Batteries going dead

[PhiDor]

All of a sudden the batteries on my 2007 Classic have gone dead. When parked I always shut of the main power switch. A couple of weeks ago I found the batteries dead? charged them up. Today, dead again. I know the switch was off? This is in florida so the weather is not really a factor. How can I find out if there is a short somewhere or check the batteries.

[dznf0g]

Original batteries and original converter?

[dscluchfc]

mine did the same thing after 4 years this time...go buy some new ones.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by dznf0g

Original batteries and original converter?

Originally Posted by dscluchfc

mine did the same thing after 4 years this time...go buy some new ones.

Yep...time for new if they are OEM.

Don't scrimp, get the best you can afford. Highest Ah rating.
Have had good luck with grp27 Interstate Marine/RV deep cycle and Lifeline AGM 100ah.

Consider a converter up-grade to help extend battery life.

Bob

[Ahab]

Originally Posted by dscluchfc

mine did the same thing after 4 years this time...go buy some new ones.

Yup, mine too.

[Alumaholic]

If you got four years out of the OEM batteries, you done real good.
The batteries in my 2007 lasted until mid 2011 even with the OEM converter/charger, which is supposed to be hard on batteries.

[Kamiak]

If they're 4 years old, they probably are at the end of their life. You can test them with an inexpensive load tester, essentially a voltmeter and a heating element, available at Harbor Freight, auto parts stores, Amazon, etc. From my experience, Costco batteries are identical in every respect to Interstate (except price), and both were manufactured by Johnson Controls the last time I checked.

Incidentally, I once had a mystery battery drain, and finally figured out that the refrigerator light was remaining on when the door was closed. I thought the switch was defective, so I bought a new one. Didn't help. I finally figured out that there's a couple of switches at the very top of the refrigerator frame (Dometic): the "climate control heater", and the "low ambient switch". They each have their own purpose, but one of them, the climate control heater as I recall, causes the refrigerator light to remain on when the door closes. It's very easy to inadvertently move one of these switches one way or the other when wiping a rag around the door frame. I realize you said you had your coach's main switch "off", so battery age, not refrigerator switch position may be your real issue. Test the battery with a load tester, but you can also check to see if the fridge light stays on when the door is closed.

[Cracker]

Here in Maine if I get 3 years out of a set of trailer batteries I'm happy as heck. I generally use conventional Interstate batteries with a reasonable amp-hour rating - but nothing out of the ordinary (i.e. - "expensive".) About once every two or three weeks during the winter I plug the trailer in for 3 or 4 days and let the batteries charge. I'm on my third set of batteries since I bought the trailer in 2003 - having changed the batteries the first time just after I bought it. As a comparison, I changed the pair of batteries in my 2003 GMC diesel for the first time just last summer (8-yrs!)

[PhiDor]

Hi,

Thanks for the responses. It's not the first time my batteries went dead, but I guess I was looking for another way out. Yesterday I broke down and went to Sears. I got 2 Diehard Deep Cycle Marine/RV Batteries, series 27 and installed them. Of course everything works now and hopefully will continue.

One thing of note, the batteries that were in my trailer were not OEM and were Interstate Marine series 24 and 500 CCA. The new ones are 665 CCA, so lots of juice there. The 24's probably died an early death because of the smaller size. OEM from Airstream is series 27

Again thanks for the comments.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by PhiDor

Hi,

Thanks for the responses. It's not the first time my batteries went dead, but I guess I was looking for another way out. Yesterday I broke down and went to Sears. I got 2 Diehard Deep Cycle Marine/RV Batteries, series 27 and installed them. Of course everything works now and hopefully will continue.

One thing of note, the batteries that were in my trailer were not OEM and were Interstate Marine series 24 and 500 CCA. The new ones are 665 CCA, so lots of juice there. The 24's probably died an early death because of the smaller size. OEM from Airstream is series 27

Again thanks for the comments.

Phil,

I would monitor the batts closely while plugged in to shore power. You DON'T want to overcharge them.
I found it best to charge our OEM Interstate's for 12-24hrs, shut down and check every 7-14 daze. Better safe than sorry.
The 27's should work a good bit better than those 24's, although the CCA really doesn't apply for the RV application.

Bob

[PhiDor]

Now, that's a good thought. The only time my batteries are charging is when I'm towing or hooked up shore power. But how can you monitor them? The convertor does its thing and so does my alternator. All I can see is that the batteries are fully charged based on the systems monitor.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Phil,

Several options out there, I lean toward the simple.


Other folks swear the Tri-metric is the best choice.

I've found that the panel monitor is the least dependable.

I have this chart taped to the converter door for reference.


Bob

[Luftnoggin]

I have a newish 25 International (Aug, '11) and have had 2 instances of the battery power being low enough to be unable to operate the electric jack for the receiver after non use for 3weeks. The batteries had been depleted once as my wife failed to turn off the main switch by the door.I live in mid coastal Ca. so the weather inn a factor. How long between charges should the batteries be ok on avg? Just bought a tester, to check periodically. Since the batteries are wired in series, do I have to disconnect them from each other before checking their status?

[ROBERT CROSS]

If you are "load testing" with one these....

You will need to fully charge, let sit several hrs and test separately, best done out of the AS.

I usually checked our Interstate deep cycles at least once a week during the camping season. (batts removed during storage)
Parasitic draw would usually require a re-charge about every two weeks.

Bob

[Silver Goose]

Originally Posted by Luftnoggin

... Since the batteries are wired in series, do I have to disconnect them from each other before checking their status?

12V batteries are connected in parallel. Any meaningful volt or load testing requires the batteries to be disconnected from each other.

[kingfisher24]

If one has one of these volt minders as pictured...the one pictured reads 14.15....under what circumstances....

say one;s batteries are not being charged by the converter...if one has the converter out of the picture, breaker switched off that controls the converter.

plugged into shore power, no lights on, fridge on lp...and say you are gone all day...6 , 8 hours...what would one expect the volt minder to read ????

would a fluctuation from 14.15 tp 13.0 or 12.9 during this time period mean one thing or another>?????






Several options out there, I lean toward the simple.


Other folks swear the Tri-metric is the best choice.

I've found that the panel monitor is the least dependable.

I have this chart taped to the converter door for reference.


Bob[/QUOTE]

[ROBERT CROSS]

KF24



1…The 14.15v reading was taken while a P-Lax 7455 2 stage converter was charging two fully discharged Interstate Marine/RV batteries.

2…The pictured B/M is plugged into a 12v power port which is powered only when the isolation switch is in the "use" mode. If the converter is out of the circuit it will read zero.
Plugged into S/P….If the batteries are out, mode switch in "use" it will read 13.2, the float voltage of the IOTA, batt's installed it will read charge voltage.
Un-plugged from S/P batteries installed, "use" mode, it will read battery voltage.

3…12.9 after 8 hrs is still fully charged.
With our IOTA the charge voltage rate will vary between 13.2 & 13.8v.

Now I'm cornfused so much for simple.

Bob