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01-04-2009, 07:55 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 893
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How long to charge the battery
Any idea normally how long it take to charge the battery via the 120 volt home circuit and what the heck via the car if you happen to venture a guess. As a scenario the battery is 1/4 full capacity before charging..
Just trying to get an idea how far in advance I need to charge up my Escape prior to taking it out..
thanks
__________________
Former 17ft Plan "B" Escape
Toyota Highlander w/tow pkg
favorite quote: "Put the candle back"
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01-04-2009, 11:32 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Antelope, California
Trailer: 2009 17B "Suite Escape" pulled by a 2020 Toyota Sienna
Posts: 1,565
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Re: How long to charge the battery
Hi all,
I am under the impression that the battery charges while one travels. How long that must be, I have no clue. I'm sure the Escape Master will have the answer.
Are you planning an Escape soon?
Sandra
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Peace and Sunshine
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01-05-2009, 10:31 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 893
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Re: How long to charge the battery
We're doing a short tune-up to Morro Bay (leaving tomorrow) for just a couple of day .. then coming back and heading down towards San Diego after the Liana completes Jury duty.. We're thinking of doing a couple of longer trips later on though .. I was trying to get an idea on the battery charge just for a rule of thumb type thing..
__________________
Former 17ft Plan "B" Escape
Toyota Highlander w/tow pkg
favorite quote: "Put the candle back"
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01-05-2009, 11:00 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 172
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Re: How long to charge the battery
Reace suggested to me that about 3 hours at highway speeds should have things charged up. As for plugged in, not sure, but I suspect about the same.
__________________
Dirk
17' Plan A, '05 Nissan Frontier, canoe, dog.
Half-fulltimer
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01-05-2009, 11:25 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 893
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Re: How long to charge the battery
Thanks.. and great job on your site. I like the "Scream" photo and of course patient Fin.. Makes me want to Escape!
__________________
Former 17ft Plan "B" Escape
Toyota Highlander w/tow pkg
favorite quote: "Put the candle back"
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11-02-2009, 07:03 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: St. Thomas not BVI., Ontario
Trailer: 2014 Escape 5.0TA / 2016 Ram Eco Diesel 4X4
Posts: 8,035
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Re: How long to charge the battery
Hi: All...Plugging the trailer in for 24-48 hrs. should be enough to fully charge the battery. If you leave the trailer plugged in to long you risk boiling and toasting them all at once. Be kind to your batteries and check fluid levels and add only distilled water if necessary.Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie
__________________
Quote Bugs Bunny..."Don't take life too seriously, none of us get out of it ALIVE"!!!
'16 Ram Eco D. 4X4 Laramie Longhorn CC & '14 Escape 5.0TA
St.Thomas (Not the Virgin Islands) Ontario
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08-22-2010, 05:45 AM
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#7
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9
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Re: How long to charge the battery
I'm a newbie, and we have an Escape 19 on order. Does the last post from Escape Artist mean that if we remain plugged in to an AC power source in a campground, say for several days, we run a risk of damaging our batteries? This is an interesting issue because -- as I understand the situation -- one needs to remain plugged in to AC to use the wall outlets in the trailer. No doubt I'm missing something here, so having someone straighten me out on this will be welcomed. In our prior camping (tent and slide-in camper), we have not had battery power. For what it is worth in responding to this, we hope to have the solar-panel option on our Escape.
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08-22-2010, 08:06 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,232
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Re: How long to charge the battery
Paul, my understanding is that the charger/converter built into the Escape will not overcharge the battery - at least not for the times your are camping. I would not leave it plugged in all the time while in storage.
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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08-22-2010, 10:21 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia
Trailer: 2009 Escape 17B 2020 Toyota Highlander XLE
Posts: 17,136
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Re: How long to charge the battery
I've been plugged in over the entire winter to run a small oil filled heater when it gets really cold and over the summer so I am ready to go at any time. You just have to check the levels in your battery cells (every month or two ) and keep them topped up.
baglo
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
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08-22-2010, 10:44 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Galesville, Wisconsin
Trailer: 2017 21 "Blue II" & 2017 Highlander XLE (previously 2010 17B "Blue" & 2008 Tacoma)
Posts: 4,232
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Re: How long to charge the battery
Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo
I've been plugged in over the entire winter to run a small oil filled heater when it gets really cold and over the summer so I am ready to go at any time. You just have to check the levels in your battery cells (every month or two ) and keep them topped up.
baglo
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That's good to know that it works for you. Escape must put in a high quality charger/converter that does a good job monitoring the battery condition and delivering charge appropriately.
__________________
Eric (and Mary who is in no way responsible for anything stupid I post)
"Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance." George Bernard Shaw
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08-22-2010, 10:45 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 489
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Re: How long to charge the battery
As Baglo said, be sure to check the water level in the battery every 1-2 months and all will be well. We left our Casita plugged in 24/7 and never had a problem. I added distilled water occasionally, but most of the time it never needed a drink. I carry a 1 liter Nalgene bottle of distilled water during our travels...but have never needed it. It is, however, a good use of one of the BPA Lexan bottles.
Unless you are going on a very long trip, there should be no problem if you leave home with a charged and watered battery.
YMMV;
Dave
p.s.: regular tap water can be a battery-killer. distilled only please.
__________________
There are 10 kinds of people in the world, those who understand binary, and those who don't.
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08-22-2010, 01:06 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9
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Re: How long to charge the battery
Thanks to everyone for the excellent suggestions. What a forum! I'm mighty happy to be aboard.
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08-22-2010, 01:53 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Farmville, Virginia
Trailer: 2006 Escape 5.0
Posts: 900
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Re: How long to charge the battery
I keep Hokie plugged in all the time. Though I check the water level ever couple of months, I've never (so far) had to add any water to it. But still, you need to check just to be sure. I keep a cube heater on very low in the winter, and the AC on very low in the summer to keep moisture from building up inside. I also keep the refrig on electric, so it's ready at any moment to throw some food into it and GO!!!!!!
__________________
"In the morning, O Lord, You will hear my voice. In the morning, I will offer my prayer to you, and wait in expectation" Ps 5:3
'11 Nissan Frontier Crew Cab (5' bed) 09 Escape 5.0
Blacksburg, Virginia (Home of the Virginia Tech Hokies)
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08-22-2010, 08:13 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Austin, Texas
Trailer: '09 Escape 19 "Grasshopper"
Posts: 221
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Re: How long to charge the battery
Quote:
Originally Posted by PaulA.
I'm a newbie, and we have an Escape 19 on order. Does the last post from Escape Artist mean that if we remain plugged in to an AC power source in a campground, say for several days, we run a risk of damaging our batteries? This is an interesting issue because -- as I understand the situation -- one needs to remain plugged in to AC to use the wall outlets in the trailer. No doubt I'm missing something here, so having someone straighten me out on this will be welcomed. In our prior camping (tent and slide-in camper), we have not had battery power. For what it is worth in responding to this, we hope to have the solar-panel option on our Escape.
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There is a thread entitled "Long Term AC Hookup" from back in January 2010 that has lots of good info regarding your questions including two posts from Reace. http://escapeforum.org/index.php?topic=1022.0
Generally, we don't worry about the batteries when plugged into AC except in the wintertime when we leave a small cube heater on for extended periods during freezing temps. For those times, we flip the battery "kill switch" as suggested by Reace, which isolates the batteries from charging. The 12v lights, outlets, etc still work because the converter does it's job stepping down the AC power to 12v but there's no worry about any potential battery overcharge b/c it is isolated. Our solar panel & charge controller still provide staged charging (even when the kill switch is "on") so we don't have to worry about the battery draining over time. Those without solar should probably check the charge & fluids once a month & maintain as necessary.
__________________
Brad & Shay
'09 Escape 19 "Grasshopper"
'14 MB GL350 BlueTEC; '99 Toyota 4Runner V6 4WD
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11-05-2010, 09:02 PM
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#15
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Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 14
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Re: How long to charge the battery
I remove my battery out of the trailer into my attached garage that stay above freezing. I connect it in parallel with another deep cycle battery that has a 60 watt solar array and charge controller. When the batteries are full, the controller goes into a pulse mode to keep the batteries charged and prevent sulfation.
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