks or heavy current loads this way will shorten the lifespan of the converter considerably.
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Old 01-18-2021, 01:57 PM   #9
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darley, you are seeing only two wires because the main battery cables go to a junction box/area where they are joined with other wires to distribute 12 volts to various places. This is also the place where your convertor is connected.
On most, if you look behind the battery area, on the crossmember, you will see a black box with wires coming from and to it. There are auto-resettable breakers in there, and a good place to periodically inspect for corrosion and the like.
If you want to confirm that your battery is actually being charged, while under shore power, meter across the battery terminals, and you should get over 13 volts. At rest, no shore power, your battery should be above 12 volts when charged.
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Old 01-18-2021, 03:57 PM   #10
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Good information everyone. I understand it now. Sadly, I had to unlearn what the Dealership told me when I picked up the RV. Clearly, they were not clear on how the converter works.

Thanks again
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Old 02-21-2021, 09:04 AM   #11
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Converters are designed to charge batteries from a car engine generator. Typically the rated input and output voltage is 12V.

A converter charges a battery about 5-10 times faster than a generator. A converter quickly recovers an extra battery over short distances and recharges it 100% overextended driving. At a parking lot, you will not have to worry about the condition of batteries and disconnect electricity consumers.

Charging converters often eliminate the disadvantages of a traditional charging system by compensating for long cable losses and alternator voltage fluctuations. The compact converter is in no way inferior to the wall charger of the same power. Galvanic isolation of input and output protects against voltage breakdown, unwanted reverse discharges of the battery, and suppresses interference in the supply network.

And smart microprocessor devices control robust power electronics to ensure optimal battery charging and safe electrical system operation.

Converters also reduce the charging voltage if a battery temperature rises above normal. A voltage sensor allows devices to compensate for electrical losses in cables.

Finally, you may find this information interesting, too!
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