2018 Minnie Winnie Spirit 22R House Battery Questions

[Joe Byrd I]

I have a 2018 22R Spirit (Mini-Winnie). Should the house batteries charge when the unit is plugged into shore power irregardless of the position of the disconnect switch? I had to change the breaker/fuse panel/converter unit, now it doesn’t charge with the breaker off and the unit plugged into 110. I used a normal battery charger and the batteries charged up just fine, so I don’t think it’s bad batteries.

Thanks in advance!! I’ve read some of the replies to previous questions and you all are very knowledgeable.

[Eagle5]

Hi Joe,
Yes, if you are plugged into Shore Power, then leave the House/Coach Battery Disconnect Switch in the <On> position, and the Converter will keep your batteries well charged. What went wrong with your original Converter?
Thanks, Eagle5
P.S. I would not have expected the batteries to ever have been recharged from the Converter when the Disconnect Switch was in the <Off> position, but to be clear I have never tried to do this, so I really don't know. Actually, I have left my Disconnect Switch in the <On> position full-time for the last four years, I am always plugged-in when parked, and I am on my original batteries which are still working just fine.

[Eagle5]

... additional ...
Once your house batteries are fully charged and go into maintenance charging by your Converter, you should read about 13.05 VDC.

[creativepart]

The battery disconnects are just for storage and not when using the RV at all, not even for battery charging. If you are using the RV or your are storing your RV plugged in to keep the batteries charged then you’ll want to leave the batteries connected, not disconnected.

[Morich]

Small point to be aware of on some RV?
When we store them and leave the coach power on, that often DOES NOT keep the chassis/ start battery charged at the same time.
Some RV have a small item attached called a Trik-L-Start which can use some of the charge from the coach to also keep the start charged but it is not on all RV and many do add it as a way to take care of both sets.

Maybe do some checking and what the facts on your RV as it is common for owners of new RV get caugth with the start running down when stored. Not good for the battery to go totally flat!

[Eagle5]

I also use this:
Schumacher SP1297 Fully Automatic Battery Charger, Maintainer, and Auto Desulfator
and this:
MOTOPOWER MP68996A 5FT 12V Cigarette Lighter Plug to SAE Quick Release Adapter Extension Charging Cable
I plug the 120 VAC end into the outlet under the dinette, and the 12 VDC end into a dash cigarette lighter.
Eagle5

[Morich]

Originally Posted by Eagle5

I also use this:
Schumacher SP1297 Fully Automatic Battery Charger, Maintainer, and Auto Desulfator
and this:
MOTOPOWER MP68996A 5FT 12V Cigarette Lighter Plug to SAE Quick Release Adapter Extension Charging Cable
I plug the 120 VAC end into the outlet under the dinette, and the 12 VDC end into a dash cigarette lighter.
Eagle5

This brings up how many different ways we can use to keep batteries charged. There are tons of ways but the first step has to involve being aware!

And that gets into one of the follies of the way we often get caught up in thinking about the electronics. We want to charge a battery, so we think we have to get the battery compartment open and that is difficult so we may totally pass on doing all that work.

But the big point on electronics work is that any two or more points when connected together are considered the same with only minor differences due to slight loss for wire resistance, etc.

So if we want to charge a battery , like the start battery and we are going to do it with a low current item like a trickle charger, we don't have to go to the battery!
If we locate something that is tied to that battery, like a 12v cig lighter style connection, we can add the charge there if handy.

When I've mentioned this , I sometimes get the rebuttal that we can't do that, as the power comes FROM the battery to those connections. WRONG!
Any wiring connected FROM the battery can also go TO the battery or vice versus!
Basic point is that current will run from the higher voltage point to the lower!
If we connect a trickle charger at a cig lighter, etc and the charger voltage is higher than the battery voltage, current goes into the battery!

[Phil G.]

Originally Posted by Morich

This brings up how many different ways we can use to keep batteries charged. There are tons of ways but the first step has to involve being aware!

And that gets into one of the follies of the way we often get caught up in thinking about the electronics. We want to charge a battery, so we think we have to get the battery compartment open and that is difficult so we may totally pass on doing all that work.

But the big point on electronics work is that any two or more points when connected together are considered the same with only minor differences due to slight loss for wire resistance, etc.

So if we want to charge a battery , like the start battery and we are going to do it with a low current item like a trickle charger, we don't have to go to the battery!
If we locate something that is tied to that battery, like a 12v cig lighter style connection, we can add the charge there if handy.

When I've mentioned this , I sometimes get the rebuttal that we can't do that, as the power comes FROM the battery to those connections. WRONG!
Any wiring connected FROM the battery can also go TO the battery or vice versus!
Basic point is that current will run from the higher voltage point to the lower!
If we connect a trickle charger at a cig lighter, etc and the charger voltage is higher than the battery voltage, current goes into the battery!

What you say is valid if there are no in-line diodes involved!
(.... which there isn't, with respect to cab dash 12V receptacles and their connection to the chassis battery system)