charging battery

[harvest]

I have a new battery in my 17b as of this summer. It has drained, should I plug in the camper to the house and that will charge the battery, or should I use a battery charger, like one for a car battery? Also - any thoughts on how to not let the battery drain when not using the camper for a while?
Thanks!

[HABBERDABBER]

Plug it in to recharge. You can leave it plugged in continuously to keep it charged. Batteries self-discharge with time. Also, if you have a battery disconnect switch, turn it "OFF" so battery is disconnected from system. The propane and smoke alarms use small amounts of battery energy and will discharge it slowly, over time.

[tdf-texas]

Originally Posted by harvest

I have a new battery in my 17b as of this summer. It has drained, should I plug in the camper to the house and that will charge the battery, or should I use a battery charger, like one for a car battery? Also - any thoughts on how to not let the battery drain when not using the camper for a while?
Thanks!

The best way to keep your battery charged is to use a trickle charger connected to the battery. Plugging the trailer converter to the house will charge the battery but tends to overcharge and shorten the life of the battery.

https://www.amazon.com/NOCO-GENIUS1-.../dp/B07W46BX31

Turning the battery disconnect to off will keep the trailer from draining the battery as fast. Just make sure to turn it back on before going anywhere as the way Escape wires the trailer, the emergency brake circuit is turn off along with the rest of the trailer when the battery disconnect switch is off.

Adding a solar charger is another way to keep the battery healthly.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by tdf-texas

Turning the battery disconnect to off will keep the trailer from draining the battery as fast. Just make sure to turn it back on before going anywhere as the way Escape wires the trailer, the emergency brake circuit is turn off along with the rest of the trailer when the battery disconnect switch is off.

A 2005 17B does not have a disconnect switch.

[Vermilye]

If you don't have a disconnect switch, and you can't leave the trailer plugged in, it would be a good idea to fully charge the battery & disconnect one of the battery terminals. Check every month or so and if it drops below 12V or so, recharge the battery.

Using a trickle charger (battery maintainer) is also a good solution.

[harvest]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

A 2005 17B does not have a disconnect switch.

Thank you - you have saved me time to try and figure this one out!
I have my 17B plugged in now and the battery immediately said chrg, not sure how long it will take to fully charge, but leaving it plugged in overnight.

[harvest]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

If you don't have a disconnect switch, and you can't leave the trailer plugged in, it would be a good idea to fully charge the battery & disconnect one of the battery terminals. Check every month or so and if it drops below 12V or so, recharge the battery.

Using a trickle charger (battery maintainer) is also a good solution.

Thank you. For some reason I get timid about unhooking the battery, I think it is just because I haven't done it before and I am nervous I am going to do the wrong one first or last and get a shock. Is it bad to let the battery go down all the way?

[gbaglo]

I think the last time my trailer wasn't plugged in and charging the battery was July 2021.
I do check the level in the cells every couple months and top them up as necessary. I can use tap water here on the west coast, but you may need to use distilled water. It's cheap enough.

[harvest]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

I think the last time my trailer wasn't plugged in and charging the battery was July 2021.
I do check the level in the cells every couple months and top them up as necessary. I can use tap water here on the west coast, but you may need to use distilled water. It's cheap enough.

What do you mean check the level in the cells? I bought a new battery in July, so I was assuming it would last a while, aside from needing to get charged, etc. I have learned so much already, yet there is still so much for me to learn!

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by harvest

What do you mean check the level in the cells? I bought a new battery in July, so I was assuming it would last a while, aside from needing to get charged, etc. I have learned so much already, yet there is still so much for me to learn!

Depends on the type of battery you have. I have a wet cell battery. For a battery education, go to Trojan battery web site:
https://www.trojanbattery.com/tech-s...y-maintenance/

[harvest]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Depends on the type of battery you have. I have a wet cell battery. For a battery education, go to Trojan battery web site:
https://www.trojanbattery.com/tech-s...y-maintenance/

Thank you! I am guessing I don't have that kind, otherwise the place would have told me, I would think. Thanks for the link!

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by harvest

Thank you! I am guessing I don't have that kind, otherwise the place would have told me, I would think. Thanks for the link!

Please don't guess. Wet cell batteries are the most common. They do require a bit of maintenance. A quick look-see can save you a bunch of money....

[Iowa Dave]

Don’t get the “water” in the battery on your clothes. The is because it isn’t just water, it’s acid. So be careful. It will eat your clothes and is dangerous to your eyes. Just go slow and be careful with the caps off.
Iowa Dave

[alanmalk]

Originally Posted by harvest

Thank you. For some reason I get timid about unhooking the battery, I think it is just because I haven't done it before and I am nervous I am going to do the wrong one first or last and get a shock. Is it bad to let the battery go down all the way?

A couple of pointers...

Your battery is 12 Volts which is not enough to shock you except if your hands are wet with something conductive like salt water. Fresh water is not conductive enough to let 12 Volts go through in enough quantity to shock you. But that said, your battery has enough power to melt things and start a fire. This is very different from shocking you.

Should you accidentally short circuit the battery by providing a metallic path from positive to negative then the battery can push thousands of Amps through and likely turn the metal into red hot slag. An example; a screwdriver or wrench dropped and ending up on the positive and negative terminal is going to be spectacular - in a bad way. Even if nothing catches fire directly then the resulting sparks could ignite the hydrogen gas that the battery produces and that could be even worse. So don't worry about touching the wires with your hands, but do be very cautious when working near batteries with metal tools. Put a towel over the terminal you are not working on - just to be on the side of caution.

Regarding the "wrong one"...
Not an issue. Try to ensure that all devices are turned off first. (Note that some minor ones can not be turned off, like the propane detector.) Then disconnect either the positive or negative wires from their respective terminal. Note that you only need one disconnected to totally stop any hidden battery drain. I would choose the terminal with the fewest wires just to make life easier. Of course if you intend to move the battery then both + and - will have to be disconnected. Take a photo first to help you remember what things looked like - makes life easier next summer when you reconnect.

Letting your battery go completely discharged will reduce its lifespan somewhat. How far down, and how long you wait to recharge also makes a difference. Try to avoid deep discharges when reasonable, and recharge as soon as possible to avoid permanent damage. Finally, pull the caps and check the water in each cell (assuming not a sealed maintenance-free type). It is possible to murder a battery from neglect so best to read up on the care and feeding of lead-acid batteries so yours lives a long and happy life.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by alanmalk

Regarding the "wrong one"...
Not an issue. Try to ensure that all devices are turned off first. (Note that some minor ones can not be turned off, like the propane detector.) Then disconnect either the positive or negative wires from their respective terminal.

Sorry, but I don't agree with you.

Always disconnect the negative terminal first. First off, last on.

If you swing the wrench and it accidentally hits other exposed metal nearby nothing will happen. If you undo the positive first and the wrench accidentally hits exposed grounded metal nearby, yes, the results will be spectacular.

I remember, as a teenager in the Air Force Reserve, how well it was impressed on me what my career would be If I forgot and undid the positive first and the wrench hit nearby aluminum.

Ron

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Sorry, but I don't agree with you.

Always disconnect the negative terminal first. First off, last on.

If you swing the wrench and it accidentally hits other exposed metal....

That's very good advice for a car, but on our FG trailers, there usually isn't much exposed grounded meta near the batt so it's less critical... Still good practice.

[Corgbee]

I keep our 17b connected to our house 120VAC continuously when home, as the Max fan, small dehumidifier and LED awning light are on 24/7. The LED awning light works well as outdoor lighting to our front door. I top off the batteries as needed and everything seems to be ok.

[Mike G]

Don't feel too bad. Many or most of us have been there/done that. Me, in 2005. We all have to learn sometime.