RV DC POWER SUPPLY

BLOC D'ALIMENTATION C.C. DE VEHICULE RECREATIF

English Abstract

There is described a method of charging a deep
cycle battery in a recreation vehicle (RV) having its own
wiring and RV converter connected to said deep cycle
battery with its own RV connector by providing a compact
portable gas powered charger unit utilizing a 4 Horse
Power engine, a 12 Volt - 63 Amp DC Delco alternator with
built in regulator and a control panel with an ON-OFF
toggle switch and connecting the output of the charger
unit to the RV connector and thus to the RV converter.

Claims

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The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:-
1. A method of charging a deep cycle battery in
a recreation vehicle (RV) having its own wiring and RV
regulator connected to said deep cycle battery with its
own RV connector, which is the existing plug normally used
for receiving power from a campground's power supply line"
comprising the steps of:-
(a) providing a compact portable gas powered
charger unit driving an alternator with a built-in
regulator and a control panel with an ON-OFF toggle switch
to connect the output of said alternator to said RV
connector, said control panel including an ammeter, volt
meter and hour meter connected to said switch, all
external to the recreational vehicle;
(b) connecting the output of said alternator to
said RV connector and thus to said RV regulator by moving
said toggle switch on said control panel from an OFF
position to an ON position.
2. A method of charging a deep cycle battery in
a. recreation vehicle (RV) having its own wiring and RV
regulator connected to said deep cycle battery with its
own RV connector comprising the steps of:-
(a) providing a compact portable gas powered
charger unit utilizing a 4 Horse Power engine, a 12 volt -
63 amp DC Delco alternator with built-in regulator and
driven by said charger unit and a control panel with an
ON-OFF toggle switch to connect the output of said
alternator to said RV connector, said control panel
including an ammeter, volt meter and hour meter connected
to said switch, all external to the recreational vehicle;
(b) connecting the output of said charger unit to
said RV connector and thus to said RV regulator,
by moving said toggle switch on said control panel from an
OFF position to an ON position.

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3. Apparatus for carrying out the method of
claim 1 or claim 2 including a compact portable gas
powered charger unit utilizing a 4 Horse-Power engine, a
12 volt - 63 amp DC Delco alternator with built-in
regulator and a control panel with an ON-OFF toggle
switch, whereby when the output of said charger unit is
connected to the RV connector of the recreation vehicle
and thus to said RV regulator, and said toggle switch on
said control panel is moved from an OFF position to an ON
position charging of said battery occurs.
4. A method of charging a deep cycle battery in
a recreational vehicle (RV) having its own wiring and RV
regulator connected to said deep cycle battery with its
own seven pin RV connector, which is the existing plug
normally used for receiving power from a campground's
power supply line, comprising the steps of:
(a) providing a compact portable gas powered
charger unit utilizing a small gasoline engine (under five
horse power), a 12 volt automotive alternator with
built-in regulator and driven by said charger unit and a
control panel with an ON-OFF toggle switch to connect the
output of said alternator to said RV connector, said
control panel including an ammeter, volt meter, and hour
meter connected to said switch, all external to the
vehicle;
(b) connecting the output of said charger unit to
said seven pin RV connector and thus to said RV regulator,
and;
(c) operating said charger unit by moving a
toggle switch on said control panel from an OFF position
to an ON position.

Description

CA 02287117 2001-03-26
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RECREATION VEHICLE BATTERY CHARGER
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a method of charging a
deep cycle battery in a recreation vehicle (RV) and
apparatus therefor.
In recreation vehicles a fully charged battery will
often not run the forced air furnace, 12-volt lights and
other accessories for more than two and a half days. The
battery then has to be re-charged by renting a power stall
at a campground, buying a portable generator or running a
towing vehicle to charge the battery.
Renting a power stall, when and if available, is
relatively expensive whilst the generators I examined have
6 - 8 amp DC power outlets. To charge a 100 amp/hour
battery with the DC outlet would take approximately
sixteen to twenty-four hours.
In a remote camping area it is not possible to rent
a power stall and running the towing vehicle to charge the
battery in a remote camping area would create a shortage
of fuel.
It is an object ~of the present invention to provide
a method which is particularly suitable for charging a
deep cycle battery in a recreation vehicle whereby t:he
above-identified disadvantages are obviated or reduced.
According to t:he present invention there is
provided a method of charging a deep cycle battery i.n a
recreation vehicle (RV) having its own wiring and RV
regulator connected to said deep cycle battery with its
own RV connector, which is the existing plug normally used
for receiving power from a campground's power supply line,
comprising the steps of providing a compact portable gas
powered charger unit, a D.C. alternator with built-in
regulator and driven by said charger unit and a control
panel with an ON-OFF toggle switch to connect the output
of said alternator to said RV connector, said control

CA 02287117 2001-03-26
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panel including an anuneter, volt meter and hour meter
connected to said swit~~h, all external to the recreational
vehicle;, and connecting the output of said alternator to
said RV connector and thus to said RV converter by moving
said toggle switch on. said control panel from an OFF
position to an ON position.

CA 02287117 2001-03-26
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There is also provided apparatus for carrying out
the above method including a compact portable gas powered
charger unit utilizing a 4 Horse-Power engine, a 12 volt -
63 amp DC Delco alternator with built-in regulator and a
control panel with an ON-OFF toggle switch, whereby when
the output of said charger unit is connected to the RV
connector of the recreation vehicle and thus to said RV
cpnverter, and said toggle switch on said control panel is
moved from an OFF position to an ON position charging of
said battery occurs.
One embodiment of the invention will now be
described, by way of example, with reference to the single
figure of the accompanying drawing illustrating apparatus
which can be used to carry out a method according to the
present invention.
Referring to the Figure a four-horse power Honda
engine (not shown) is provided to drive the rotor of a 12
volt automotive alternator unit within a charging circuit
2. The alternator is identified as 4 in the Figure.
A built-in regulator 6 is provided, a rectifier
bridge circuit 8 and a diode trio circuit 10. A control
panel 12 is connected t:o the output of the circuit 2. It
includes an ammeter 14, a volt meter 16, an hour meter 18
and a control ON-OFF switch 20. Current from the charging
circuit passes through the wire 22., then through the
ammeter and then through an output wire 24. Output wire
24 is connected to arx input of a seven pin RV connector
25, which is the existing plug normally used for receiving
power from a campground's power supply line, connected to
regulator unit 26, which converts any fluctuating voltage
to a more steady direct voltage. The other input to t=he
RV regulator unit 26 is. identified as 28 and is a grounded
wire which is connected to the grounded outlet terminal of
the control panel 12.
The output from the RV regulator unit is connected
through leads 30 and 32 to the recreation vehicle's dE:ep
cycle battery 34.

CA 02287117 2001-04-25
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I have found that by using the engine (not shown)
to power the alternator 4 7: can develop a charging system
that is small and efficient. To handle the
incompatibilities between a deep cycle battery and a
regular shallow cycle battery I utilize the existing
wiring system of the recreational vehicle, constituting
leads 24 and 28 in the Figure together with the converter
26 in the recreational vehicle. This already has a proper
C20 rating.
My method is to use a small gasoline engine (under
five horse power), for example the Honda engine, to drive
the rotor of the alternator 4 and to connect the output of
control panel 12 through the RV connector using leads 24
and 28 and to use the existing regulator unit 26
to charge the battery 34. Provision can also be made for
a built-in unit. Thus to operate the charger simply plug
in the RV connector, start: the engine and turn the toggle
switch 20 to the ON position. To stop the charger merely
switch the toggle switch :ZO to the OFF position and shut
off the engine.
As will be appreciated the above method is
advantageous for charging the deep cycle battery as
opposed to plugging into a 110-volt electricity source,
running a 3500 watt generator (which will run at least 10
amp DC charger or produce !i.8 amps DC), or plugging the RV
into a vehicle output and letting the battery charge for
two hours. To run the towing vehicle creates a fuel
problem for the towing vehicle, but since the battery
charger unit has its own separate gasoline supply, this
problem is overcome.
Plugging into the existing plug 25 and wiring
system of the recreational vehicle and utilizing the
built-in regulator is obviously an advantage, particularly
on an extended or larger trip as the battery can lose its
charge in approximately two and one-half days. Plug 25 is
the existing plug normally used for receiving power from a
campground's power supply. In an

CA 02287117 2001-04-25
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investigation of presently available generators I found
that most of them had a 6-~ amp DC power outlet and to
charge a 100 amp/hour battery with the DC output would
take approximately sixteen to twenty-four hours. If one
Nought a 110 volt/10 amp battery charger to plug into the
1.10 volt side of the generator it would still take ten
hours to charge the battery. My solution of building a
~~ortable gas powered 12 volt DC battery charger is an
obvious improvement and after twenty hours of testing I
found I could charge my RV battery in less than three
hours at the proper C20 charging rate.
A C20 charge rate is defined as follows:
A deep cycle battery can only be charged at 20% of
:Lts amp/hour rating, e.g. a 100 amp/hour battery can only
he charged at 20 amps/hou:r. If the battery is charged at
~3 higher rate, damage to the battery will result.
The voltage was constant and I could raise or lower
i~he amperage with the engine speed. thus creating a cost
effective, efficient and portable way of charging the
battery in my recreational vehicle. In my prototype I
used a 63 amp DC Delco alternator (with built-in
:regulator), driven by a 4 horse power Honda gasoline
engine. Other arrangements would be equally suitable.
It will be readily apparent to a person skilled in
'the art that a number of variations and modifications can
lbe made without departing from the true spirit of th.e
invention which will now be pointed out in the appended
~~laims .

Representative Drawing