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Batterys and Charging


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One of the choices that we make as new Oliver owners, is the type and number of batterys that our coach will have.

Our 08' Elite has a "smart charger" that will allow the use of either gell type or lead acid type batterys, either one or two, as the owner's needs require. We chose the wrapped fiberglass and gell, Optima batterys.

The smart charger has a port that will allow the addition of a "Charge Wizzard" that is a microprocessor that constantly monitors the battery, changing it's charge rate as needed. Even to the extent that it will put the battery into "storage" mode. This module that just plugs into the existing Intelli_Power TCMS Power Converter/Battery Charger, will eliminate the need for much battery maintenance by the owner. The bonus is that it will extend the useable lifetime of the batterys and reduce ongoing upkeep costs.

Want to learn more about it ? Here is a link to the charger:

http://www.progressivedyn.com/prod_deta ... 130_2.html

And here is a link to the Charge Wizzard module:

http://www.progressivedyn.com/prod_deta ... _9105.html

Please note that there is a different part number for the charge wizzard, depending upon whether or not you have acid or gell batterys.

It's a microprocessor thing I guess.

This link gives much data on the TCMS Power CONVERTER:

http://www.progressivedyn.com/power_converters.html

Be sure to scroll down to view the full data.

I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth 08' Oliver Legacy Elite HULL NUMBER 0003(sold)

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TumbleWeed and I talked briefly about batterys in an earlier post, because it is quite a topic of discussion on other forums.

The reason is that most "dumb" chargers will cook a battery to death in a short period of time. Especially when sitting up over the Winter. Other forums recommend leaving the battery disconnected except to charge it briefly and periodicly over the course of the Winter.

That would mean having to connect back up every time you made a trip to the trailer and needed to use lights, ect..

A battery disconnect switch eliminated all of that hooking and un hooking, which is why we were bragging on the Olivers push button switch.

However with the addition of the charge wizzard, even that can be eliminated, because you made your smart charger into an "intelligent" charger with the addition of a small, plug in, microprocessor.

Be sure to remember to get the charge wizzard that is for your type of battery. ;)

Link to on line source for the wizzard:

http://www.bestconverter.com/Charge-Wiz ... 39-15.html

This page also has a goof explanation of the various modes it puts the battery in and how that is indicated.

I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth 08' Oliver Legacy Elite HULL NUMBER 0003(sold)

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Optimas had me confused. From rv.net I thought they were gel cell batteries and not AGM type. I finally emailed the company and they say the Optimas are AGM.

But I see that they have less AmpHours than the same sized(dimensions) Lifeline AGMs that many RVers like. The 12V Blue Top Optima D31M (is this the one that Oliver has?It's their biggest) has 75AH and the 12V Lifeline with similar dimensions has 105AH.

Big difference for boondocking as batteries should be drawn down over 50% for long life.

Will the battery compartment hold 2 of these? They are both about 12.9" long by 6 1/2" wide and 9" high, mas o menos.

The Lifeline 105AH weigs more at 70 lbs (Optima 31M is 60 lbs). The Lifeline costs about $300 and the Optima 31M is about $240.

Dusty

Nissan Frontier V6 4x4

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I think we ordered almost every bell and whistle available except the gel batteries - we ordered two of the other type. Of course, we did not have any idea what to do about that, like most of the rest of the choices. Now we wonder ...

 

The idea that I got was that the Optima batteries would definetly be the choice if you were going to be boondocking a lot. At this point, we doubt that will happen. In looking at campground books, it seems a lot of the national park campgrounds do not have hookups; so not sure we did the right thing. I'm sure it's still not too late; so if anyone has advice, I'll appreciate as usual.

 

Thanks so much for the information on the Wizard. For that price, seems like the thing to do.

 

Tom

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Tom, I think that those flooded batterys will give you good service. One thing that I read about the charge wizzard was, that after it put the batterys into storage mode, it would go into a brief de sulfidization phase every twenty hours. I have heard that sulfidization issues are a real battery life shortener.

A plug in micro processor that does all of that stuff for battery longivity, costing twentyfive dollars, sounds like the way to go. ;)

I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth 08' Oliver Legacy Elite HULL NUMBER 0003(sold)

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Update:

Robert told me that the factory is now installing the newest Intelli-Charger that has the Charge Wizzard feature built into it. Isn't it great that they are always looking for small ways to improve the way our coaches operate !

A quick comparison of your converter to those in the link above will tell you if you might already have it built in, or not. :D

I would rather wake up in the middle of nowhere than in any city on earth 08' Oliver Legacy Elite HULL NUMBER 0003(sold)

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