Trickle Charger - R-pod Owners Forum

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Bill-GA

Senior Member

Joined: 13 Jan 2012
Location: Cumming, GA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 214

Topic: Trickle Charger
Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 10:26pm

Here's a "Battery MINDER" I just purchased from Northern Tool http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332201_200332201?cm_mmc=Housefile-_-RECEIVED-_-707-_-CONF

It s currently listed at $34.99

Bill & Bev
13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa'
2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out)
2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV

techntrek

Admin Group - pHp

Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Location: MD
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 9059

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 4:43pm

Another option is to just charge it once a month, overnight. Lead-acid batteries must be charged that often in the summer, but if you leave the battery on the tongue and it gets cold where you live (maybe not cold enough in NC), you can get away with every 2-3 months during the coldest part of the winter. Just make sure you have some kind of battery disconnect and disconnect it from the pod between charges - and make sure you reconnect it the day you charge it.

I have been considering getting a trickle charger for my tractor and the pod.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Goose

Senior Member

Joined: 24 Sep 2010
Location: Arizona
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 672

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 11:56am

I just went to Sears and bought their small trickle charger ( I think that it ran about $29.00 a couple of years ago), only charges when the battery drops to a certain point. I keep it in the garage plugged in all winter. You really don't need anything big or fancy unless that's what you want. Goose

Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee

Seanl

Senior Member

Joined: 19 Sep 2011
Location: Fredericton NB
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 633

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 11:23am

I have a a 2 amp smart charger that I use. Mine is a MotoMaster Eliminator brand but that is a Canadian Tire Store brand so you will not be able to find that in the US, but there are a lot of them out there. It is a good Idea to make sure that it is a 3 stage charger for a maintenance charger because it will not overcharge the battery. This one is similar to mine.

http://www.amazon.ca/Energizer-84027-Battery-Charger-Maintainer/dp/B0030B13Z2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_4

Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition

P&M

Senior Member

Joined: 13 Aug 2012
Location: Spokane, WA
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 454

Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 10:25am

I just keep learning more and more here ... and keep needing to spend more and more as I learn!

Pulled my battery for winterization and to modify the case for a kill switch & to figure out a better way of securing it to the frame. I read that many here keep their batteries on a trickle charger so that it doesn't discharge too low and ruin it ... Good idea and one I need to implement. However, I've never bought one and when I looked there are hundreds of different sizes to choose from.

Can anyone tell me what sort of size (i.e. amps) I should get in a charger? And I assume I want one that automatically turns on/off?

Thanks in advance -- y'all are making Pod ownership much, much easier and safer for me!

P & M ... and Comet too!
2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod
2018 Ram 2500

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Bill-GA Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Cumming, GA Online Status: Offline Posts: 214	Topic: Trickle Charger Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 10:26pm
	Here's a "Battery MINDER" I just purchased from Northern Tool http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200332201_200332201?cm_mmc=Housefile-_-RECEIVED-_-707-_-CONF It s currently listed at $34.99
	Bill & Bev 13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa' 2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out) 2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059	Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 4:43pm
	Another option is to just charge it once a month, overnight. Lead-acid batteries must be charged that often in the summer, but if you leave the battery on the tongue and it gets cold where you live (maybe not cold enough in NC), you can get away with every 2-3 months during the coldest part of the winter. Just make sure you have some kind of battery disconnect and disconnect it from the pod between charges - and make sure you reconnect it the day you charge it. I have been considering getting a trickle charger for my tractor and the pod.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

Goose Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 24 Sep 2010 Location: Arizona Online Status: Offline Posts: 672	Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 11:56am
	I just went to Sears and bought their small trickle charger ( I think that it ran about $29.00 a couple of years ago), only charges when the battery drops to a certain point. I keep it in the garage plugged in all winter. You really don't need anything big or fancy unless that's what you want. Goose
	Mother Goose's Caboose..2011 RP171..07 Grand Cherokee

Seanl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 19 Sep 2011 Location: Fredericton NB Online Status: Offline Posts: 633	Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 11:23am
	I have a a 2 amp smart charger that I use. Mine is a MotoMaster Eliminator brand but that is a Canadian Tire Store brand so you will not be able to find that in the US, but there are a lot of them out there. It is a good Idea to make sure that it is a 3 stage charger for a maintenance charger because it will not overcharge the battery. This one is similar to mine. http://www.amazon.ca/Energizer-84027-Battery-Charger-Maintainer/dp/B0030B13Z2/ref=pd_sim_sbs_k_4
	Sean, 2011 Rpod RP-173,2009 Jeep Liberty Rocky Mountain Edition

P&M Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 13 Aug 2012 Location: Spokane, WA Online Status: Offline Posts: 454	Posted: 27 Nov 2012 at 10:25am
	I just keep learning more and more here ... and keep needing to spend more and more as I learn! Pulled my battery for winterization and to modify the case for a kill switch & to figure out a better way of securing it to the frame. I read that many here keep their batteries on a trickle charger so that it doesn't discharge too low and ruin it ... Good idea and one I need to implement. However, I've never bought one and when I looked there are hundreds of different sizes to choose from. Can anyone tell me what sort of size (i.e. amps) I should get in a charger? And I assume I want one that automatically turns on/off? Thanks in advance -- y'all are making Pod ownership much, much easier and safer for me!
	P & M ... and Comet too! 2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod 2018 Ram 2500