Battery charger for storage

NeontaB
NeontaB Member Posts: 5
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
My friend says I need a small charger like Deltran battery tender for winter storage. Reviews don't look so good.
Isn't the charger in my T@B able to maintain a battery while being stored? To just leave it plugged in?
Thanks
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  • jkjenn
    jkjenn Member Posts: 6,417
    NeontaB said:
    My friend says I need a small charger like Deltran battery tender for winter storage. Reviews don't look so good.
    Isn't the charger in my T@B able to maintain a battery while being stored? To just leave it plugged in?
    Thanks
    If it is a newer T@b, yes.

    2021 T@b 320 Boondock "Mattie Ross" | 2021 T@b Nights: 239 | Total nights in a T@b 455 | 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland | T@b owner since 2014

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  • RollingLagrima
    RollingLagrima Member Posts: 435
    Newer ones have several components that draw power from the battery even when they're turned off. For example, the light on the television and the USB plug. Therefore, it's recommended that you either find a way to get a trickle charge going or pull the battery fuse from the battery housing or put in a battery kill switch. If you do a search on here you will find all kinds of solutions. The easiest is just to leave your tab plugged in to house power. If your tab is newer, the converter is smart enough to know exactly how much to trickle into the battery to keep it healthy.
    Sally, "PlaT@Bus" 2016 T@B Sofitel Maxx-S (plata=silver; SP), previously Little Guy 2014 Silver Shadow LE, TV -- 2013 Chevy Avalanche + two hounds.
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  • mash2
    mash2 Member Posts: 584
    It's true of the older T@Bs also.
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  • NeontaB
    NeontaB Member Posts: 5
    The tab is 10 years old. Don't see a model on it (was there only one model then?). The charger is a World Friendship WF-8725-p.  They still sell them! Info says it's a 3 stage charger with float stage. That tells me it can be left plugged in, right?
    Thanks for the input.
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  • RollingLagrima
    RollingLagrima Member Posts: 435
    Yep, the float phase is what ya need to keep charged and topped off.  You are good to go!
    Sally, "PlaT@Bus" 2016 T@B Sofitel Maxx-S (plata=silver; SP), previously Little Guy 2014 Silver Shadow LE, TV -- 2013 Chevy Avalanche + two hounds.
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  • mash2
    mash2 Member Posts: 584
    All the dutchman had them.  I have an '06 and I think mine is a WF-8725-p as well.  It will charge it when plugged in.  
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  • Mouseketab
    Mouseketab Member Posts: 1,238
    As long as you can keep it plugged in, you are good to go. The battery tenders are for times when you have no power for storage. Folks bring the battery home for the winter and put it on a trickle charge.

    Carol
    MOUSE-KE-T@B
    2007 Dutchmen T@B Clamshell #2741
    2022 nuCamp T@B 320 CS-S
    2021 F-150 502A Lariat SuperCrew, 3.5 EcoBoost 4x2
    Harvest, AL
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  • Playc
    Playc Member Posts: 234
    Mouseketab said:
    As long as you can keep it plugged in, you are good to go. The battery tenders are for times when you have no power for storage. Folks bring the battery home for the winter and put it on a trickle charge.

    I plan to connect a UPS with surge protect and charge the battery one full day every 2 weeks while in storage. Hope this way it will keep the battery healthy.

    Just not comfortable when not around to have TAB connect to AC all the time.
    2015 S Sofitel, Austin/Houston
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  • JandJ92010
    JandJ92010 Member Posts: 304
    Playc said:
    Mouseketab said:
    As long as you can keep it plugged in, you are good to go. The battery tenders are for times when you have no power for storage. Folks bring the battery home for the winter and put it on a trickle charge.

    I plan to connect a UPS with surge protect and charge the battery one full day every 2 weeks while in storage. Hope this way it will keep the battery healthy.

    Just not comfortable when not around to have TAB connect to AC all the time.
    I put my batteries in my garage over the winter to keep them from freezing (NE Ohio) and put a 1 1/2 amp charger on them once a month. They take just a couple of hours to top off and they're good for another month.
    The HobbiT@B, 2015-L, towed by a2014 RAM C/V
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  • Mouseketab
    Mouseketab Member Posts: 1,238
    Playc said:
    Mouseketab said:
    As long as you can keep it plugged in, you are good to go. The battery tenders are for times when you have no power for storage. Folks bring the battery home for the winter and put it on a trickle charge.

    I plan to connect a UPS with surge protect and charge the battery one full day every 2 weeks while in storage. Hope this way it will keep the battery healthy.

    Just not comfortable when not around to have TAB connect to AC all the time.
    If you do not have the battery plugged in except for that one day every two weeks, you need to disconnect it from the T@B when not plugged in. Either by way of a disconnect switch or removing the negative lead. The T@B has parasitic drains that will kill your battery in two weeks time.
    Carol
    MOUSE-KE-T@B
    2007 Dutchmen T@B Clamshell #2741
    2022 nuCamp T@B 320 CS-S
    2021 F-150 502A Lariat SuperCrew, 3.5 EcoBoost 4x2
    Harvest, AL
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  • Verna
    Verna Member Posts: 6,876
    You can also remove the in-line fuse on the battery positive lead, which will remove all power to the T@B.
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • wizard1880
    wizard1880 Member Posts: 442
    The t@b's power converter keeps the voltage a little high (13.8v), so if you store it plugged in this way through the winter, it will boil off some of the battery's water. I recommend disconnecting the negative terminal, and connect a battery tender up. It uses a constant current charging circuitry that our WFCO converter lacks, and keeps it at 13.2v. Ignore any negative reviews on DelTran battery tenders, they've been the universal standard for battery maintenance for over a decade, just ask any shop. I still have mine from 2002.
    T@@bulous
    2014 T@B CS Maxx
    TV: 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 V6 TDI (diesel)
    Martha Lake, WA
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  • mash2
    mash2 Member Posts: 584
    I second the delTran battery tenders.  Mine has served me well since I picked it up a few years ago.  
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  • gilbutler
    gilbutler Member Posts: 169
    From Page 5 of my WFCO manual:

    Float Mode: If the RV is not being used for approximately 48 hours, with a “no load” condition and the shore power is plugged in, the converter will automatically go into the “Float mode.” In this mode, the converter is charging the battery with a trickle voltage of 13.2 Vdc. When the converter senses a demand (by turning on lights), the converter automatically returns to the “Absorption mode” 13.6 Vdc. 

    Gil Butler, Folsom, CA, 2015 T@B M@XX CS - White with Yellow tim
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  • Playc
    Playc Member Posts: 234
    mash2 said:
    I second the delTran battery tenders.  Mine has served me well since I picked it up a few years ago.  
    Which one would you suggest to buy?  Thanks. 
    2015 S Sofitel, Austin/Houston
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  • Playc
    Playc Member Posts: 234

    gilbutler said:
    From Page 5 of my WFCO manual:

    Float Mode: If the RV is not being used for approximately 48 hours, with a “no load” condition and the shore power is plugged in, the converter will automatically go into the “Float mode.” In this mode, the converter is charging the battery with a trickle voltage of 13.2 Vdc. When the converter senses a demand (by turning on lights), the converter automatically returns to the “Absorption mode” 13.6 Vdc.



    Thanks for the info.  Are you saying that I can have AC 110 plug in all the time during storage and no need for any additional purchase like DelTran?

    2015 S Sofitel, Austin/Houston
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  • NeontaB
    NeontaB Member Posts: 5
    Thanks everyone. Appreciate the input. Plan to leave it plugged in.
    THX
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  • ChanW
    ChanW Member Posts: 3,165
    edited August 2015
    Playc said:

    gilbutler said:
    From Page 5 of my WFCO manual:

    Float Mode: If the RV is not being used for approximately 48 hours, with a “no load” condition and the shore power is plugged in, the converter will automatically go into the “Float mode.” In this mode, the converter is charging the battery with a trickle voltage of 13.2 Vdc. When the converter senses a demand (by turning on lights), the converter automatically returns to the “Absorption mode” 13.6 Vdc.

    Thanks for the info.  Are you saying that I can have AC 110 plug in all the time during storage and no need for any additional purchase like DelTran?


    Yes.

    You should check the water in the battery as a regular maintenance item anyway (every six months should be enough).
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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