| Author |
Message |
MC - Iv (24.83.235.106)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 2:51 am: | |
What is the best way to hook up a 12V battery charger(s)for the two batteries in my MC9? I have been unhooking the cables from the batteries and then charging each battery with a 12V charger. It works but is there an easier way? When I can't drive the coach I like to keep the batteries charged. I also have a Vanner equalizer which I also first have to unhook.
Iv. |
chris (12.91.18.132)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 6:34 am: | |
you can get a trickle charge for 24 volt sys.
use your search engine or i will get you the name of the one i have.
chris |
George Webber (209.242.148.130)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 9:29 am: | |
I use my 12v charger but do not unhook the cables, works fine on the bus, did the same on my boat for 20 years |
Butch Williams (216.117.83.23)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 10:18 am: | |
I am doing this as we speak (so to speak). As George Webber stated, I am not disconnecting my cables, but make sure you are on both posts of the same battery not on a chassis ground and a positive battery post. The battery charger only "sees" what is between it's clamps no matter how the batteries are series or parrall connected beyond the charger. Butch Williams MCI 5A |
chris (12.91.18.154)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 12:25 pm: | |
i bought my charger from batterystuff.com i mounted it to the bay wall plug it in and forget it.
chris |
Scott Whitney (24.205.232.249)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 5:38 pm: | |
It seems to me, you'd be better off getting a 24v charger and charging the bank (both batteries) as a whole. Charging them separately could lead to different charge levels. But since they are in series, maybe doesn't matter like it would in a parallel bank?
Scott |
Stephen Fessenden (Sffess) (63.27.88.10)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 - 6:50 pm: | |
I have used 2 12 volt chargers, one on each battery. If you don't have an equalizer that may work better than a 24 volt charger. I never took the cables off just to charge. They do not need to be the same.
I used one 20 amp and one 10 amp charger and let them run long enough that the batteries were fully charged. The 20 amp charger just charges faster then tapers down.
Steve Fessenden |
Blake (64.26.163.63)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Saturday, May 18, 2002 - 10:57 am: | |
Is the Vanner equalizer connected to the batteries you are trying to charge? If so all you need is one 12 volt charger connected to the upper battery (i.e. from 12v to 24v). The lower battery will be charged through the equalizer (.the equalizer will keep both batteries at the same voltage). I have been doing this for years, it works. |
MC - Iv (24.83.235.106)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 19, 2002 - 3:28 am: | |
Yes, the Vanner is connected to the batteries. Can you run that one by again as to which one you call the upper battery? And do you connect the charger to just the posts on that battery?
Thanks, Iv. |
Blake (64.26.163.36)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 19, 2002 - 3:26 pm: | |
In your coach there are two 12v batteries connected in series to obtain the 24v for your systems. The negative of one battery is connected to chassis ground (this battery I call the lower battery). The positive of the other battery is connected to the coach 24v systems (this battery I call the upper battery). The positive of the lower battery is connected to the negative of the upper battery to complete the circuit (this common connection measures 12v with respect to chassis ground). The Vannier Equalizer is connected to chassis ground, to the 12v common connection and to the 24v coach systems connection. If you connect the negative output lead of your battery charger to the 12v common connection and the positive output lead to the 24v coach systems connection it will charge both batteries (i.e. across the upper battery). I connect my charger to the terminals on the equalizer because they are easier to get to than the battery terminals. |
MC - Iv (24.83.235.106)
Rating: N/A
Votes: 0 (Vote!) | | Posted on Sunday, May 19, 2002 - 11:15 pm: | |
Thank you. An excellent description and I now understand perfectly. I will try it next time I need to charge the batteries.
Iv. |