House batteries

[RodgerS]

In general, without respect to your mfg, it is common for the chassis battery to also feed to the 12VDC fuse panel. This is why some of the mh owners start their engines before they extend their slides. The slide motors need strong house batteries and good grounds for enough amps. Using the chassis battery with the engine started helps to be sure the components get full amps to do the job. The chassis battery produce more amps for shorter periods. A way of getting a power boost...but coming out of the fuse panel the amps will be limited to the max for the components. In a weak house system, the lights might work but the slide motors might fail to work.

[Solask]

Another thing I might should mention. When I parked tonight, I checked my coach battery power. 12.10! This after driving all day with no 12 volt usage other than fridge..
I mention this because after taking coach out of storage, these batteries were fine. They fired up the generator. They ran slides in and out. But I noticed they were low on water. Not much. Top of cell was barely exposed. I topped them off but did not overfill. They have been a problem ever since.. Won't stay charged. BUT, what does this have to do with my slide problem as long as I am plugged into shore power?
I experienced the same problem with my slide tonight.. Wouldn't go out. Stopped after about 6". Nothing changed this until I stood on one leg. Then it flew open. Meaning I sat and stared at it for a while, pressed the button again and off it went!

[kab449]

Voltage seems low on your batteries after driving at least an hour. I would get them load tested to assess the condition they are in. If they were sitting in storage deeply discharged for a period of time they may be bad. Load testing requires a machine to clamp fast to the - and + posts, applies a load to the batteries, and looks at the voltage drop. It will tell you if they are bad. Usually places that sell batteries can and will test them for no charge. This may be your slide problem. The engine running helps but with the engine idling the alternator does not put out peak power until higher rpms. Another thing you can try when the slide doesn't move, have DW depress the auxiliary start switch and then try the slide again. This mechanically connects the house and the chassis batteries effectively adding another battery in the mix. It may help but if your house batteries are bad they may be robbing a lot of the available power.

[vsheetz]

Originally Posted by makemday

I have a question my 2003 excurision motorhome my power step is not going in all the way any information and also where is the battery located for the step

Suggest you start a new thread to get the best help and not divert this thread.

[Solask]

I have been parked on shore power for several days now. As a test, I shut down the power post and left the coach for 6 hrs. Fridge running and gas furnace cycling. After 6 hours my coach batteries were at 11.85 volts.
This is not what I should expect if these batteries were healthy, correct?
For review, these batteries were strong right out of winter storage. They ran slides in and out. They started the generator, etc.
As routine maintenance, I topped them off with distilled water to cover the cells completely. They have been like this ever since.

[Solask]

By the way, the batteries started at 12.8 volts.

[RodgerS]

"For review, these batteries were strong right out of winter storage. They ran slides in and out. They started the generator, etc."

The batteries may have been willing to discharge, but have weakened to the point of not being able to recharge? Batteries are in a constant state of change and your storage process should be reviewed to determine if they batteries were damaged from overcharging?

Lots of things can go wrong...and may not make sense at the time.

I suggest you restart at the beginning - your sources of power. Have all your batteries checked out as suggested, clean and tighten your ground connections, etc.

Then work downstream.

Slides are a system that are connected with other systems.

You have multiple electrical systems that are designed to work together: chassis, house, and shore power are your three key systems and they are all linked together.

[Solask]

Roger, I've got these batteries out of the coach. They are Interstate GC2-hd-ut... 6 volt deep cycle installed by Tiffin when coach was new. Where the heck can I get these tested? I took them to a super Walmart and they couldn't test them not did they carry any 6 volt deep cycle. They did however carry 12 volt deep cycle.. Is there a downside to using 2 12 volt batteries?

[Hayman]

Why not test them yourself ? Sam's club has in stock . Replaced my house batteries last fall and engine batteries last week. If on east side of the Missiissippi these are Deka batteries and of good quality. Same manufacturer of Alliance branded batteries sold at Freightliner !

[Solask]

Test them myself? Sams club? Two things I have no access to.
Bought two 6 volt Napa batteries, 225ah. $138 each.. We'll see how it goes...

[chboone]

Originally Posted by Rkh

Roger, I've got these batteries out of the coach. They are Interstate GC2-hd-ut... 6 volt deep cycle installed by Tiffin when coach was new. Where the heck can I get these tested? I took them to a super Walmart and they couldn't test them not did they carry any 6 volt deep cycle. They did however carry 12 volt deep cycle.. Is there a downside to using 2 12 volt batteries?

Walmart does not sell True Thick Plate Deep Cycle batteries. What they sell are Marine thin plate deep cycle batteries which are not the same. Marine batteries are starting batteries with characteristics of deep cycle batteries. If you do much boondocking they will not last as a true deep cycle will because you are using a starting battery that is not design for long low amperage draw as a true deep cycle is.

[Hayman]

Rkh, Both a load tester & hydrometer are tools reasonably priced available at any auto parts store ( most will test for you ) and are items I carry with me in my toolbox.

Walmart does not carry a good supply of batteries for us however Sam's Club does and in fact east of the Mississippi it is Deka ( Duracell ) same as Alliance ( Freightliner ) . Just saying !!

[Ed_G]

Originally Posted by Rkh

Roger, I've got these batteries out of the coach. They are Interstate GC2-hd-ut... 6 volt deep cycle installed by Tiffin when coach was new. Where the heck can I get these tested? I took them to a super Walmart and they couldn't test them not did they carry any 6 volt deep cycle. They did however carry 12 volt deep cycle.. Is there a downside to using 2 12 volt batteries?

Where are you located? There's Interstate battery dealers all over the nation that can not only provide testing, but replacement GC2 batteries also. Don't get the cheaper marine type 12v ones that claim to be deep discharge. Their construction and robustness is not the same as golf cart batteries like thenInterstate GC2s.

[Solask]

I purchased Napa equivalent of the interstate battery.
Excide makes them..