battery charging question direct or via inverter [converter]?

05-30-2011, 07:20 PM

My Honda generator has a connection to charge a 12v. at 8.3 amps. How does this compare to charging the battery by hooking the generator up to my electrical connection and using the internal inverter to charge the battery?
Which would be faster?
My 2720 is a 2009.5.

**Bill** · 05-31-2011, 06:39 AM

First, I don't think you have an inverter. The TM, like most RVs, comes with a converter, and the converter contains a battery charger.

The converter's charger will charge at 40 amps, more or less, depending on model. The generator will charge at 8 amps. So ...

Bill

Unstable_Tripod · 05-31-2011, 11:46 AM

I agree with Bill. Plug the TM's electrical cord into the generator or let the generator drive a 3-stage battery charger that you connect directly to the battery. Disconnect the battery from the TM if you do the latter option.

However, I have an additional comment. I had a pop-up tent trailer and posted on a pop-up forum a lot. I still visit it frequently. Someone there had a problem in that their converter would not charge the battery when the pop-up was plugged into a Honda generator. They called Honda and Honda told them that was correct -- that inverter generators are incompatible with the charging circuitry in whatever type of converter it was. I'm sorry but I don't remember the converter brand.

BTW:
Converter = AC -> DC
Inverter = DC -> AC

**ShrimpBurrito** · 05-31-2011, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unstable_Tripod

They called Honda and Honda told them that was correct -- that inverter generators are incompatible with the charging circuitry in whatever type of converter it was. I'm sorry but I don't remember the converter brand.

I would be interested in reading more about this, because this makes no sense to me. I don't see how this possibly could be an issue.

As far as TM's go, I know there are several forum members here who use their Honda gennys to charge their TM batteries using the converter, so I can't imagine you would have any problem.

Dave

06-04-2011, 03:36 PM

That is what I normally do. Hook the electric line up to my Honda generator and it has charged well. I was just curious of the charging rate if hooked up directly to the 12 v charge outlet using the special 12 v connection. Thanks Bill.

PS Converter in that it converts AC to DC?

Unstable_Tripod · 11-11-2011, 02:52 PM

Actually, that approach would result in much slower charging.

scrubjaysnest · 11-12-2011, 05:26 AM

moaboy,
You didn't indicate what type and size battery you have. This could make a difference. Also your converter, AC to DC, may take longer to reach full charge then with the Honda. For a 95aH to 105aH battery the charge rate is around R/10. That would be a 10aH rate so the Honda would do fine.
I'll pull up the link to the tests I made earlier this and edit this post with it later today.

See post #9 for links

Brittany Dogs · 11-13-2011, 09:52 AM

The Honda 2000i and 1000i both say that if you charge a battery using the generator's 12 output, the generator needs to run with the ECO switch off. In other words, the generator runs at full bore using more gas and is louder.

Using the TrailManor converter, depending on model year, is usually the better bet to gain both the use of the three stage charging and a higher current rate.

I would have no idea why a converter would not be compatible with a Honda inverter generator given how clean the power is. Sounds like something was lost in the translation or there was a miscommunication.

scrubjaysnest · 11-13-2011, 12:31 PM

Here are a couple of links you may want to look at moaboy:

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...6&highlight=DC

http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...er+test&page=2

The second one has some testing I did on the converter.

Brittany Dogs · 11-13-2011, 01:31 PM

In regards to scubajaysnest second link about his tests and in providing what I concluded when I attempted to run the refrigerator on DC when on a trip, my conclusion is this:

Most TV usually have an alternator that can provide a heck of a lot of amps. This is especially true when the TV is going down the highway with a fairly high RPM turning the alternator pulley.

So why does it seem like the trailer's battery is fairly discharged when you get to your destination? It's a matter of cable length and resistance in my opinion. The trailer would rather pull current from the trailer battery due to the shorter cable length and the gauge of the cable.

In the end I do not travel with the refrigerator on DC unless the trip is short enough to allow a little discharge of my batteries and then plug in at the camp site. The refrigerator on the TrailManor units pull about 12-13 amps of DC so that that in account.

Only slightly related to this subject, I have given up on flooded batteries long ago and only buy sealed lead acid batteries. Lastly, trailer batteries can last several years if you don't discharge them bayond 12.2 volts and never beyond 11.66 volts which generally the 20% remainder level. If you reach 11.66 volts (unloaded) in say 24 hours of camping (assuming dry camping here) and you usually go camping for 48 hours, you need to parallel multiple batteries to give you the amp-hour level you need.

I get six years out of my batteries and one time I got ten years out of a Trojan gel cell when I monitored the discharge level. Before that, I would get only two seasons out of a battery because I didn't know about how to take care of them well and often discharged them too low.

I also use computer controlled expensive chargers too since my previous trailer did not have a three stage charger in it. My new TrailManor has quite a nice converter in it and it has been doing a very nice job charging my two parallel batteries.

I have had a conversation with an engineer at Trojan on this subject and then a year or two later, had a related conversation with an engineer at Schumacher Battery Chargers on deep cycle batteries. So I learned enough now to not kill batteries every two years.