Another Generator/Battery Question

[rlanne84]

My first post, so please ignore my rookiness....I own a 2018 Imagine 2500rl and love the trailer. We live in an area with great dry camping areas which means we rely on our dual deep cell batteries to provide power to our trailer. We also own a Champion 3100 inverter generator which we use to charge the batteries. Once we draw down the batteries and need to recharge, we run the generator which we hook up to the 30amp power cord. This seems to take a long time to recharge the batteries. My question is whether I could simply hook up my inverter generator direct to the batteries with the battery charger accessory and charge the batteries that way. Would this be safe for the batteries/trailer? and would this charge the batteries much quicker? I am assuming that I might need to disconnect the batteries when I do this. I am definitely looking for advise and to find out if anybody does charge their batteries in accordance with my question.

I certainly would appreciate any advice.

rlanne84
2015 Toyota Tundra
2018 Imagine 2500RL

[jkwilson]

It takes a long time to recharge two deeply depleted batteries regardless of what charger you use. Your Champion 12V outlet is only 8.3A total and probably isn’t well regulated. The converter in your rig will be faster as it provides 55A.

[Dconstantine]

We have installed full time charger in the RV. When we start the generator or plug in I turn off the batteries by means of installed night switches. This means the running generator is running all the 110 and the 12 volts supply via the converter to the RV. The installed charger now charges the RV batteries. I consistently see people trying to charge their batteries while the batteries are still suppling the RV with 12 volts. Best to separate the batteries by themselves and charge them separately.

[RickLight]

I consistently see people trying to charge their batteries while the batteries are still suppling the RV with 12 volts. Best to separate the batteries by themselves and charge them separately.

It all depends on the details. If your generator and charger can handle the load there's no reason not to do it all. My 55A charger can power all my 12V stuff and put the rest into the batteries. It will fill the batteries in a few hours and then it's output will drop.I can't see that running the charger at full rated load for a few more hours a year will do any harm.

[jmbopp]

The WFCO converter isn't all that great for charging batteries off a generator, it doesn't go into bulk mode easily. I have an IOTA deck-mount converter in the pass-through and use that when we dry camp.

[rlanne84]

Thanks to all for your responses. I guess this will require some experimenting this year. In the past I know that I have discharged the batteries below 50% without realizing it. I will be monitoring this closely this year and will see how well and quickly my generator/converter will charge the batteries. Our first trip won't be until late-April or early May. A little too cold and too much snow (a blessing) in our Colorado mountains until then.

thanks to all of you!

[boyscout]

We have installed full time charger in the RV. When we start the generator or plug in I turn off the batteries by means of installed night switches. This means the running generator is running all the 110 and the 12 volts supply via the converter to the RV. The installed charger now charges the RV batteries. I consistently see people trying to charge their batteries while the batteries are still suppling the RV with 12 volts. Best to separate the batteries by themselves and charge them separately.

Not surprising that you see this a lot since it is the default setup from the factory and is left that way by (I'll guess) a majority of owners.

Like @RickLight I don't see it as a problem. Setting up to charge batteries separately on an intelligent charger seems likely to deliver only modest benefits relative to the work and cost of installing it and operating the system around using it. Why do you think it's a problem justifying your modifications?

[Roll With The Changes]

I know I'm a little late getting in on this one. I use the onboard convertor for bulk charging and when I'm plugged in, I turn the battery switch off and let the intelligent charger take care of absorbtion, and float.

This is all in preparation for the new batteries since the factory setup killed the current battery.