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Old 11-03-2017, 01:03 AM   #1
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Model: PALAZZO 33.3
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THOR #5696
Trickle Charger on 2 parallel batteries

I need to add a trickle charger (to use in storage) on my chassis batteries. My question is I have 2 batteries in parallel. Do I need to use two trickle chargers or 1. Because they are hooked together will 1 charger charge both batteries and how many amperes are recommended...I know if its on shoreline it should charge both in the "use" position But mine will only charge the coach batteries. NOT the chassis battery I am still stying to find out why, but in the mean time, trickle charger..

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Old 11-03-2017, 01:18 AM   #2
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yes, both batteries in Parallel will charge from one trickle changer, it only requires a few amps, 2 to 4, any more will slowly cook the battery. The chassis battery is a separate circuit unless the emergency switch is engaged. personally I never worry about it as there are no drains.
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Old 11-03-2017, 01:31 AM   #3
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THOR #5696
Emergency switch ??
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Old 11-03-2017, 01:51 AM   #4
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A constant trickle charge is a sure way to kill batteries. Use a smart charger, or a smart battery maintainer that will float the batteries when they are fully charged.
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Old 11-03-2017, 03:26 AM   #5
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THOR #2812
Trickle charger will see the 2 parallel batteries as one big battery, should work fine. To avoid overcharge, search- "Smart Battery Maintainer" several available. such as-
http://www.wirthco.com/documents/pro...ales_Flyer.pdf

Some RV's have an Emergency start switch which operates a relay connecting the chassis and coach batteries together as a starting boost or if one of the batteries is discharged.
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Old 11-03-2017, 04:19 AM   #6
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Sorry to hear about your charging problems. I had a 2014 Palazzo before, so hopefully I can help. Not sure if they are still using the same components in your 2016. Your problem is more than likely being caused by either the BIRD or Trombetta. Google "Bi-Directional Isolator Relay Delay-Diesel 2" and the PDF will give you a background. Further in the list you have lots of help. Good luck.
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Old 11-15-2017, 08:14 PM   #7
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solar battery tender

I am planning to store my Gemini in Palm Springs for a month (December) and I want to come back to fully charged house batteries. From this thread, it looks like I CAN "maintain" the 2 -12 volt batteries (not sure if mine are parallel or in series but saw "the charger will see them as one big battery") and for my purposes I am looking at a solar battery tender -possibly this one: https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...rd/transit-350

I'm wondering if the 5 watt panel will provide enough maintenance charge? I plan to have my batteries fully charged when I drop it off at the storage facility (no electric provided but outside). I see for more $$s I can get a 10 watt or even a 15 watt model....any advice would be appreciated.
I guess my other option might be to disconnect the 2 batteries at their terminals (and hope that with no parasitic draw their charge might last 4 weeks) but I'm not that comfortable with wrenches and electricity;-)
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Old 11-15-2017, 08:24 PM   #8
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I have 12 volts with 2w solar panel (12"×12") connected & will inspect at least once a month if not sooner, hopefully this will maintain 2 brand new batteries.
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Old 11-15-2017, 08:26 PM   #9
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If your batteries are in reasonably decent condition
and you put them away fully charged, or as close as reasonably possible
and if you are storing cold ( I mean with everything OFF)
Then you can go longer than a month.

I do it all the time, i have disconnect switches on my battery posts (one house and one chassis). Sometimes I'll store for around 3 months or so with no problem

these lead acid batteries self discharge roughly 5% per month (very roughly)
and if you consider you don't want them to go below say 50% (seems to be the general rule of thumb), then in theory they could go nearly 10 months if completely disconnected.
Play it a good bit safer and say maybe something like 4-5 months and feel good about it...

I've learned all this the hard way from having to replace batteries in my boat and old popup camper after long storage intervals....
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Old 11-15-2017, 08:31 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nmcmilla View Post
I am planning to store my Gemini in Palm Springs for a month (December) and I want to come back to fully charged house batteries. From this thread, it looks like I CAN "maintain" the 2 -12 volt batteries (not sure if mine are parallel or in series but saw "the charger will see them as one big battery") and for my purposes I am looking at a solar battery tender -possibly this one: https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...rd/transit-350

I'm wondering if the 5 watt panel will provide enough maintenance charge? I plan to have my batteries fully charged when I drop it off at the storage facility (no electric provided but outside). I see for more $$s I can get a 10 watt or even a 15 watt model....any advice would be appreciated.
I guess my other option might be to disconnect the 2 batteries at their terminals (and hope that with no parasitic draw their charge might last 4 weeks) but I'm not that comfortable with wrenches and electricity;-)
Nancy
5 Watts may not be enough. Ay best it would put 20 to 30 watt-hours a day in the batteries depending on the Sun exposure and angle (or 2 to 3 amp hours in a 12 Volt system). That is not a lot.
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Old 11-15-2017, 08:32 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by blw2 View Post
If your batteries are in reasonably decent condition
and you put them away fully charged, or as close as reasonably possible
and if you are storing cold ( I mean with everything OFF)
Then you can go longer than a month.

I do it all the time, i have disconnect switches on my battery posts (one house and one chassis). Sometimes I'll store for around 3 months or so with no problem

these lead acid batteries self discharge roughly 5% per month (very roughly)
and if you consider you don't want them to go below say 50% (seems to be the general rule of thumb), then in theory they could go nearly 10 months if completely disconnected.
Play it a good bit safer and say maybe something like 4-5 months and feel good about it...

I've learned all this the hard way from having to replace batteries in my boat and old popup camper after long storage intervals....
Except she doesn't wan to disconnect them.
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Old 11-15-2017, 08:37 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nmcmilla View Post
I am planning to store my Gemini in Palm Springs for a month (December) and I want to come back to fully charged house batteries. From this thread, it looks like I CAN "maintain" the 2 -12 volt batteries (not sure if mine are parallel or in series but saw "the charger will see them as one big battery") and for my purposes I am looking at a solar battery tender -possibly this one: https://www.oreillyauto.com/detail/b...rd/transit-350

I'm wondering if the 5 watt panel will provide enough maintenance charge? I plan to have my batteries fully charged when I drop it off at the storage facility (no electric provided but outside). I see for more $$s I can get a 10 watt or even a 15 watt model....any advice would be appreciated.
I guess my other option might be to disconnect the 2 batteries at their terminals (and hope that with no parasitic draw their charge might last 4 weeks) but I'm not that comfortable with wrenches and electricity;-)
Nancy
Because of unknown parasitic drains, I would go for the 10 watt panels, also you will get no benefit at night or if its cloudy. Your 12 volt batteries are connected parallel so your charger, or house sees a single large 12 volt battery. A series connection would yield 24 volts. I am always more comfortable with a battery maintainer or smart charger on any of my batteries. Be sure your solar panels have a 'smart' regulator that will know when the batteries are fully charged and will 'float' the batteries in that state.
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Old 11-15-2017, 08:54 PM   #13
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I would suggest putting in a ON/OFF switch if you are not comfortable disconnecting anything. Not sure what they have for RV's but the ones on boats are great. Just a manual switch to disconnect the batteries so in the future if you want to do it again you can easily. Pretty easy to have installed.

https://www.bluesea.com/products/cat...tches/m-Series
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Old 11-18-2017, 08:19 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by Tfryman View Post
Except she doesn't wan to disconnect them.
So maybe I could disconnect for this less than a month storage;-) Mine are 2 x 12 volts in parallel. -/+ -/+
Could I just disconnect the wires on the left-most negative post to isolate both batteries from the parasitic drain?
On my Gemini even in the "store" position the batteries are still connected to "something" and definitely would not last 3wks.
I see the 1st negative (with 2 wires to manage) as an easy disconnect but the far right positive seems difficult to access without touching the metal stair frame --and it has 3 wires to manage....
Nancy
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Old 11-18-2017, 12:57 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nmcmilla View Post
So maybe I could disconnect for this less than a month storage;-) Mine are 2 x 12 volts in parallel. -/+ -/+
Could I just disconnect the wires on the left-most negative post to isolate both batteries from the parasitic drain?
On my Gemini even in the "store" position the batteries are still connected to "something" and definitely would not last 3wks.
I see the 1st negative (with 2 wires to manage) as an easy disconnect but the far right positive seems difficult to access without touching the metal stair frame --and it has 3 wires to manage....
Nancy
Are there any wires attached to the right most battery's negative post other than the connection to the left battery?
If not - disconnecting the negative from the left battery is all you need to do...
If there are other wires on the right battery negative - you will need to disconnect them too (otherwise that battery could still see drain...)
No need to touch the positive side of either battery.

Pick up a disconnect from an auto parts store (knife or screw type) that goes right on the negative terminal... Makes disconnecting/reconnecting much easier.
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Old 03-05-2019, 08:53 PM   #16
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What keywords are important in a solar battery charger to make sure it floats when full? I don't want to ruin my batteries by trickle vs. float charging? Many of the cheaper panels look like they just connect the panel output to the battery with a back flow diode and that's it? Battery Tender specifically mentions a smart controller but the cheap ones do not.

Pete
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Old 03-05-2019, 10:17 PM   #17
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as for the OP, the Palazzo coach - I assume you are referring to your two CHASSIS batteries, both 12v and yes, in parallel, which is 12v output, just like my '14.

I've never had any issue, whether while parked for months at a time in a Florida rv park, while traveling, or while the coach is in storage, with the charge status of the CHASSIS batteries - my coach has never had any issues with starting.

I imagine that Thor did not deviate much on the type of charging system within these coach relative to the '14 and '16 model, and would assume that your BIRD and 12v D.C. Continuous Coil relay works just like mine - when it senses the House batteries are at a certain level, it also provides charge voltage to the CHASSIS batteries, and vice versa when you are driving and the Alternator can provide charging to the House batteries.


While on shore power, the BIRD should eventually provide the Chassis batteries any charge they need, as well as when on the generator. If you have any SOLAR, that output would go directly to your HOUSE batteries, but I suppose that the BIRD is still in play, IF the Use/Store switch is NOT in STORE mode, since that defeats most of the 12v systems in the coach, probably including the 12v D.C. Continuous coils, for both the BIRD and the AUX 'Emergency' manual switch(on your dash), which also manually allows for tying the two battery banks together, to start either the engine, the generator, or if the slides or jacks need 'extra' power.

so...if you have a trickle charger, or solar, for your House batteries, and you have your switch in 'USE' mode, then you should have extra volts going to your CHASSIS battery bank when it is available.
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Old 03-05-2019, 10:25 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TurnerFam View Post
as for the OP, the Palazzo coach - I assume you are referring to your two CHASSIS batteries, both 12v and yes, in parallel, which is 12v output, just like my '14.

I've never had any issue, whether while parked for months at a time in a Florida rv park, while traveling, or while the coach is in storage, with the charge status of the CHASSIS batteries - my coach has never had any issues with starting.

I imagine that Thor did not deviate much on the type of charging system within these coach relative to the '14 and '16 model, and would assume that your BIRD and 12v D.C. Continuous Coil relay works just like mine - when it senses the House batteries are at a certain level, it also provides charge voltage to the CHASSIS batteries, and vice versa when you are driving and the Alternator can provide charging to the House batteries.


While on shore power, the BIRD should eventually provide the Chassis batteries any charge they need, as well as when on the generator. If you have any SOLAR, that output would go directly to your HOUSE batteries, but I suppose that the BIRD is still in play, IF the Use/Store switch is NOT in STORE mode, since that defeats most of the 12v systems in the coach, probably including the 12v D.C. Continuous coils, for both the BIRD and the AUX 'Emergency' manual switch(on your dash), which also manually allows for tying the two battery banks together, to start either the engine, the generator, or if the slides or jacks need 'extra' power.

so...if you have a trickle charger, or solar, for your House batteries, and you have your switch in 'USE' mode, then you should have extra volts going to your CHASSIS battery bank when it is available.
The lack of chassis charge from shore power in my 31W is exactly why I'm thinking solar for the chassis maintenance. The alternative is a small AC maintainer plugged into the coach feeding the always live cig lighter socket on the dash. That maintains everything provided I'm plugged in.
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Old 03-05-2019, 11:08 PM   #19
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