Shore power without battery installed?

[jfaberna]

my 3402RL is in storage with the battery removed. If I want to go work on the television antenna and test it, I'll need to take a generator with me.

Is it safe or okay to hook up 110V AC to the rig without a battery installed? Of course, I have the battery cables isolated and not touching ground. Seems like this is alright, but wanted some practical knowledge on the subject from the experts.

[mlh]

I keep my camper hooked to 110 with the battery switch off and use the TV all the time.
Lynwood

[K0LCB]

I think if you turn the battery disconnect off, if you can remove the key, it's off, you should be ok

[jlb27537]

No problem. The converter will provide 12vdc to the system and it does not matter if you have a battery. The 120vac stuff will work like it always does.

I did connect mine once at the house with the battery switch off and used it for a day, then checked the battery voltage with the level up panel and then realized I had forgotten to turn the battery on.

With no battery I am not sure if the converter will provide enough power to the pump to get the slides out if you need to get them out. I still had my battery installed, just not turned on.

[Irlpguy]

Rich you cannot operate the slides without the batteries being installed, on my 3402RL it states that on the main switch panel.

If they are out and you are just wanting to work inside then you would be ok for 120V and 12V without the batteries.

[jfaberna]

okay, here are the results of my test today. Hooked up the Honda 2000UI generator to the house connector. With no battery and Battery Disconnect Key turned off and removed. I had 110V and 12V for lights and furnace, etc. But I could not operation the slides, electric bedroom or hydraulic room slides.

If I turned the Battery Disconnect Key on with key installed, I could operate the bedroom electric slide, but the generator sped up a good bit. The Monty didn't like it when the hydraulic slides were operated. Generator went to maximum speed and even the furnace fan slowed down. Slides moved slower than usual.

When I installed the battery, it worked better, but the generator still went to maximum speed when operation the hydraulic slides.

[Irlpguy]

quote:Originally posted by jfaberna

okay, here are the results of my test today. Hooked up the Honda 2000UI generator to the house connector. With no battery and Battery Disconnect Key turned off and removed. I had 110V and 12V for lights and furnace, etc. But I could not operation the slides, electric bedroom or hydraulic room slides.

If I turned the Battery Disconnect Key on with key installed, I could operate the bedroom electric slide, but the generator sped up a good bit. The Monty didn't like it when the hydraulic slides were operated. Generator went to maximum speed and even the furnace fan slowed down. Slides moved slower than usual.


When I installed the battery, it worked better, but the generator still went to maximum speed when operation the hydraulic slides.

If you recall a good many folks have replaced the self resetting circuit breakers that come standard on our Montana's with heavier ones, they have done this because the current draw exceeds the capacity of the breakers under certain conditions, soooo if you are drawing that amount of current with the batteries installed, imagine what the poor converter is trying to put out without batteries, it cannot sustain this current draw and likely will destroy the converter in fairly short order not to mention the hydraulic pump motor. Your generator is trying to keep up with the current draw from the converter as it tries to supply the current being asked for from the slide motor, not a good thing all around.

Now with the battery installed, which might be somewhat low and you attempt to operate the slides the converter is trying to replace the current being drawn from the battery/batteries, the converter then draws significant current from the generator causing it to also speed up to try and satisfy the draw from the converter.

I have a 90amp Progressive Industries converter as I would think you do also since they are the same model, I also have a hard wired Progressive Ind 50A EMS, when my batteries are fully charged the current draw on line 1 which is the one the converter is on is 1 amp, when I operate the slide pump in "stall" mode (all slides in but trying to bring them in further) which loads the pump heavily, the current draw on line one goes up to 24A trying to replace the current being drawn from the batteries.

Converters are "not" designed to supply sufficient current to operate the slides without the batteries. On my control panel in the stairway there is a red and white sticker beside the slide switch that states "Not to be operated without battery hookup". That to me says it all.

[jfaberna]

Yeap, I'll install the battery when slides are used. I keep it at home on a battery conditioner.

[CORattler]

quote:Originally posted by Irlpguy

If you recall a good many folks have replaced the self resetting circuit breakers that come standard on our Montana's with heavier ones, they have done this because the current draw exceeds the capacity of the breakers under certain conditions, soooo if you are drawing that amount of current with the batteries installed, imagine what the poor converter is trying to put out without batteries, it cannot sustain this current draw and likely will destroy the converter in fairly short order not to mention the hydraulic pump motor. Your generator is trying to keep up with the current draw from the converter as it tries to supply the current being asked for from the slide motor, not a good thing all around.

Now with the battery installed, which might be somewhat low and you attempt to operate the slides the converter is trying to replace the current being drawn from the battery/batteries, the converter then draws significant current from the generator causing it to also speed up to try and satisfy the draw from the converter.

I have a 90amp Progressive Industries converter as I would think you do also since they are the same model, I also have a hard wired Progressive Ind 50A EMS, when my batteries are fully charged the current draw on line 1 which is the one the converter is on is 1 amp, when I operate the slide pump in "stall" mode (all slides in but trying to bring them in further) which loads the pump heavily, the current draw on line one goes up to 24A trying to replace the current being drawn from the batteries.

Converters are "not" designed to supply sufficient current to operate the slides without the batteries. On my control panel in the stairway there is a red and white sticker beside the slide switch that states "Not to be operated without battery hookup". That to me says it all.

Good summary and explanation. Thanks!

[davidaf]

On my SOB I've not had a battery for several years since it doesn't move. I can operate everything but the main LR slide, the small slides move okay. Converter just doesn't supply enough juice to move the big dog (BTW these are electric slides).