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bypassing the battery

gerryskid34
Explorer
Explorer
Hello, please excuse my ignorance, but can I remove my battery and hook up the pos and neg connecting terminal wires directly to still have access to a/c power in my outlets?
I realize the battery is needed for some functions like lights and what not, but I am interested in keeping the a/c power to wall outlets to run electronic mouse/bug repellants thru the winter.
Is there any danger in doing this and what so? Can what I am asking just be accomplished by turning off the breaker for the invertor and if so, would it be listed in my fuse area? Thank you for your help.
Dave
19 REPLIES 19

StirCrazy
Nomad III
Nomad III
time2roll wrote:
on edit: IN THE ABSENCE OF A RED WARNING STICKER STATING OTHERWISE

If the RV is plugged in, the battery can be removed. All systems (both 12v and 120v) will work.

And yes a few items might be connected direct to the battery in addition to the main cables. These items need to be connected to the main cables to function.


not even then, if your power center doesn't have dc filtering you should not run with out a battery as the 12V coming out will be all over the board and it is hard on lights, the sterio and anything else 12V light the furnace and water pump.. even older ones like what my truck camper came with were even worse, no warning sticker on them either.. Most newer ones should be ok, althought with the track record I, and friends have had with WFCO converters I wouldn't.
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100

StirCrazy
Nomad III
Nomad III
I am still wondering the answer from the first question asked, if your leaving it pluged in why do you want to remove the battery? My last set uf batteries lasted me 14 years being pluged in year round, the only time they wernt pluged in was when we were camping ... if you have a less than ideal converter, just make sure you check water levels, if it is a battery that you can, and top them up once a mont. I check mine every 3 months and a couple days before each trip.

Steve
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
2016 Cougar 330RBK
1991 Slumberqueen WS100

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
time2roll,

The old Magnatec converts used the battery to stabilize the voltage. That's why they were so low in charge capability. Without the battery the voltage went pretty high. Not so bad in the old days--but with modern chip based controls--not so good for the devices.
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
time2roll wrote:
Huntindog wrote:
And SOME TTs DO require a battery in the circuit for ALL systems to work.
I had one. A 2001 Wilderness. And it did not have an inverter/charger combo unit.
I am intrigued. What did not work? What was the potential damage from no battery?


There were red warning stickers on the cabinent about it. I did not experiment to see what would happen if I ignored the warning.

Huntindog
100% boondocking
2021 Grand Design Momentum 398M
2 bathrooms, no waiting
104 gal grey, 104 black,158 fresh
FullBodyPaint, 3,8Kaxles, DiscBrakes
17.5LRH commercial tires
1860watts solar,800 AH Battleborn batterys
2020 Silverado HighCountry CC DA 4X4 DRW

time2roll
Explorer II
Explorer II
Huntindog wrote:
And SOME TTs DO require a battery in the circuit for ALL systems to work.
I had one. A 2001 Wilderness. And it did not have an inverter/charger combo unit.
I am intrigued. What did not work? What was the potential damage from no battery?

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
time2roll wrote:
Huntindog wrote:
time2roll wrote:
If the RV is plugged in, the battery can be removed. All systems (both 12v and 120v) will work.

And yes a few items might be connected direct to the battery in addition to the main cables. These items need to be connected to the main cables to function.
NOT ALWAYS!!!
This is a blanket statement, that is not true for all RVS.
We are in the Travel Trailer section.
Yes if your travel trailer came with an inverter/charger combo unit, the system may require a battery.
I am aware of what section we are in.

And SOME TTs DO require a battery in the circuit for ALL systems to work.
I had one. A 2001 Wilderness. And it did not have an inverter/charger combo unit.

Please refrain from blanket statements. When you do not even know what TT the OP has.
Huntindog
100% boondocking
2021 Grand Design Momentum 398M
2 bathrooms, no waiting
104 gal grey, 104 black,158 fresh
FullBodyPaint, 3,8Kaxles, DiscBrakes
17.5LRH commercial tires
1860watts solar,800 AH Battleborn batterys
2020 Silverado HighCountry CC DA 4X4 DRW

pianotuna
Nomad II
Nomad II
Turn off the breaker for the converter

Disconnect the positive cable. Wrap it with red electricians tape.

The electronic devices don't seem to work too well. I think the rodent's get used to the noise. They also draw very little power--so they are not very loud.

Put some poison in a tall (24 inch) pail. The rodents will be attracted to it and then are unable to climb out. This works with food items as well. DAMHIK
Regards, Don
My ride is a 28 foot Class C, 256 watts solar, 556 amp-hours of Telcom jars, 3000 watt Magnum hybrid inverter, Sola Basic Autoformer, Microair Easy Start.

MFL
Nomad II
Nomad II
CA Traveler wrote:
Just for information: We picked up a rat in Flagstaff AZ and tried every device known to man to catch him while he had a steady diet of apples, peanut butter, bacon etc and chair cushion for comfort. We did not want to use poison and deal with a dead rat that we couldn't find. He stole the mouse trap bait, ate his way out of the biggest glue traps? Electronic repelant devices were like music to him. Rat trap? Nope, he read the label "Danger rat trap" and totally avoided it. We finally caught him in a live trap in Denver, CO.


No experience with the electronic repellant devices, but heard they are a JOKE amongst rodents (gives them a good laugh)! However, as someone mentioned, using an extension cord through an opening (such as slide seal) would give power.

Otherwise, I'd cross out "danger rodent trap", and add "try it, you'll like it", for best results!

Jerry

time2roll
Explorer II
Explorer II
Huntindog wrote:
time2roll wrote:
If the RV is plugged in, the battery can be removed. All systems (both 12v and 120v) will work.

And yes a few items might be connected direct to the battery in addition to the main cables. These items need to be connected to the main cables to function.
NOT ALWAYS!!!
This is a blanket statement, that is not true for all RVS.
We are in the Travel Trailer section.
Yes if your travel trailer came with an inverter/charger combo unit, the system may require a battery.

Grit_dog
Nomad III
Nomad III
OP, do a little more reading and LOOK at your camper and learn the electrical system.
Can you remove battery and still have AC on shore power? Yes.
But your post sounds scary and sort of like a future repair bill ….
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Lwiddis
Explorer
Explorer
Why would you remove the battery? Charged it won’t freeze. I suggest lots of reading about RV electricity before you experiment.
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Explorer III
Just for information: We picked up a rat in Flagstaff AZ and tried every device known to man to catch him while he had a steady diet of apples, peanut butter, bacon etc and chair cushion for comfort. We did not want to use poison and deal with a dead rat that we couldn't find. He stole the mouse trap bait, ate his way out of the biggest glue traps? Electronic repelant devices were like music to him. Rat trap? Nope, he read the label "Danger rat trap" and totally avoided it. We finally caught him in a live trap in Denver, CO.
2009 Holiday Rambler 42' Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
750 Watts Solar Morningstar MPPT 60 Controller
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland

Bob

bgum
Explorer
Explorer
I disconnect the negative wire from the battery and flip the breaker off for the converter in the power box. That way I have 120 voltage in the camper. I also hook a 6 watt solar charger to the battery to keep it charged.

CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Explorer III
If you have a good 3 stage charger and good battery then just leave everything connected?

You might be able to disconnect the battery w/o incident but it depends on your equipment. If OK then put a full battery disconnect switch on the negative battery cable. Never connect positive and negative wires together which is a direct short.

Or why not just use an extension cord for the items you want to power?
2009 Holiday Rambler 42' Scepter with ISL 400 Cummins
750 Watts Solar Morningstar MPPT 60 Controller
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland

Bob