New batteries dying quickly: help!

[Wadestearns]

Originally Posted by bibbs

For your phone just use a 12v to USB lighter socket converter. Simple cheep easy!

The easiest way. You can even get the lighter socket with two outputs so you can charge two devices from one socket.

[Bambii]

Duly noted on the amp monitor and the inverter. The battery lasted a good while longer the second time we went dry camping for two nights.

Now I have a worse problem though- after being plugged into shore power for two days the battery is totally dead. Won't even turn on the get a reading. Ugh.

Why- how?? Would being plugged into shore power kill the battery? Do I have an issue with the charger?

Is there anything else that would cause the trailer not to turn on at all? I checked to see if any fuses were tripped- nope. Also the gfi in the bathroom. No luck.

Please help!

[OTRA15]

Is your Use/Store switch turned to Use? Ours is just inside the main entry door. Check your owner's manual for the location of yours.



There should be an illuminated red light just above the rocker switch. If you did not have this switch on "Use" when you were on shore power, you probably were not charging the batteries.

Or, your Use/Store switch may be bad. Here are the search results for "Use Store switch bad:"

https://www.google.com/search?q=use+...=airforums.com

Good luck!

Peter

[Bambii]

Our switch has been working fine since today. When I try to flip it to use, it won't come on. And whenever you plug into shore power, it automatically turns on. So I don't think that's the issue. 😅

[OTRA15]

Assuming that you are NOT on shore power, and that you unplugged at least an hour ago, when the switch is in the Use position, what does your monitor panel say your battery voltage is?

Sometimes the relays inside the switch stick in the off or on position, so you have to click it on and off a few times to get it to switch over.

Your monitor panel should be giving you some voltage reading, and it will be helpful to know what it is right now, assuming you have been off shore power for at least an hour. Let's start with a new reading, and not rely on what was discussed in the past. In Post #22 you said the battery was totally dead. So the monitor panel is also totally dead?

Even after you try clicking the Use/Store switch on/off a few times?

Thanks,

Peter

PS -- I think that the red light can be on when you are plugged into shore power, even if you have pushed the bottom of the switch to "Store" which will result in no battery charging, even though the red light is on. Is it possible that you were not charging the batteries because you assumed the red light meant that you were charging them?

I would also check all the connections at the battery posts. You possibly have a loose connection there, or where the 12 volt battery power comes into your 12 volt distribution panel. A reading of Zero volts would be quite unusual IMO. As others have suggested, an hand-held voltage tester used right at the batteries, would confirm the voltage there.

[pcskier]

Just to confirm, the light next to the use/store switch will always be on when plugged in to shore power, whether the battery is in use mode or store mode. That's kind of confusing but it is what it is. I make a habit of flipping mine to whichever mode I want it in a couple times a day just to make sure it's set how I want it. When not connected to shore power, the light is off on 'store' and on in 'use'.

[rmkrum]

Yup. Exactly. The light only indicates 12 volt power available

[Bambii]

I suppose it's possible that the switch was in "off" position however it still will not turn on nor will the battery panel to get a reading.

We are at a new campsite tonight with shore power again. I will make sure that the switch is "in use" to try and charge up the battery hopefully I get some sort of- something. I'll update later.

Thanks

[OTRA15]

Great! Try turning it on and off a bunch of times too. Hopefully you will get a consistent "click" with each change. If not, the relay may be shot, or a loose connection at the batteries remains a possibility too. Have a good evening.

Peter

[Bambii]

Still no luck. You can definitely hear the button "click". When plugged into shore power it read that the battery was charging 13.7 or 13.6 amps. However when we disconnected from shore power and I turned the trailer to store. It would not turn back on to "use" again. Going to a Canadian energy to look at the batteries and systems today. Hopefully they will have a solution.

[OTRA15]

Thanks for the update, good luck at the shop.

Peter