Charging battery with Sunforce Solar Controller

[EdTheEdge]

2013 Thor Chateau with a Sunforce 30amp solar controller. Can I use a battery Tender Jr charger to charge my house battery while the controller is connected to the battery?
Thx

[time2roll]

Trik-L-Start This combiner works to maintain the chassis battery anytime there is charging voltage applied to the house battery. Disconnects when charging stops.

Works with solar, the Battery Tender, or converter when main RV cord is plugged in. Works in storage, in transit or in use at the campground.

[BFL13]

EdTheEdge wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
With 2 hours per day you do NOT want a battery tender. Use the converter, or use the biggest meanest battery charger you can find.

ATM I only have a Battery Tender Jr.... I will use the available 120v to charge the house battery while I am there. Sometime in the future I will get a better charger.

What's the matter with the converter? Also have you tried using the converter and battery tender at the same time to see if they add their amps at all? Plus any solar. ( You need a low battery to do such testing so it will be sure to accept all the amps you might get in various combinations of chargers)

[EdTheEdge]

pianotuna wrote:
With 2 hours per day you do NOT want a battery tender. Use the converter, or use the biggest meanest battery charger you can find.

ATM I only have a Battery Tender Jr.... I will use the available 120v to charge the house battery while I am there. Sometime in the future I will get a better charger.

[pianotuna]

With 2 hours per day you do NOT want a battery tender. Use the converter, or use the biggest meanest battery charger you can find.

[EdTheEdge]

BFL13 wrote:

EdTheEdge wrote:
Thanks for the info! No it does not also charge the chassis battery. I will be staying in a spot that is mostly covered and only gets 1/2 hour of sunlight a day and will only have access to 120v electrical for a hour or two a day, so I'd like to try and keep my house battery charged as much as possible. Thanks again!

When the 120v is available (even if only 15a) you would get more amps to the battery using the Rv's own converter than with the battery tender jr. You also have alternator charging and according to the brochure on that rig, an Onan gen. All of that works ok with the solar still connected.

To be honest I wasn't thinking about getting a better charge with the 120v.... I also won't be able to use the engine or the generator during my short stay.

[BFL13]

EdTheEdge wrote:
Thanks for the info! No it does not also charge the chassis battery. I will be staying in a spot that is mostly covered and only gets 1/2 hour of sunlight a day and will only have access to 120v electrical for a hour or two a day, so I'd like to try and keep my house battery charged as much as possible. Thanks again!

When the 120v is available (even if only 15a) you would get more amps to the battery using the Rv's own converter than with the battery tender jr. You also have alternator charging and according to the brochure on that rig, an Onan gen. All of that works ok with the solar still connected.

[pianotuna]

You may wish to look at a trik-l-start

[EdTheEdge]

Thanks for the info! No it does not also charge the chassis battery. I will be staying in a spot that is mostly covered and only gets 1/2 hour of sunlight a day and will only have access to 120v electrical for a hour or two a day, so I'd like to try and keep my house battery charged as much as possible. Thanks again!

[time2roll]

Yes. You will have no issues with multiple charging sources.
Will that also keep the chassis battery charged?

[pianotuna]

Yes, but why if there is solar installed?

[Boon_Docker]

Short answer, yes.