If you’re new to RV camping, you might be wondering how your RV battery gets recharged. Does the battery get charged when you’re hooked up to shore power, for instance?
Psst … if you’re not familiar with the term “shore power,” we have a lot to talk about! But before I drench you with science, let’s sip from the soft stuff.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUCEMENT! Unfortunately, the internet knows this is a question often posed by new, defenseless, babes-lost-in-the-woods RV owners. A lot of the information out there is bogus. I read one article that suggested your house batteries were only being trickle-charged while plugged in, which is absolutely false. Another article said the batteries were charged at a constant current, which is also untrue (unless they’re lithium) .… And yet another article said batteries were 80% charged at 10.5 volts, which is laughable. At 10.5 volts, your 12-volt battery is beyond dead! So don’t trust everything you read out there, ok?
- Make sure the circuit breaker powering the converter isn’t tripped.
- Ensure the shortstop breaker off the battery isn’t tripped.
- Make sure the battery disconnect switch or BIM is set to “On.”
- Have the battery load-tested at an auto parts store to make sure it can actually hold a charge.
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