Battery percentage low when plugged to shore power

[NotStock]

Every once in awhile my battery percentage reads less than 100% when plugged into shore power. Usually goes down to anywhere between 75-80% and stays there. Never does it on the generator or with engine running........... do I just have something set wrong or is this a future problem rearing its head. This is on a 2016 Interstate

[FlyFishinRVr]

Originally Posted by NotStock

Every once in awhile my battery percentage reads less than 100% when plugged into shore power. Usually goes down to anywhere between 75-80% and stays there. Never does it on the generator or with engine running........... do I just have something set wrong or is this a future problem rearing its head. This is on a 2016 Interstate

Which battery bank is reading this, house (Aux) or chassis (Main)?

[NotStock]

It's the house battery monitor on the upper left not the battery voltage meter on the bottom right . Aux is reading 12.4

[Titus]

The upper left is the Atkinson solar controller. I would not worry about what it says. FWIW, mine seemed to like to display 85% too. I got rid of it when I upgraded my solar panel and controller. Long as the Magnum controller is taking you from bulk to absorb to float charge you should be in good shape. Battery voltage is pretty much meaningiess when being charged. You want to measure voltage when there has been no current into or out of the batteries for several hours. A good controller (which Atkinson is not), with a shunt, will keep track of battery state of charge (percentage).

[NotStock]

Cool thanks I'm probably going to change it all before we finish it for the SEMA show this year anyway.......... just wanted to make sure it wasn't a issue

[FlyFishinRVr]

Originally Posted by NotStock

Aux is reading 12.4

As Titus said, the upper left is the monitor for the Atkinson solar controller and frankly I wouldn't believe it.

However, the Aux reading on the tank panel of 12.4v while plugged into shore power would concern me. That says your house batteries are only 75% charged (assuming room temp....you didn't say what the temps were), which shouldn't be the case if you're plugged in. The Magnum will float AGM Type 1 (which is how your Magnum should be set....you should confirm) at 13.1v. That's a LONG way off from where you are.

Can you confirm a few more things?

1) When plugged into shore power, what is your Magnum remote reporting? It should say Absorb, or Float, or something like that.

2) Check your Main (chassis) battery using the toggle switch on the tank level panel. What is it reading?

3) Just for grins, what is the air temp when you're checking the batteries?

That will help to determine if you have something a bit more serious going on (faulty Magnum, damaged batteries, etc).

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by FlyFishinRVr

As Titus said, the upper left is the monitor for the Atkinson solar controller and frankly I wouldn't believe it.

However, the Aux reading on the tank panel of 12.4v while plugged into shore power would concern me. That says your house batteries are only 75% charged (assuming room temp....you didn't say what the temps were), which shouldn't be the case if you're plugged in. The Magnum will float AGM Type 1 (which is how your Magnum should be set....you should confirm) at 13.1v. That's a LONG way off from where you are.

Can you confirm a few more things?

1) When plugged into shore power, what is your Magnum remote reporting? It should say Absorb, or Float, or something like that.

2) Check your Main (chassis) battery using the toggle switch on the tank level panel. What is it reading?

3) Just for grins, what is the air temp when you're checking the batteries?

That will help to determine if you have something a bit more serious going on (faulty Magnum, damaged batteries, etc).

I notice mine goes into BattSave mode (12.6V) everyone once in a while. I never noticed that with my old original batteries, only after replacing them with the 2 GPL-6CT's.

[FlyFishinRVr]

Originally Posted by UKDUDE

I notice mine goes into BattSave mode (12.6V) everyone once in a while. I never noticed that with my old original batteries, only after replacing them with the 2 GPL-6CT's.

From the Magnum manual:

Full Charge (Battery Saver™ mode): The fourth stage occurs after four hours of float charging. The Full Charge stage maintains the batteries without overcharging, preventing excessive loss of water in flooded batteries or drying out of GEL/AGM batteries. In this stage, the charger is turned off and begins monitoring the battery voltage. If the battery voltage drops low (≤12.7 VDC), the charger will automatically initiate another four hours in float charge.

Given this, I think what yours is doing is fine, but I think the OP still may have an issue because his house batteries are going down to 12.4v......

[NotStock]

Originally Posted by FlyFishinRVr

As Titus said, the upper left is the monitor for the Atkinson solar controller and frankly I wouldn't believe it.

However, the Aux reading on the tank panel of 12.4v while plugged into shore power would concern me. That says your house batteries are only 75% charged (assuming room temp....you didn't say what the temps were), which shouldn't be the case if you're plugged in. The Magnum will float AGM Type 1 (which is how your Magnum should be set....you should confirm) at 13.1v. That's a LONG way off from where you are.

Can you confirm a few more things?

1) When plugged into shore power, what is your Magnum remote reporting? It should say Absorb, or Float, or something like that.

2) Check your Main (chassis) battery using the toggle switch on the tank level panel. What is it reading?

3) Just for grins, what is the air temp when you're checking the batteries?

That will help to determine if you have something a bit more serious going on (faulty Magnum, damaged batteries, etc).

I'm just replying to this I was driving from Pa to Nashville since last night.

1. When I just plugged into the campground it says absorb 14.9v 70a

2. When I checked it the day I posted this it was 12.46

3. It was probably 80 outside when I got this reading and it had been plugged in several hours

[NotStock]

Ok woke up this am after hooked to shore power at KOA Nashville all night and my aux battery says 12.11. The magnum readout says float 12.3v 0A.

[NotStock]

Went out and flipped the breaker off and back on and now it says Bulk 13.3v 53a

[trekerboy]

I had a similar problem; turned out to be a loose cable connection on the battery. I recommend disconnecting the connections at the battery, cleaning, then attaching. Hope this helps!

[FlyFishinRVr]

Originally Posted by NotStock

Ok woke up this am after hooked to shore power at KOA Nashville all night and my aux battery says 12.11. The magnum readout says float 12.3v 0A.

Originally Posted by NotStock

Went out and flipped the breaker off and back on and now it says Bulk 13.3v 53a

Those values all look wrong. The Magnum should Float at 13.1v for AGM Type 1's which is what the Lifeline's are, and it should Bulk charge over 14v. You're nearly a full volt below both of those numbers. You should double check that your Magnum is set up correctly via the remote. Battery type should be AGM 1. If it is set correctly, I suggest resetting it (hold the power button down that's on the top of the Magnum for 15 seconds until the LED starts to flash rapidly, then release) and see if that gives it a kick in the brain. If it's still Floating your batteries at 12.3v after that, take it in and have it looked at.

[UKDUDE]

Use the attached PDF for your Magnum settings obtained from Airstream.
Lew has recommended these modifications to the settings:
Charge Rate change to 100%
LBCO (low battery cut off) change to 11VDC.

[FlyFishinRVr]

Originally Posted by UKDUDE

Use the attached PDF for your Magnum settings obtained from Airstream.
Lew has recommended these modifications to the settings:
Charge Rate change to 100%
LBCO (low battery cut off) change to 11VDC.

Thanks for that. Great reference to have on the iPhone/iPad.

For folks who may have never messed with their Magnum settings, in the PDF file linked above the values with the arrow in the box are the factory (Magnum) defaults. Airstream changes the AmpHrs to 200 and Bat Type to AGM 1. If you've never changed these, you should only have to change LBCO and VAC DROP.

[sdemino]

That meter functioned correctly in my 2016. It would show 85-90 and never 100 house batteries were bad. Replaced by dealer. Today drove over 350 miles house batteries were dead when I arrived. The only thing on in th coach was refrigerator and freezer. Now what!!!

[NotStock]

Everything was set to the above PDF when I checked it. Looks like I might have a issue with something going to sleep or losing power. When I first plug it into shore power it shows it's charging then after a couple hours it's not. I can go out and flip the breaker off and back on and then it starts charging again

[NotStock]

Also just noticed a clicking sound from the area where the magnum is housed is it maybe trying to switch between power sources or something? Sorry I know I just need to take it in but my selling dealer is horrible and I can't even get in anywhere to look at my water pump leaking out onto the ground if I leave it on. That's the breaks when you live on the road and have to be somewhere new every couple of days.