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The built in battery charger in most inverters is not really intended to fully charge the RV battery(ies) when they are very low on charge. And the 12-volt charging system when running down the highway with the trailer plugged in is also not really intended to charge the batteries when they are very low on charge. Those chargers are intended to maintain the batteries fully charged while powering the reefer and other electrical stuffat the same time. So you need to charge up the battery(ies) using a battery charger for at least several hours before you hit the road.
If your battery charger is fully automatic, then that's good. Put it on 12 amps and let it charge for several hours. Then change the charging rate to two amps and leave it overnight or until you are ready to hit the road.
If your battery charger is not automatic, then you have to pay attention so you don't overcharge the battery(ies) and ruin them. Charge at 12 amps until the charge is almost full, which will probably require several hours. Then plug in the trailer and let the built-in charger top off overnight before you hit the road.
Charging any battery at any rate more than about 12 to 15 amps will wear out the battery in a hurry. My battery charger is a fully automatic with a trickle charge rate of 2 amps, a slow-charge rate of 12 amps, and then a start charge rate way up there which I never use.
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My Sierra Blanca is a '99.5 PSD CrewCab hot-rod Towing Machine! BTS tranny; TurboRamAir intake and 4" stainless turbo-back exhaust; DP-Tuner tunes flashed into an Edge Evolution tuner; ISSPRO EV gauges and TTM; AIC; SP-Diesel exhaust brake and torque converter controller. I special-ordered it new and plan to drive it until it quits.
Last edited by SmokeyWren : 05-11-2008 at 09:19 PM.
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