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Old 12-05-2014, 03:18 PM   #21
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Originally Posted by NJ Joe View Post
Jim,

I think you are having trouble keeping up because of the voltage drop in the long run for the charge cable from the truck to the back of the 21.
I agree.

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I am planning to try this DC to DC charger once I pick up my 21 next year.

ctek d205S
Interesting. I couldn't find this model on the CTEK website. Did you mean the D250S, which happens to manage two inputs? It's expensive, but it seems that any of these DC-DC chargers as expensive, perhaps only because they are specialty products.
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Old 12-05-2014, 03:54 PM   #22
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Doug
I had looked at the Xantrex battery charger about six months ago. It really looks like a nice unit. Xantrex also makes a solar controller the C35 that is one of the three models that will charge the Interstate 6 volt batteries at the proper voltage. The battery charger has two issues; it still requires a converter be present in the RV to handle supplying current and protection to your 12 volt devices and it has had such terrible reviews.

It has been around for 10 years, according to one reviewer and the quality has slipped once production went overseas to China. The same problem occurred with the C35 solar controller. The battery charger seems to be used, like many RV products, on water craft. West Marine (link) had a number of reviews of the product.

Xantrex is a Canadian company that is a subsidiary of Schneider Electric. They have become a big player in power related manufacturing as they purchased over 30 companies in the last 20 years. I always used power protection products and uninterruptable power supplies from American Power Conversion (APC) in my prior life. They are now a Schneider company and I just went through a very large recall for their products.
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Old 12-05-2014, 04:04 PM   #23
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Ouch on the quality. Hope I got a good one.

I replaced my WFCO converter with a TRUEcharge2 and have had no issues. There is no need for a converter - the batteries and the charger output are paralleled (as was the WFCO.) So if there is more demand than the charger can put out the battery provides the difference. (WFCO was 55 amp, TrueCharge is 40.)
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Old 12-05-2014, 04:48 PM   #24
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Brian,

Yes i did type that in wrong. It is the D250S. A bit expensive but i believe it may be the least costly method, in terms of time and dollars, to correct the voltage drop. Previously i have run an inverter in my truck that powered a charger in the camper, but i am trying to avoid installing an inverter in the new truck.
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Old 12-05-2014, 05:14 PM   #25
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It is the D250S.
Thanks

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A bit expensive but i believe it may be the least costly method, in terms of time and dollars, to correct the voltage drop.
The CTEK manual describes a number of scenarios and explains how the management (switching) capabilities of the charger help, but they never clearly say that the charger will boost a low supplied input voltage to meet the target battery charging voltage. Does it really do this?

I wonder if all it does for low alternator voltage is to supplement charging with solar power output.

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Previously i have run an inverter in my truck that powered a charger in the camper, but i am trying to avoid installing an inverter in the new truck.
That setup makes functional sense. It was proposed in the FiberglassRV forum, where a supposedly qualified electrical engineer didn't understand the point and attacked and insulted the member who proposed it... but of course it would work. Did you ever measure the camper battery charge rate and quantify the improvement?
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Old 12-05-2014, 05:15 PM   #26
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Jim, I take it you can't fit a Group 24 12 volt battery in with your group 29?
No room at the inn for another battery in the vented box, but dual 6's will fit. They are the DuraCell model. I'll keep my Interstate 29 on trickle charge in the garage if I start to see the 6 era decline.
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Old 12-05-2014, 05:18 PM   #27
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I have Trojan T-105's, so I went to their site, and they recommend a 14.8V charge, 13.2V float, and a 15.5V equalize. At 14.4V, the Escape supplied charger is not too far off. For equalizing batteries, a couple times a year, I use a charger that I have at home that does a 15.8V charge. I can see that if you wanted the one in the trailer to do it all, you might want a new one.

I still don't understand how with deep cell batteries, that charging dual 6V, or charging a single 12V would have different charging needs.
Just for giggles I dropped Dometics and Atwood a note on the max input voltage their Fridge (RML8555) and the furnace in my fifth wheel can handle as the Interstates need 15.6 and the Trojans 15.5 for equalize. The fridge is 10-18v, the furnace is 10-13 volts. WHile I've got to think these are operating voltage ranges, do you think we need be concerned about smoking anything at the 15+ volts we need for charging and or equalizing?

Jim B, what do you use for your portable charger?
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Old 12-05-2014, 06:04 PM   #28
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Just for giggles I dropped Dometics and Atwood a note on the max input voltage their Fridge (RML8555) and the furnace in my fifth wheel can handle as the Interstates need 15.6 and the Trojans 15.5 for equalize. The fridge is 10-18v, the furnace is 10-13 volts. WHile I've got to think these are operating voltage ranges, do you think we need be concerned about smoking anything at the 15+ volts we need for charging and or equalizing?
I would say "no" to being concerned... but the furnace upper voltage spec is surprisingly low: any charger should run higher than that. My Atwood furnaces in other RVs seem to operate normally (albeit with a faster fan) at the highest charging voltage put out by my Progressive Dynamics converter/chargers.
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Old 12-05-2014, 06:11 PM   #29
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Just for giggles I dropped Dometics and Atwood a note on the max input voltage their Fridge (RML8555) and the furnace in my fifth wheel can handle as the Interstates need 15.6 and the Trojans 15.5 for equalize. The fridge is 10-18v, the furnace is 10-13 volts. WHile I've got to think these are operating voltage ranges, do you think we need be concerned about smoking anything at the 15+ volts we need for charging and or equalizing?

Jim B, what do you use for your portable charger?
I have been charging my Interstate batteries that high for a long time with no problems.
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Old 12-05-2014, 06:18 PM   #30
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I have been charging my Interstate batteries that high for a long time with no problems.
Good, 1 less thing to think too much about.
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Old 12-05-2014, 07:29 PM   #31
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I agree - a 12V Interstate U battery and 2 6V U Interstate batteries have the same charging requirements.
Then I misunderstood your first post, thinking this is what you had said. Still, I learned sumpin' despite the misunderstanding.
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For those on the anal side of batteries, I can come up with about six names from the forum, you know who you are. This group, with myself as a member, probably do a lot more off grid camping, perhaps extended off grid camping, or cold weather camping with lots of furnace use and want the best performance possible. So camping style influences this discussion.
I would bet not. In the last few years, the Escape Rally is the only place I have had hookups at all, other than sitting in my driveway. Plus, we certainly get lots of cold weather too. I bet I spend at least 15 nights a year, probably more, where overnight lows get below freezing. Mind you, 5 days (4 nights) is my a typical stay, so not out for extended lengths of time too often. I have started using a 40W panel, which seems to help a bit when the furnace runs more.
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Jim B, what do you use for your portable charger?
I use a CTEK 4.3, which stays on my batteries during winter storage, and a couple times while parked at home in the camping months.
CTEK MUS 4.3 TEST&CHARGE | CTEK Battery ChargersCTEK Battery Chargers

I was thinking of putting one of these in the Trillium I am rebuilding for my daughter, in conjunction with a small portable solar panel when not hooked up to the grid, in lieu of a converter. Previously, there was no battery on this trailer, but I am adding one.
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Old 12-05-2014, 07:50 PM   #32
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The CTEK manual describes a number of scenarios and explains how the management (switching) capabilities of the charger help, but they never clearly say that the charger will boost a low supplied input voltage to meet the target battery charging voltage. Does it really do this?

I wonder if all it does for low alternator voltage is to supplement charging with solar power output.
I have not used the CTEK in a camper yet, only bench testing, so not 100% sure it is going to do what is needed. On the bench, I was able to verify that it does boost the voltage, but I only tested it down to about 11 volts on the input. I'm assuming that even with the voltage drop to the back of the Escape 21, I will be above 11v.

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That setup makes functional sense. It was proposed in the FiberglassRV forum, where a supposedly qualified electrical engineer didn't understand the point and attacked and insulted the member who proposed it... but of course it would work. Did you ever measure the camper battery charge rate and quantify the improvement?

The set up with the inverter in the truck and charger / inverter combo in my old camper worked well. It provided the correct charge voltage for the AGM battery and allowed me to charge at a 30A bulk charge rate. I did not see any difference between being hooked up or being under way and plugged into the inverter in the truck.

I think the CTEK will be a simpler set up, if it works.
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Old 12-06-2014, 01:30 PM   #33
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On the bench, I was able to verify that it does boost the voltage, but I only tested it down to about 11 volts on the input.
Excellent - thanks

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I think the CTEK will be a simpler set up, if it works.
I agree.
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Old 12-06-2014, 01:56 PM   #34
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I was reading the online manual for the CTEK MUS 4.3 and it indicates that its for batteries 14 - 160AH when connecting the 6 volts the total would 262AH just wondering what effect this would have?

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Old 12-06-2014, 04:33 PM   #35
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Curious: The 12V battery that has been in my trailer since I bought it used is a Lifeline GPL31XT. I think it has reached the 3/4 point of its warrantied life, and it seems to be wearing down kind-of like I am at a similar stage of life. In all of the battery discussions I have seen on this forum I don't recall this battery being mentioned. Based on its heavy weight and the cliche "you get what you pay for", this ought to be an uncontested winner. Is the price the reason I haven't noticed Lifeline mentioned, or are the Trojan and Interstate better performers as well as cheaper? Thanks for any wisdom…Glenn.
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Old 12-06-2014, 05:33 PM   #36
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My 2008 came with Interstate. It slowed down a lot in the fall of 2011. I don't know for sure, but probably my fault. I replaced it with a Trojan, mainly because I have issues with Interstate's religious mission.
Since then, I've mostly worried about the state of my battery, probably for no good reason. The more instruments you have to measure it, the more stress you endure.
As you might have guessed, I am a dim bulb when it comes to electricity.
Don't know Lifeline at all.
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Old 12-06-2014, 06:14 PM   #37
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Curious: The 12V battery that has been in my trailer since I bought it used is a Lifeline GPL31XT. I think it has reached the 3/4 point of its warrantied life, and it seems to be wearing down kind-of like I am at a similar stage of life. In all of the battery discussions I have seen on this forum I don't recall this battery being mentioned. Based on its heavy weight and the cliche "you get what you pay for", this ought to be an uncontested winner. Is the price the reason I haven't noticed Lifeline mentioned, or are the Trojan and Interstate better performers as well as cheaper? Thanks for any wisdom…Glenn.
I rarely hear about Lifeline's in relation to RV's, they seem to be more common in the marine world. It could well be price, we all know boat owners enjoy throwing away their money even more then RV owners.
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Old 12-06-2014, 06:14 PM   #38
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The more instruments you have to measure it, the more stress you endure.
I have five thermometers at my cabin up by Mt. Baker--all in strategic locations out of direct sunlight. I also have five different temperatures.
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Old 12-06-2014, 06:32 PM   #39
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Karen, you need an instrument to calibrate your thermometers.
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Old 12-06-2014, 07:09 PM   #40
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Jim, I have your battery solution here...

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