Trik-L-Start question

[rvtogo]

I am thinking of installing a battery maintainer and am not sure if I will install a trik-l-start or another that requires a 120 connection. Here is my question: The advertising for trik-l-start says that it draws  (steal) power form the dc, inverter/converter and when  plugged in to shore power. I assume that if I am using my inverter say overnight then I am charging my chassis battery also? This would drain my house batteries pretty quick.  Is this correct?

My other option is to install a 120ac charger (battery minder etc.) and plug into my block heater plug  that ONLY works when generator is on or on shore power. In other words; the inverter does not put power to that outlet. Any ideas?

 

[Molaker]

The Trik-L-Start measures the chassis battery voltage and if it falls below a given level, it will pass current from the coach (house) battery to the chassis battery - as long as the coach battery voltage is high enough.  I'm pretty sure it will not run the coach battery down as the coach battery level is not high enough without being plugged in and being charged with the converter.  When plugged in, the converter will maintain the coach battery level at approx. 14.5 VDC which will turn on the Trik-L-Start and it will "trickle charge" the chassis battery (about 5 amps - IIRC).  It is not intended to charge a low chassis battery, only maintain it once charged.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[rvtogo]

So if my coach batteries are high enough when on the inverter then it will use that power to trickle charge the chassis battery? This is what I want to avoid if possible. It will leave me less power resource for my use. Still confused on this. The echo charger info says that it will only charge the chassis battery when it senses the house batteries being charged, which would not be from the inverter? This is what I am needing  to know, thanks

 

[John From Detroit]

As I recall, the "High enough" voltage for the chassis battery is 13,  Since the batteries themselves are only 12.6 if it's 13 that means the converter is convrting,  the batteries can not maintain that high a voltage by themselves but for more than a few seconds.  And even with no load, they wil drop to 12.6  (or less) very quickly.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

First, your inverter should not ever be charging your house batteries when shore power is not present. If you take power from the house batteries to run the inverter and then have the inverter power the house charger, it's a guaranteed quick loss of power.

Devices like Trik-L-Charge, Xantrex Echo Charge and Magnum Battery Combiner all monitor the source battery to assure it is not being excessively depleted. The Magnum is the most flexible because it allows you to set the voltage thresholds yourself, but the preset thresholds of the other two products are fine anyway.

The Trik-L-Start only steals current from the house batteries when they are above [approximately] 12.6v, which basically means when the charging system is active (12.6v is the resting voltage for a fully charged 12v battery).  Ditto for the Xantrex Echo Charger.

The basic difference between Trik-L-Start and Echo is the max amperage. It's 5A on the Trik-L but 15A on the Echo. The Magnum Combner has a 25A max.

If I were buying one today and price was no object, I would get the Magnum Battery Combiner, but when cost is factored in it's hard to beat the Trik-L-Start. I currently have a Xantrex Echo Charger installed in my coach and it works as advertised too.