Re: [VACList] Univolt

[Jim Dunmyer <jdunmyer@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Noah,
  You're writing to another Jim, but I'll throw in my $.02 anyway. :-)

I used a $40.00 Wal-Mart battery charger on 2 different occassions when 
my converter went belly-up. Just clipped it onto the battery; if I was 
going to make it permanent, I'd put eyes on the wire ends instead of the 
clips.

Now, here's the deal: that battery charger is supposed to be 
"automatic", so I shouldn't have to worry about over-charging the 
battery(s). I didn't use it long enough to know for sure. Although it 
was rated at 10 amps and our load often exceeds that, it works OK 
because the batteries make up the difference as needed. It would NOT 
work if we spent all day in the trailer and had a >10 amp load most of 
the time. Of course, this isn't the case, so the charger has a chance to 
catch up the battery charge.

It would be a very bad idea to be connected to shore power, electricity 
going to the charger, and have NO battery installed, or one that is 
totally shot. The charger would supply too much voltage to the circuitry 
with no battery installed, and you might blow some light bulbs or 
sensitive electronics. The Inteli-Power doesn't have that problem, you 
can operate w/o a battery if you wish.

It makes no difference if you disconnect the UniVolt or not.

                            <<Jim>>