Charger Question

[Gobbledot]

I am wondering if the 2020 units has a three stage charger on them? With just getting our 351M I don't want to kill the battery by keeping it on shore power before we get to take it out the first time. I think if it has a 3 stage charger it wont charge all the time, it will maintain once a full charge is made. Any info is much appreciated in advance.

[jmbopp]

WFCO converters are 3-stage. Unless GD changed suppliers you'll be OK.

[boyscout]

I am wondering if the 2020 units has a three stage charger on them? With just getting our 351M I don't want to kill the battery by keeping it on shore power before we get to take it out the first time. I think if it has a 3 stage charger it wont charge all the time, it will maintain once a full charge is made. Any info is much appreciated in advance.

Like @jmbopp I'd guess it's nearly certain you have a 3-stage 55-amp WFCO converter... GD has been using those for a long time. However...

How long will it be parked before you "take it out the first time"? If it's more than a few weeks, consider putting a full charge on the battery and then disconnecting the cables from it instead of leaving the trailer plugged in.

Disconnect the cables, don't just turn off the battery disconnect switch. The battery disconnect switch does not 'disconnect' the battery - some things remain on the battery's circuit and will drain it flat in a few weeks if it's not plugged in.

If the trailer is plugged in and unused for months, people have reported that doing that has severely shortened the life of their battery.

[bfs673]

Disconnect the cables, don't just turn off the battery disconnect switch. The battery disconnect switch does not 'disconnect' the battery - some things remain on the battery's circuit and will drain it flat in a few weeks if it's not plugged in.

I just installed some LiFePo batteries and installed a battery monitor. Mine shows a discharge or roughly .4 amps. While this doesn't sound like much, sitting for just 3 weeks will drain 200 amp hours.

I rewired my system so that the disconnect switch kills ALL power from the battery.
No more drain and was not difficult to do.

Also, lead acids will drain themselves regardless, but only ~ 4% / week. Not huge, but something to consider.

[sgrol60]

I rewired my system so that the disconnect switch kills ALL power from the battery.
No more drain and was not difficult to do.

Hope you don't regret that. Your emergency brakes, detectors, etc. will not work if you forget to turn that switch back on

[bfs673]

Hope you don't regret that. Your emergency brakes, detectors, etc. will not work if you forget to turn that switch back on

You make a great point and I did consider this when re-wiring.

With respect to the emergency brake: the landing gear no longer functions with the battery disconnected, forcing me to engage power to hook up for travel.
With respect to the detectors: Before spending any time in the RV, we tow it somewhere. See above. If I were to open it up and spend any time in the RV, I would extend the slides, forcing me to engage power.

There may be other reasons I haven't considered.

[FOWLERGK]

I just installed some LiFePo batteries and installed a battery monitor. Mine shows a discharge or roughly .4 amps. While this doesn't sound like much, sitting for just 3 weeks will drain 200 amp hours.

I rewired my system so that the disconnect switch kills ALL power from the battery.
No more drain and was not difficult to do.

Also, lead acids will drain themselves regardless, but only ~ 4% / week. Not huge, but something to consider.

Can you elaborate on the re-wiring. I have a new 375RES-R that will need this i'm sure. Just haven't had time getting the new rig up and running for our first camping trip next week.

Thanks

[bfs673]

Can you elaborate on the re-wiring. I have a new 375RES-R that will need this i'm sure. Just haven't had time getting the new rig up and running for our first camping trip next week.

Congrats on the new rig! I'm not sure if yours is wired like mine, but I'll give you some information from mine that you might be able to apply:

My wiring (the positive lead) went from the battery to a terminal block. This terminal block feeds a few sources (hydraulic pump and a few other things). There was a larger wire that went from this terminal block to the battery cut off switch. The other side of this cut off switch feeds power to the DC distribution panel (Coach power).

I rewired:
Battery positive lead goes to a 100A fuse (probably not needed, but I like the hot line to be fused as close as possible to the battery.
From the fuse I feed the battery cutoff switch. Then wired the other side of the cut off switch to the bus bar mentioned above.
I moved he wire going to the DC distribution panel to the bus bar.

So now, the bus feeds everything. The bus only gets power when the battery cut off switch is closed.

Hopefully I've articulated this well enough. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures, and the pictures really wouldn't help much anyhow.

Until you've completed this mod, just be sure to keep the batteries charged. The chargers that come with the Grand Design are generally decent with a floating mode so you won't be cooking your batteries.

I did need to order a couple of 4 gauge wires with 3/8" lugs and the ANL fuse/holder.

Best of luck!

[Keebler]

Can you elaborate on the re-wiring. I have a new 375RES-R that will need this i'm sure. Just haven't had time getting the new rig up and running for our first camping trip next week.

Thanks

Or you can take the non-electrician's approach. I added a simple battery disconnect switch. 30 minute job taking your time.

As mentioned above; i can't forget to turn it back on; landing gear won't go up. I store off-site with no power; without this, my battery is dead in a few weeks of non-use.