Can I leave my 2007 Sportsmobile plugged into 110 volt outlet indefinitely?

[geotrek]

Can I leave my Sportsmobile 2007 Ford van plugged into the 110 volt garage outlet indefinitely?

I recently purchased a new 4D AGM battery from Sportsmobile. I have an InteliPower 9200 series power converter with a built-in Charge Wizard. The converter manual indicates that the charge wizard continually monitors the state of charge in the battery and makes adjustments to optimize the optimum state of the battery.

Any comments would be appreciated.

[doublevan2]

Check the possible alternate method of "maintaining" your battery with a trickle flow/charge - but unless I'm wrong (?) - the charge wizard "may" also do the trickle charge - I'm sure other forum members will add their thoughts as well --

[boywonder]

The only downside is that it will do an "equalize" or "desulfation" mode every 21 hours for 15 minutes unless the 9200 series has a way to disable this feature.

AGMs are sealed and don't like the higher voltage during equalize but I've done what you are considering for a few weeks while away and my batteries survived. If the electrolyte boils/outgasses it can vent the battery which pretty much spells the end for AGMs.

If there is a way to turn off the charge wizard (I have no idea..I have the 9100 series and I can unplug the wizard module) the charger will just charge to 13.6V which may be easier on the AGMs......but you won't get the 13.2V "storage mode" that you get with the wizard.

[geotrek]

I have always had my van connected to the 110-volt continuously for years and have not been aware of any problems. Having recently been reading about issues with the house batteries, I decided to seek input from the forum and get some reassurance that keeping the van plugged-in is not a problem.You raise the question of losing battery liquid with high charges I thought the AGM battery is sealed and liquid loss would not be a problem. Any thoughts? Thanks alot.



though

[Scalf77]

While a InteliPower 9200 is not on my list of great chargers, the biggest thing that might limit me plugging in all the time with it would be the fact that there is no temperature compensation. Meaning the output numbers aren't bad for your AGM at 77°F. As the temperature of the battery moves away from that point the needs of the battery change. So If you were dealing with + 100° days I might decide to just shut it down. As the temperature goes up the voltage requirements go down, so you risk over charging.. Obviously, in colder temps you would undercharge.

The so called equalizing portion of the 9200 is not high enough voltage, it is the same output that you have when you are charging. This would be pretty much like, having solar and going back to Absorption stage every morning.

If you have solar, I would turn of if I was plugged in.

If I was plugged in all the time with a AGM house battery and standard wet cell battery for my starting battery, I would also generally disable the ACR or separator , to make sure the wet cell starter didn't remain on a long term float. This could degrade the lifespan of your starting batteries.

-greg

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

The so called equalizing portion of the 9200 is not high enough voltage, it is the same output that you have when you are charging. This would be pretty much like, having solar and going back to Absorption stage every morning.

Good point.

[geotrek]

Thanks for the input. I feel that I'm beginning to understand some of the issues in maintaining batteries.

[basssears]

Originally Posted by Scalf77

While a InteliPower 9200 is not on my list of great chargers

Care to share what is on your list? New AGM batteries for me has lead to some upgrading of my charging sources (to accommodate AGM specific voltages), have upgraded my MPPT, a DC-DC charger is next on the list but I'm still with my old InteliPower and the Charge Wizard, can see that it does in fact storage charge at 13.2v which my Lifelines say they like but I guess the desulfation does bug me a bit.


-- Bass

[Vanimal]

Why don't you buy a timmer like for home lighting. They have different amps available. I have a trickle charger that I set for 10 hours of charge. I've done it since 2005.

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by basssears

Care to share what is on your list? New AGM batteries for me has lead to some upgrading of my charging sources (to accommodate AGM specific voltages), have upgraded my MPPT, a DC-DC charger is next on the list but I'm still with my old InteliPower and the Charge Wizard, can see that it does in fact storage charge at 13.2v which my Lifelines say they like but I guess the desulfation does bug me a bit.


-- Bass

Is your charge wizard an unpluggable module? i.e. 9100 series?


I just moved to a LiFePo4 battery and installed a Victron Orion DC-DC converter....then wired the intellepower (without the charge wizard) on the starter battery side of the Orion. So now either the alternator or shore power goes through the Orion and is fully programmable via the Victron connect app for whatever battery you want.