Premature House Battery Death

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by jwoodie

My 05 Suncruiser house batteries are dead after about 1 week of sitting. (I thought the 10w solar panel would keep them alive.) Was I supposed to throw some kind of switch to disconnect them? How do I start the generator? Thanks!

:welcome:

Sorry to here of your troubles. You have many small drains from the electronics within the coach. It's kind of like a dome light drain in your car. It's not much but it will kill the battery.

Just how dead is dead? Did you measure the voltage of the house batteries?

To answer your questions: Yes, you should operate your coach battery and start battery disconnects. Some coaches have a switch on the dash or next to the door. Others have a big orange switch located in one of the compartments. This is where your operators manual comes in handy.

Your solar panel is only for the start battery. It really only holds a good battery up. If the battery goes into storage without sufficient charge it may go dead in spite of the panel.

The Winnebago site has the wiring diagram for your coach. I see that there are several models. If you provide a bit more info on your rig one of us will be more likely to be able to help you.

Rick

[bobpie]

Originally Posted by Ron Stovall

I have a 2004 Vectra AD and I just put all new batteries in with the same ratings as the old ones. I now don't have house 12v unless the ignition switch is on. Also the generator won't start unless the ignition is on. Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.

I had the same trouble with mine. It was the ground bar connection at the frame, all rusted up and not getting a good ground.
With the engine running you are getting ground through a back feed.
I removed all ground wires and cleaned up the bar. Reattatched and all has been good for 2 years.

[resqguy]

Three things:
1: MDC I assume you mean Marine/Deep Cycle, is not a deep cycle battery but a starting battery, they are not all that good as house batteries because they do not recover from the occasional OPPS nearly as well as say Interstate U-2200s.

Second: Friends of mine, whom I am unable to argue with, Do not like Excide, they feel they are short lived.. I have used them in the past and can not argue the point.

Third: I"m told the Group 31 for some reason is troublesom.. Do not know why.

And finally: What converter do you have.. Some converters are very hard on batteries, epically the maintenance free types which I suspect your MDC is.

Update. It took a week or so to perform the steps necessary to charge the three batteries. I only have one charger. Two of the batteries will hold a charge and the third drops to about 10V after sitting for a day on the bench.

I went ahead and installed them in the coach anyway. I plugged in the RV and checked the voltage level and charger mode. The display still shows about .5V lower than what my meter reads at the batteries. I used a 2nd DVM just to be sure. The charger was running in bulk mode.

The charger/inverter is a Dimensions 2000 that I don't have a manual for.

The front panel for the inverter/charger is basic. I would like to try to override the bulk setting and set it to float. Does anyone know if there is some button combo that would allow me do that?

The next thing I want to do is check the DC voltage at the charger. A few years back I had a 2005 that had a separate sense wire running from the batteries to the charger/inverter. I don't see one on this coach and it is not in the wiring diagram.

Is Dimensions still in business? Are these manuals online anywhere?

Once I'm convinced the charger is working properly I will turn my attention to the batteries.

[resqguy]

Its been a productive day. I found the Dimensions website and found a manual that is close to my model inverter/charger.

The good news is the charger changed to float mode after a few hours and the voltage value on the charger's display is accurate. The batteries are warm but I will check them over time to make sure they don't boil over.

One thing I am sure of is there is no temperature sensor installed in my MH. My next step is to figure out if the charger I have has a provision for a temp sensor.

[highcountry]

I replaced the relay on my unit. The old relay has been replaced by a new one with silver contacts. They were having trouble with the old style, oh, really? It was actually quite easy. It works!!,
Thanks for the assistance

[wa8yxm]

Comments regarding Hydrometer testing:

The O/P said Hydrometer testing shows 4 good 2 low. Even if they readings are less than accurate due to non-temp compensation, relative testing with the same test insturment is ALWAYS accurate.

The fact is a temp-compsenated Hydrometer is the very best way to test batteries however far too many people today are either 1: Not old enough to know what I'm talking about or 2: Have forgotten. (These were common when this 60+ year old was a Teen).

Second comment: Excide,,, I can not personally conform or deny as Ollie North said, but friends who have opinions I normally respect do not like Exide batteires.. Why, Read subject line of this thread. that's why. And others who.. Well.. I have no real reason to believe (or not) these folks tell me the Group 31 battery is the one that has the most issues.. (I find this hard to believe but I can not say it is impossible).

Try Deka's I just got a pair of DEKA I think they are clled G-20, 230 amp horus at six volts,, (that is only 30 amp hours less than a pair of G-31) TRUE Deep cycle golf car type batteires.. HEAVY like all get out (And I can lug a pair of MK G-31 AGM so i know how much they weigh) I could not lift these Six volts off the ground when lying on my back beside them. (Thankfully the store employee could).. I had no problem lifting my Group 78 starting battery. (Also a DEKA).

[jerichorick]

Originally Posted by resqguy

Update. It took a week or so to perform the steps necessary to charge the three batteries. I only have one charger. Two of the batteries will hold a charge and the third drops to about 10V after sitting for a day on the bench.

I went ahead and installed them in the coach anyway. I plugged in the RV and checked the voltage level and charger mode. The display still shows about .5V lower than what my meter reads at the batteries. I used a 2nd DVM just to be sure. The charger was running in bulk mode.

The charger/inverter is a Dimensions 2000 that I don't have a manual for.

The front panel for the inverter/charger is basic. I would like to try to override the bulk setting and set it to float. Does anyone know if there is some button combo that would allow me do that?

The next thing I want to do is check the DC voltage at the charger. A few years back I had a 2005 that had a separate sense wire running from the batteries to the charger/inverter. I don't see one on this coach and it is not in the wiring diagram.

Is Dimensions still in business? Are these manuals online anywhere?

Once I'm convinced the charger is working properly I will turn my attention to the batteries.

Please do yourself a BIG favor and pull that 10V battery from the string. It will damage the other batteries. If the inverter is the same model I had in my '05 Vectra it should have a temperature compensation sensor. I found the Dimensions inverter is a modified sine wave type and is not really that good or efficient. This Meridian has the Magnum true sine wave type inverter and I am very pleased with it. One common problem with the EMS readout verses the inverter readout is a few tenths difference. Once I realized this was the way things are I simply adjusted my thinking to compensate for the difference. I trust the higher reading of the inverter readout.

My start battery would not charge on my '05. I found that the AUX relay had failed. It also caused the house batteries not to charge when I was on the road. I noticed another post mentioned "problem solved" when this relay was replaced.

I am glad that you have taken the time and trouble to learn what you have. This thread is and will be a great resource for others in your situation.

Rick