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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper
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    Are cheap solar battery chargers safe over Winter

    I won't use my tt for a couple months and I am afraid the battery will discharge. I don't have an outlet close and prefer not to remove the battery.

    I have seen the little mini solar panels for car batteries sold at Harbor Freight. Are these safe for my battery?

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    2016 Ford F-150
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  2. #2
    Site Sponsor
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    Probably not big enough to do any harm or good. The 1.5W version will supply about 100mA in bright, direct sun. The 25W panel will give you 2A, but no charge controller.

    How far are you from power?
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

  3. #3
    Seasoned Camper
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    Maybe 50 feet. Trying to not have an extension cord sprawled across my driveway. If it has to be that I would rather pull the battery and keep it on a charger in the garage.

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  4. #4
    Big Traveler boyscout's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SJMaye View Post
    I won't use my tt for a couple months and I am afraid the battery will discharge. I don't have an outlet close and prefer not to remove the battery.

    I have seen the little mini solar panels for car batteries sold at Harbor Freight. Are these safe for my battery?

    Sent from my VS985 4G using Tapatalk
    For a couple of months, your battery will probably retain charge if you just disconnect it - remove at least the negative cable from the battery.

    If you don't do that, and your trailer is like a lot of other Grand Designs, it will be drawing a power even when the battery kill switch is turned off. Some things such as smoke and propane alarms are wired to stay powered even when the kill switch is off and will often drain the battery flat in a few weeks.
    Mark - 2018 Solitude 310GK - 2017 F-350 diesel SRW short box - Pullrite Superglide hitch

  5. #5
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    I'd think a kit that comes with a controller would be better for the battery, maybe something like this one

    Marcy & Gary
    2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
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  6. #6
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    Cold weather is not that hard on batteries. Hot weather actually is the killer of batteries. Rob has posted on here several times of leaving the battery out in the cold and how it will hold up. He has a boat in Canada that he leaves outside for the winter and has never had it die on him.
    Last edited by WhittleBurner; 10-30-2019 at 04:09 PM.
    Marcy & Gary
    2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
    2022 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax Longbed SRW
    2015 GMC Denali 3500 - Retired
    2003 F350 - retired
    Michigan
    We're in trouble now, the dog are bloggin'!
    https://3dogsandatrailer.wordpress.com/


  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper
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    When we were recreational RV'ers and still had our house, I pulled the batteries and stored them in the garage on a trickle charge. Having said that boyscout's reply has merit and worth considering.
    Regards, Bruce, Lin An, Kenji & Suki (Our two Akitas)
    2019 Solitude 310GK-R
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  8. #8
    Site Sponsor
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    Quote Originally Posted by boyscout View Post
    For a couple of months, your battery will probably retain charge if you just disconnect it - remove at least the negative cable from the battery.

    If you don't do that, and your trailer is like a lot of other Grand Designs, it will be drawing a power even when the battery kill switch is turned off. Some things such as smoke and propane alarms are wired to stay powered even when the kill switch is off and will often drain the battery flat in a few weeks.
    Disconnect as suggested above, and drag the extension cord out to use a small charger for a day 2 or 3 times over the winter if you want. If this is your normal parking spot, you will probably want to have power run for your convenience anyway
    John & Kathy
    2014 F250 Lariat FX4 6.2L SBCC
    2014 Reflection 303RLS
    SW Indiana

  9. #9
    Site Sponsor andrewssteve's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WhittleBurner View Post
    Cold weather is not that hard on batteries.
    Absolutely true.

    Quote Originally Posted by SJMaye View Post
    Are these safe for my battery?
    Just make sure that if you go with a (cheapo) charge controller, you monitor that it's functioning all winter long. As others have said, there are parasitic loads in the RV that will drain your batteries in a matter of weeks. A non-lithium based battery that is discharged more that 50% will likely be damaged. My first solar charge controller was a cheapo, made in China thing. It failed and I didn't know it had happened. I had damage.

    Now, I completely disconnect the batteries all winter (below zero Minnesota temps) and re-activate the solar charging a few weeks before our first trip in spring.

    -Steve
    Steve and Renee
    2018 Solitude 310GK, disc brakes, Morryde SRE4000/XFactor with heavy duty shackles
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    640 watts solar, 400 amp-hour Lion Safari UT 1300 battery bank
    Aims 1500 watt inverter/charger with ATS
    Somerset, WI

  10. #10
    Seasoned Camper
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    I just put in a disconnect switch right at my battery. It cuts off everything.

    As has been stated the battery can take the cold months very well. Summer months not so much.
    Jim T.

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