Best Way To Charge House Battery on Class C Motorhome While Touring

Question:

We are new to the RV thing and now have a Class C Motorhome. What is the best way to charge battery? We will mostly use to tour national parks etc. not spending a lot of time in RV parks plugged into the electrical grid. Solar panels? Generator? What options do we have and why one of the other?

asked by: Michael C

Expert Reply:

I think you will be best served with a combination of options as the best way to charge RV batteries will depend on what’s available to you at that moment, how fast you need your batteries recharged, and a host of other factors. Typically, the best way to charge your RV batteries is being plugged into shore power but as you stated, you are looking for on-the-go options. If you’re boondocking with no access to electricity, a generator or RV solar charger will be the best way to charge your batteries and if in motion doing cross country touring a battery-to-battery charging system is the perfect addition. I will start with this option.

I suggest using the Redarc In-Vehicle BCDC Battery Charger, # 331-BCDC1240D as this is ideal for battery banks from 75AH to 200AH. If your motorhomes house battery bank is larger than 200AH or, you plan to increase the battery banks size, select the # 331-BCDC1240D option as it is rated to handle battery banks up to 600 AH. You will need part # 331-FK60 which are 60 amp fuses to protect both the starter battery and the auxiliary battery.

The Redarc BCDC dual-input battery charger allows for easy charging of a DC battery while you're on the move. Most battery chargers require that you plug into an AC outlet, but this DC-to-DC charger pulls power from your vehicle's start battery instead. The BCDC also has solar power capability so that you can keep your secondary battery charged while you're parked at a remote campsite. This means that you can go off the grid without worrying about being without power.

If you combine the above with the Go Power Solar Flex Charging System with Digital Solar Controller, # 34272628 you will have 220 watts of solar on board to assist with charging when parked and not plugged into the grid. This system is 2, 200-watt flexible solar panels that fit on various surfaces and the solar controller monitors output and prevents overcharging. The controller is compatible with multiple battery types and includes preset charging profiles for sealed/gel, AGM, flooded/wet cell, and lithium batteries.

The above listed items will support on-the-go touring in a motorhome providing power to recharge your house battery bank. The last item to suggest is the A-iPower 2,000-Watt Portable Inverter Generator, # 289-SUA2000i or the A-iPower 3,800-Watt Portable Inverter Generators - 3,000 Running Watts, # 289-SUA2000i-2. The inverter type generators supply clean power for your RV and be connected in parallel with another A-iPower generator for increased output. These are a quiet operation and won't drown out campground conversation.

The generator option will allow you to recharge battery when boondocking and solar is not enough. It will also support running the RV's AC unit if not connected to shore power. The Redarc In-Vehicle BCDC Battery Charger takes advantage of using engine power when in motion to recharge the battery bank and provide you a fully charged battery when you arrive at your next destination.