Have you been wondering how to charge RV batteries? Here, in this blog, we have come across different ways how to charge RV batteries. We not only bring together the most practical and effective options to charge your RVs but also put forward all the information needed to maintain an RV battery.
Types of RV Battery
RV batteries come in a wide variety with diverse charging options and other features. Among all the three most common types of RV battery include the flooded Lead-Acid, Absorbed Glass Mat, and Lithium ion batteries. Each of these batteries suite your vehicles with a unique set of advantages and disadvantages.
Here are some of the types of RV batteries that can be suitable for your vehicle:
Flooded Lead-Acid Battery
These lead acid batteries have long been used as a power source for multiple purposes. You can install these batteries in your vehicles, which go with your affordability. If you are a budget concious and also love to travel, you can always go with this option.
However, keep a good eye on these battereis when using them as a electric supply because they need regular maintenance. For instance, you need to monitor the water levels in the flooded lead acid battery.
Otherwise, they may leak an acid or spill the acid which is corrosive and can damage multiple things surrounding the battery.
Absorbed Glass Mat
Although the absorbed glass mat is quite similar to flooded lead acid batteries but the absorbed glass mat requires minimum or low maintenance and is resistant to vibrations. Furthermore, the absorbed glass mat are resistant to heat and overcharging as well.
In addition to this, the absorbed glass mat batteries have a higher energy density, which implies you can store more energy even in smaller batteries. However, you must know that the absorbed glass mat batteries are more expensive than the lead acid batteries. The absorbed glass mat usually lasts longer than the common lead-acid batteries.
Lithium-Ion Batteries
Lithium-ion batteries are one of the ways to charge RV batteries and have recently emerged on the horizon as an option to supply RV batteries. If you are looking for batteries with high efficiency and good performance ratios, Lithium-ion batteries are the ones to go with.
The Lithium-ion batteries can undergo extensive recharging and discharging cycles and they will still work just fine.
However, needless to say, with all these advantages, Lithium-ion batteries are more expensive than lead acid batteries.
How To Charge RV Batteries?
Have you been thinking about how to charge RV batteries? Here, we bring the answer to your question. However, if you ask how to charge RV batteries instantly, we would suggest you install the LiFePO4 batteries in your RV. Lithium batteries can be charged five times faster than lead-acid batteries.
Here is how to charge RV batteries:
Shore Power Combined with Converter
Nowadays, most RVs are widely equipped with a converter. This appliance will convert the AC from the shore power connection into DC, which is suitable for charging a battery. These converters are usually in the storage compartments or are buried out of sight in the underbelly. However, these converters are also usually kept close to the battery.
Camping Generators
You might not be able to find an AC source when you love to go on solo trips and stay away from crowds. In such cases, camping generators are the way how to charge RV batteries. Some sellers usually have their camping generators installed in the RVs.
However, if your RV doesn't come with a camping generator, you can go with other portable options. This can include portable power stations. Here are some of the BLUETTI products that you can use to charge your RV.
1. BLUETTI AC200L Portable Power Station
The BLUETTI AC200L Portable Power Station can supply you with 2,400W of AC output with a temporary surge of 3,600W to start up heavy appliances. Furthermore, this portable power
The station has a power storage capacity that reaches up to 2,048 Wh. You can supply multiple devices on the go with multiple output ports.
2. BLUETTI AC200MAX Expandable Power Station
The BLUETTI AC200MAX Expandable Power Station can supply your RV with almost 2200 watts of power with a storage capacity of 2048 Wh. It is a LiFePO4 battery that lasts longer than the usual batteries and with an expansion battery its capacity can reach up to 3072 Wh.
RV Vehicle Engine
The RV vehicle engine is another way how to charge RV batteries. You can charge your batteries using the vehicle engine. This means that the same engine that pushes the wheels is powering your RV batteries, which is, in a way, a sustainable method of charging your RV batteries.
No matter which fuel you use for your RV, all of these fuels can charge your batteries via the engine.
Solar Power
You can also install solar panels on your RV roof. These solar panels and solar kits can supply your RV batteries and charge these batteries via the solar panels on your RV roof. Hence, solar panels are also a way to charge RV batteries.
You can use the BLUETTI PV420 Solar Panel to charge your RV. It has a 23.4% conversion ratio and hence promises high efficiency. You can easily install solar panels on your RVs with a kickstand.
This solar panel can provide you with 420-watt solar power to instantly charge your appliances or devices. Furthermore, the ETFE coating gives it the durability that you expect.
RV Battery Charging Safety Tips
Now that you know which charging methods suit you the most, you should know how you can stay safe with these charging batteries. Here are some guidelines that you can follow to ensure security:
- Your battery should always be clean, no matter what kind of battery you are using. If your battery is covered with water, oil, or even dirt, it may lead to these batteries discharging the chemicals without any trigger, causing a short circuit.
- Never forget to charge your battery through a charger that is clean and accessible to the battery.
- When you are about to charge your RV, you should park your RV on a level road. The RV should be charged only when the parking brakes are on.
- Furthermore, before you start charging your RV, you should always take off the cables in a sequence. You must always take off the negative cable first and then the positive one.
- If you are using lead-acid batteries, you must always clean the sulfation and add distilled water to it.
- Be sure to attach the charger cables only to the battery. Also, don't forget to attach the positive cable first, then the negative one.
- If you have a small lithium battery charger, you can navigate your battery status on your mobile phone as well. You can do so by connecting the charger to your mobile phone via Bluetooth. When the light of the charger is on, it indicates that the battery is completely charged.
- Once your battery is completely charged, you can turn off the power source and disconnect the battery from the power source.
- Be cautious of the battery sulfation when using lead acid batteries, and clean up the battery before you charge it. Furthermore, you should always keep your lead acid batteries in a properly ventilated place. However, this is not applicable to lithium batteries which are 100% maintenance-free.
- When you use a battery charger, you should one that is compatible with your batteries for instance, there is a different charger for lithium batteries and a different one for a lead acid battery.
- When you are charging your battery via solar panel, you should always use a charge controller, which will prevent your batteries from overcharging.
- You must never charge a frozen battery. Although you can use the lithium RV batteries below freezing point charging your RV batteries below freezing point can cause plating or crystallization. This crystallization can weaken your battery.
- You should also be careful of high temperatures when charging a battery and must never use your battery at temperatures above 50 degrees Celcius.
In case you are using any other source to charge your RV, you should always read the instructions first, which are specific to each product. That way, you can ward off any security issues and keep yourself safe from any sort of electric accidents.
Final Thoughts
There are multiple options that you can choose to charge your RV that bring their own set of advantages and disadvantages to the table. You can go by any of these options, and while doing so always stick to the precautionary measurements as instructed by the manufacturer.
Each type of battery comes with different instructions, which you should never compromise on. That way, you will be able to ensure safety and steer clear of any sort of accidents.
