Trik L Start, please explain internal workings

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Leehaefele

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I am told that some of the newer Winnie Views have AGM chassis battery AND a single stage charger.  People are installing Trik L Start units to charge the hassis battery.  If this connects the AGM to the converter, it may destroy the AGM battery.  Possibly, someone can describe the internal workings of the Trik L Charge.  Does it just connect the chassis batt anytime the voltage rises over 13V?  Does it limit the current? 
 
Basically the Trik-L-Start (and the similar Xantrex EchoCharger) closes a connection between house and chassis batteries whenever the house batteries rise above a threshold voltage, typically around 13v. And yes, it has a current limit of 5 amps.

AGMs are typically used in house (deep-cycle) batteries rather than chassis batteries, but maybe Winnie is doing something different?
 
Welcome to The RV Forum!

I seriously doubt if the chassis batteries are AGM but I can check when my Winnebago contact returns.  There are probably some models with a single stage charger, typically the higher-end units have a three stage charger. 

The Xantrex Echo~Charge (I have this installed) is considerably 'smarter' than the Trik-L-Start, but it's about twice as expensive, in any case the Trik-L-Start seems to do a good job - I've never heard about a problem with one.

Curious as to why the questions, are you shopping for a new Winnebago?
 
Except in higher end units with multi-stage inverter/chargers, modern RV charging systems tend to have what I think of as "1.5 stage" charging system. They basically have a "charge" mode and then go a "Float" mode to maintain that charge. Neither mode is quite as sophisticated as the ones in multi-stage chargers, but they avoid doing any damage while keeping the batteries up to snuff.
 
In general, I'm with Gary on this.

The only thing to watch is that neither the stock converter nor the echo charge/trick-l-start devices are temperature compensated.  As a result, overcharging will occur in hot weather, quite quickly in 90 degree heat.

Car and truck alternators are temperature compensated and have been for some time.  A few of the high-end converters have battery temperature probes, but none of those are used by RV manufacturers.
 
A few of the high-end converters have battery temperature probes, but none of those are used by RV manufacturers.

Actually, most Xantrex and Magnum inverter/chargers come with temperature probes and mine was present in the battery bank where it belongs, right from the American Coach factory. That's  a Xantrex RV2500 in a 2004 American Tradition.
 
The Xantrex RS2000 inverter/charger is temperature compensated as was the stock Winnebago Dimensions inverter/charger.  Due to the relatively low charge current of the Echo~Charge or Trik-L-Start, I don't think monitoring battery temperature is very important.
 
John in general I would agree but the opening poster asked about AGMs.

AGMs that are overcharged, even if the charge current is low, can be damaged because they lose electrolyte which cannot then be replenished.

A flooded battery would do fine in the same situation with maybe a little gassing.
 
The difference in optimum charge voltage for AGM vs flooded is typically 0.1-0.2v.  We aren't talking about boiling away electrolyte at that small difference.
 

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