[Archived]

I doubt you will see any benefit, but may make you feel good.:) I’ve done it before with no results.

Contact me when they reach 5 years and just replace them.

[Bill]

Trace Engineering SW Series Inverter/Charger Owners Manual –
Rev 41 Option 2.2 2/1/98

Important Default Setting Changes for the Motor Coach
Version

Quote: “BATTERY
CHARGING – The Software is programmed to have the default settings be appropriate
with sealed gel cell or AGM type batteries.The equalization system has been defeated.”

Sounds like Tom’s Lifelines may not need to be equalized
according to the Trace inverter/charger experts.

[Archived]

I know as my batteries age they are going to lose performance. When new we can go all night with the refrigerator, aux compressor, phantom loads, and misc. loads, then make coffee and watch a little TV before starting the generator or running the engine, and still be at about 24.4 volts in the morning.

As they age we reach 24.4 volts sooner and may be down to 24 volts or less after the same time and loads. My reason for mentioning 24 volts is I manually start the generator or engine to recharge batteries rather than let them get a deeper discharge.

Like Tom I tried an equalization charge on AGM batteries, but it did not seem to have any impact. So I just replace them at 5 years regardless of how they are performing when they reach that point. That policy only applies to Lifeline AGM, and when I had Deka gel cell batteries in my coach I replaced them at 3 years, but only because there were some posts that suggested they might not have the lasting power of the Lifeline.

I have no intention of trying to squeeze life out of batteries or tires because I just don’t want the grief associated with a failure of a battery or tire when we are traveling.

[Robert]

Fred, I did see where there is no need to equalize gel cell batteries but wasnt sure about the AGMs.

If it is not going to make a difference in the 5 years they are in the coach then I will go back to not doing anything in the way of equalizing them.

Jon, Im with you about manually starting the generator in the morning. I try to be as pragmatic as possible and the only thing I ask out of my batteries is to bridge the gap between the generator shutting off when we are done for the night and starting it back up again when I’m getting up in the morning to use the microwave, TV, coffee makers, etc. I just cant get very good sleep hearing the generator running all night with no load.

Thanks.

[Donny]

Patrick, It is my practice to go quiet at night so usually we are energy hogs until we go to bed at which time the generator is off. But through the night we are drawing batteries down from phantom loads, refrigerator, water pump (to make ice cubes of RO water, the aux compressor (slide seals), plus the loads from all the small current draw devices we are not using, but still draw power such as the TVs and the coffee maker.

In the morning we have coffee, watch a little TV, I am on the computer, and we are having various lights lit so our house batteries are ready for a charge. If we are driving that is how they get a charge or if we are dry camping that is how they get topped off.

The only time we run the generator all night long is if we need AC or if we need Webasto heat. Both draw enough power to require the batteries to be recharged prior to our normal wake up time.

[Dick]

Hi Group,

Funny I was just chatting with Gil, thanks for your input, concerning BATTERY problems.

We have been out boondocking for month or 2, with stops to dump and take on water, or plug in at a RV park for a night or a month or 2. Then we go out and like here stay for a couple weeks, check in for a 2 nites, then back out running the genie and living off the inverter.

But this is what I’ve done, I have 5 x 2.5 yr old Lifeline AGM 8D’s, HOUSE BANK. We are in a wonderful county park on DIAZ LAKE, Lone Pine, Ca……$80 FOR 15 NIGHTS…$10 dump 5 min away. Great fish, boondocking

With old tech on my 96/97 Royale XL #201 this is how I readjusted the FREEDOM remote dip switches for charging the 1200 ah AGM bank. I set it for “12v, GEL CELL, COOL TEMP”….DIP #2-OFF, DIP #3- ON. This bumps up the bulk to …14.4v + AMPS for 3 hours…….which is my morning run time for the genie. I wasnt getting past 0430-0500 before the auto start would start the genie, not good enough.

I was set at 14.3v for 1 hr which then went to a 13.4v float. That was before the recent adj.

Well with the afternoon run starting a 1500 and running to 2100, we watch 2 tv’s/ roof sat, we have the AquaHot on and waiting its themostat signal at 0430, coffee maker running off the original 2-FREEDOM 25 inverters. The adjstd. voltages are in Lifeline range…so bulk is now 14.4v + amps @ 3hr and float at 13.8v for the final 3 hr of the 5-6 hr afternoon run.

I dont run A/C not being 24v, the fridge is 30-40+ amp draw for 15min every 20min. The Aquahot, thank you Ruddy for walking me through a field check! Has been running flawless again….warmer air temps , less demand for heat. The electric element now operational when genie is running.

I think that I have room for 1 more 8D, by rearranging the bank. I think the next fridge has got to be a european 12v or very low amp 120v household. I would like to pull all the heavy amp draw “Vista Lights” and update those to LED.

So there you go, see ya out there……..

Jonathan Fine

1996/7 XL40 Royale #201

“FOOL’S PARADISE”

[Archived]

Jonothon,

I assume your fridge amps are DC correct?

[Archived]

Hi Tom,

the draw for the double door, we dont even run the ice maker,

is 30-40+ amp draw off the house bank. Moring charge looks to make up almost 200amps to start.

I find the remote panel LED gauge a poor excuse for a monitor. The dial gauge for 12v and the amp chg/dis in the generator panel seems to be the best reflection of 12v system status.

I bought a pair of wireless LED readout, in/out reading. I just cant figure out where is the best place to put it in line.

There will come a day for a new fridge and finding a lower draw model should be a bit easier.

I bought an in-need of a power board Magnum 2812, pure signwave inverter from a friend. I would like to replace a Freedom 25 powering the kitchen with the Magnum so we can run the induction burner off the housebank.

Double paned glass would have been a real plus………..

Jonathan Fine

“Fool’s Paradise”

97 XL Royale #201

[Archived]

There is no way a refrigerator will have that draw and if it is a draw based on 12 volts it is too low.

[Tim]

Huh. Its amazing how much I learn from this Forum. Its just stunning.

When our 16 y/o Amana refrigerator that Liberty installed in our coach quit working, I was really concerned about getting a replacement that would fit without having to get a Saz-All out. Never thought about amp draw. Maybe wouldn’t have made a difference. Maybe they all draw about the same. I suppose buying the MOST energy efficient would have been the hot ticket for coach as we dry camp regularly and I suspect that the refrigerator is the biggest power user when running off inverters..