Battery Charger Location

[Don_E]

I need to replace my batteries and there are currently two group 24 flooded batteries in my rig. I’m trying to confirm whether I can upgrade to AGM batteries (I’d love to go to lithium but they’re waaay too much money). I’ve read that I need to confirm whether my charger will support AGM but I can’t find it. There’s nothing on the main fuse panel that looks like a charger and I’ve read the manual for my inverter (Magnum CSW1012) and it doesn’t look like it has charging functionality. The manual for the rig itself isn’t any help at all.

Thanks!

[GILAELKHUNTER]

The charger is built into the converter and is behind the fuse panel. You will have to go into the pass-through storage and remove the makeshift wall to access the converter. There you can get the brand and model # to confirm if it is compatible to be able to charge lithium batteries.

[Don_E]

I already found the inverter and checked the manual (the model number is in my original post). The manual seems to say there isn’t a charger built into it.

[AZ Traveler]

Don,

Your converter should handle AGM batteries without a problem. You really only need to change the settings if you go to Lithium. Unless you have one of the inverter/chargers (which you don't based on your model number) your inverter does not play in charging your batteries.

[Carl n Susan]

AGM and FLA batteries are pretty much the same to the converter. It will work fine with AGMs.

[GILAELKHUNTER]

Originally Posted by Don_E

I already found the inverter and checked the manual (the model number is in my original post). The manual seems to say there isn’t a charger built into it.

The INVERTER has nothing to do with charging the batteries, you need to find the CONVERTER, it has the charger built in. And yes it will be fine for AGM batteries. You really should stay with true deep cycle batteries for longevity and 6V are better and cheaper.

[Don_E]

Thanks for all of the replies. Still learning about this stuff… After doing a little more research, it looks like I’ll probably change over to two 6-volt batteries in series instead of two 12-volts. Now off to find my converter to be sure what it can handle.

[Daryles]

Open the door on your circuit breaker panel. There is a white sticker with your make and model number. Most likely Progressive Dynamics. Download your converter manual from their website.
The converter is Modular, built into the distribution center. Take the cover off. (circled in red).

[Don_E]

Originally Posted by Daryles

Open the door on your circuit breaker panel. There is a white sticker with your make and model number. Most likely Progressive Dynamics. Download your converter manual from their website.
The converter is Modular, built into the distribution center. Take the cover off. (circled in red).

Just found mine. It’s actually not built into the distribution panel. It’s a standalone Progressive Dynamics PD9270 mounted behind it. It looks like it can handle the 6V batteries fine. Now I need to figure out which batteries to buy. And I need a battery monitoring system, too. Don’t have one of those. As usual, a simple replacement turns into an upgrade project. All good, though. 👍

[GILAELKHUNTER]

Originally Posted by Don_E

Just found mine. It’s actually not built into the distribution panel. It’s a standalone Progressive Dynamics PD9270 mounted behind it. It looks like it can handle the 6V batteries fine. Now I need to figure out which batteries to buy. And I need a battery monitoring system, too. Don’t have one of those. As usual, a simple replacement turns into an upgrade project. All good, though. 👍

Look at Sams club or Costco, 6v golf cart batteries. Get the highest amp hours you can. Some say the Duracell's are good and Sams and Costco have them on sale frequently, usually around $100. If you dry camp (boondock) very much you might want to think about 4 of them. Pair that up with a couple solar panels and your good to go.

[Daryles]

For a battery monitor system, I strongly recommend Victron BMV-712.
You can check it from your phone

[Don_E]

Originally Posted by Daryles

For a battery monitor system, I strongly recommend Victron BMV-712.
You can check it from your phone

Yep, that’s the one I just ordered. Thanks!

[Don_E]

Thanks for all of the help, everyone. My original plan was to replace my old batteries with AGMs. With the research I did, I learned that my original batteries had a 2 hour reserve capacity. 🙁 I replaced them with two GC2 batteries that give me four times as much reserve capacity. I also got the battery monitoring system and spent $200 less for all of it than the AGMs would have cost. We don’t dry camp yet but we’ve been planning to start so my next step will be to add two more GC2s and solar next year. Good stuff!

[tsherbon]

Originally Posted by Daryles

Open the door on your circuit breaker panel. There is a white sticker with your make and model number. Most likely Progressive Dynamics. Download your converter manual from their website.
The converter is Modular, built into the distribution center. Take the cover off. (circled in red).

Can you change just the converter in this unit or do you have to replace the unit as a whole?

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by tsherbon

Can you change just the converter in this unit or do you have to replace the unit as a whole?

AS Daryles wrote "The converter is Modular, built into the distribution center." you can absolutely replace just the converter piece. It is an easy swap. This assume you have a Progressive Dynamics power center and converter (which is very likely).




https://www.progressivedyn.com/repla...rter-sections/

[tsherbon]

thanks for the help