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Dead house batteries

Yahoo Message Number: 11012
I recently bought a 2004 Endura in Florida and put in two new house batteries just to be safe. I drove it 700 miles home to north Georgia and parked it. Two weeks later I went to check it out and found that the house batteries were dead as a doornail. I thought driving the MH 700 miles would have fully charged the batteries. Am I wrong thinking the alternator charges the house batteries? Right now I have a battery charger hooked up to one of the batteries.

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11015
More likely something is DRAINING your batter over the two weeks.

Get and Amp Meter - something at least 10 amps so you do not blow it up and see what the draw is on the battery in your "storage" mode.

Be well,

~
Victor - KI6IM
Kodiak Diesel Dutchmen 34H Bunkhouse

From: Glen Schmidt
To: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Monday, April 22, 2013 6:06 PM
Subject: Re: [KodiakChassisClassC] Dead house batteries

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11016
My guess is that something was left on, or there is a parasitic loss due to a malfunction in one of the circuits. The alternator charges the batteries, if everything is working right. I always turn off the main disconnect switch by the steps when not using the RV.

Charles

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11017
If u want to find out if something is draining your batteries here's how to do it

Connect a 12 volt test light in between your negative battery post and your negative cable / cables.

Turn everything off like your parking MH.

If test light lights up you have a battery drain.

The brightness of the bulb will tell you how big a drain you have.

dim bulb is still a drain just takes longer to empty batteries.

hope this helps
Larry


Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11021
The relay and circuit batteries are located in the driver side compartment just in front of propane fill. Even though switch just inside door shuts off most items. There are other items connected to batteries. If I needed to store my MH for more than a few days without being hooked up. I would remove the negative wires from the batteries.
Since you just purchase MH. If original owner did not install a Charge Wizard on your converter. Get one, it will make a big difference in how your batteries are maintained when on shore power. Will not need to add water to your batteries very often. Plus keeps them charged properly.
Best
Ron Hall

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11025
I had the same issue and ended up just doing as Ron suggests.
Even with the master OFF switch set the battery would still be dead in a matter of days. Some day I will have the auto electric place chase down what is draining the batteries.

For now disconnecting works great, oh and I also installed the charge wizard.

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11026
I had a fifth wheel that when you used the disconnect the clock on the radio and the propane detector would still stay on

From: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com [mailto:KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of deputybubba2
Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 2:16 PM
To: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [KodiakChassisClassC] Re: Dead house batteries



I had the same issue and ended up just doing as Ron suggests.
Even with the master OFF switch set the battery would still be dead in a matter of days. Some day I will have the auto electric place chase down what is draining the batteries.

For now disconnecting works great, oh and I also installed the charge wizard.

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11033
Thanks Larry I am charging my batteries back up with a charger and I will try your suggestion when I reinstall them.

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11034
Do you have an inverter that is turned on and off by a remote switch? The inverter will be a parasitic draw since it is usualy connected directly to the batteries and does not go through the 12 volt disconnect.



Dave

Glen Schmidt  wrote:

Thanks Larry I am charging my batteries back up with a charger and I will try your suggestion when I reinstall them.


Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11035
I don't know if I have an inverter  but I will try to find out. I do have a remote on/off switch just inside the house door on the stairway. Thanks for the lead.

--glen

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11036
That switch inside the door is probably the battery disconnect. The inverter control switch should be somewhere near other switches, like the water pump, water heater, tank monitor, gen start etc.

Dave

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11038
Use an ammeter and understand just how much current is being drawn.

Be well,

~
Victor - KI6IM
Kodiak Diesel Dutchmen 34H Bunkhouse

From: Glen Schmidt
To: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 2:25 PM
Subject: Re: [KodiakChassisClassC] Re: Dead house batteries

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11040

Agreed, if you don't have one you can buy a DVM very cheap.

I keep one in my RV at all times in case I'm on the road and run into trouble.

Steven Kerns, N3FTI

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #17 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11044
IF you buy to inexpensive of one that will only read to say 200ma you night blow the fuse in the DVM. I have an older school one that reads 10 AMPS which is perfect to start testing - if that looks OK - i.e. the needles does not move or only moves a little bit I can back it down to 1 AMP full scale, then 200ma etc. to get to final load measurement.

Its really easy and only takes about one minute to see if you have draw when the coach should be "off"

Someone suggested looked at your inverter (if you have one) as they can and will draw when they are "not operating" and some in fact draw a lot - as much as if they were running a device.

I have been luck and have zero battery storage issues at all - even when I forget the master disconnect its fins after a month.

Be well,

~
Victor - KI6IM / V31DX / 8P9IW

Kodiak Diesel Dutchmen 34H Bunkhouse

From: Steven Kerns
To: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2013 4:17 AM
Subject: Re: [KodiakChassisClassC] Re: Dead house batteries

Re: Dead house batteries

Reply #18 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11045

At times even the 10A range might not be enough, low cost clamp on DC amp meters are now available to measure up to 100ADC for under $150. Treated right they will last a lifetime, a wise investment and a lot cheaper than taking your coach in to a service center only to find out it is something simple!

73

Steven Kerns N3FTI - N3FTI/VP5 - VP5A - VQ5A


 

Dead house Batteries

Reply #19 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11023
Check behind converter in bedroom wall panel there are two fuses and make sure they are good. Had same problem in Funmover and a fuse was bad. Seemed to fix problem after that.