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Should I leave my battery charger plugged in during storage

battery cold

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#1 UmkaAndHawk

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Posted 25 November 2020 - 01:46 AM

I have an IOTA charger in my Hawk shell. When the camper is offer and strored in the cold, what's best for the battery? Leaving that thing connected, or no?


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#2 Outnabout

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Posted 25 November 2020 - 02:37 AM

I leave mine plugged in while stored in the garage. Batteries are 5 years old and still work very well. In the summer they are always charged via solar.
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#3 Wallowa

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Posted 25 November 2020 - 03:35 AM

Yup...on 110 and IOTA Q4 w/ original FWC Exide 2 AGMs....'16 Hawk...stored in shop during winter [soon to be used in winter]...when not on trips it is in shop on IOTA...

 

All my other vehicles are on Battery Tenders and are all AGMs.


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#4 steve whiteside

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Posted 26 November 2020 - 03:41 PM

I was wondering the same thing.  


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2012 F350 4x4

2020 Grandby


#5 Offgrid4Two

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 06:20 PM

Depends on what year the camper is. Somewhere around 2013, the Iota converter changed and, the IQ4(smart charge module) was an internal element. As before that, the IQ4 was a plugin module that had to either be purchased as an accessory at the time or, purchased through Iota. There is a Cat5 jack on one end of the converter that made it easy to retrofit. If you have a newer unit or, have the plugin module, you can pull out the master switch and, leave the camper plugged in indefinitely. This is the best way to keep you batteries maintained. 


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#6 PaulT

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Posted 27 November 2020 - 07:43 PM

If you pull the master switch out,  the Iota cannot charge the batteries but your solar power keep them charged.

 

My 2014 Hawk has the separate IQ4 module. I’m not sure when that changed, but it was on or after mid-year 2014 judging by sample of one.  :)

 

Paul


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I thought getting old would take longer.

#7 radarcontact

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Posted 02 March 2022 - 03:19 PM

If you pull the master switch out,  the Iota cannot charge the batteries but your solar power keep them charged.

 

My 2014 Hawk has the separate IQ4 module. I’m not sure when that changed, but it was on or after mid-year 2014 judging by sample of one.  :)

 

Paul

Paul...on my Four Wheel, you have to pull the master (silver) knob OUT in order to have shore power charge the batteries.  I think that's what Offgrid4two said above as well.


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#8 Bootboiler

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Posted 02 March 2022 - 05:35 PM

This FWC vid was extremely helpful for me.  

 

"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6T4IpnVi5k"


Edited by Bootboiler, 02 March 2022 - 05:36 PM.

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#9 PaulT

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Posted 02 March 2022 - 08:21 PM

Paul...on my Four Wheel, you have to pull the master (silver) knob OUT in order to have shore power charge the batteries.  I think that's what Offgrid4two said above as well.

You are correct. I knew that and should have been more careful when I posted. 

 

Sorry.

Paul


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I thought getting old would take longer.

#10 dennis 221

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Posted 03 March 2022 - 02:31 PM

I just went to duo trickle charger two weeks ago.my thinking when camper pluged into ac your using converter all the time ,so I decided why over use that converter an shorten it life span
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