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Old 04-21-2018, 02:48 PM   #1
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How Long Should Batteries Last.

I have a 2017 Fleetwood Discovery LXE 40D that full charged batteries will less than 10 minutes before dropping to 11.9 volts. I have the inverter on, fridge on, microwave on but not running and some lights. I was told by the local RV repair that getting 30 minutes out of 6ea 6 volt batteries running a 3000 watt inverter you would really lucky.

I was lead to believe that you could easily over night with just basic items like above running before having to recharge. My question is how long have you boondocked just on battery power with the above items running?
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Old 04-21-2018, 03:20 PM   #2
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Well...it’s good to know yet another RV dealer is out to lunch.

Just because you have a 3000w Inverter in the coach doesn’t mean it’s producing 3000w all the time.

Chances are...said RV dealer let those 6v batteries go dead...and perhaps even let them freeze while dead...and now you’ve got damaged goods.

As an example...we have a 2800w MS2812 Inverter...powering a microwave, espresso machine, hair dryer, residential fridge...eight 6v Interstate GC2 batteries rated at 232aH each...for 928aH of 12v storage. We can go overnight no problem...we usually have 70% + battery remaining when we wake up.

If you have a dc clampmeter...look at what your amp draw is from the batteries...it should take about 2000 amps to draw those batteries down 50% in 10 minutes... (not really a possibility, catastrophic fuses would all be melted) You can measure the amps and figure out how long they should last by doing the math.

Next...remove them and take them to a battery dealer to have them load tested. I bet you are dealing with some serious neglected batteries.

If you are lucky...maybe you have a loose or corroded connection...that by cleaning stuff up will solve your problems. That should be noticeable when removing them to have them all load tested.

If the connections are good...it might be time for new batteries...
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Old 04-21-2018, 04:28 PM   #3
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Some relevant information would help get a more accurate appraisal.

If this is a rig you have just bought then take it back for new batteries. At the dealers expense because he sold you a rig that isn't fit for purpose. Pssst, how are the tyres?

If you bought it last summer then maybe you have stored it overwinter with flat batteries and they might even have frozen and therefore you killed them.

How do you know they are being charged to 100% in the first place.

Do you have a digital multimeter?

Need to verify that the charger - if a three-stage unit - is going through the whole charge cycle and then dropping into float mode. If it is a converter type charger then it might take a couple of days to get them charged.

BTW If you have always been allowing them to drop to below 12V and then never getting them up to fully charged state straight away, then again, you have killed them. No point getting new batteries without a complete audit of your system and your operating procedures
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Old 04-21-2018, 04:36 PM   #4
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you might also look at 'equalizing' you batteries, to bring them back to an acceptable 'equal' level between each of them. My 4 6v batteries are stock from the factory, not name branded, and have done very well for over 3 1/2 years, with a LOT of dry camping and overnighting with only the inverter and the batteries(the generator kicks on as needed, of course)...

but, twice during those times I've seen the volts drop a little quicker than 'normal', so equalizing them was my answer, and it seems that both times the method really brought them back to the expected performance.

Depending on your coach's inverter, you can try this, if you are on 50a service. Check you water levels in your batteries first, if needed. On my Magnum ME-RC panel I press and hold the Charger button, until flashing, and the panel then says 'equalizing'. It will perform a high level 'over charging' of sorts for about 4 hours, then go back to regular mode.
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Old 04-21-2018, 05:02 PM   #5
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We dry camp often. Have six 6v batteries. RR, inverter, etc. Readily last through the night...

Your RV guy is, well, wrong...

Your batteries are likely toast unless you have some high current draw item operating that you are unaware.
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Old 04-21-2018, 05:33 PM   #6
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Answer a few questions....

Bought last March so Fleetwood told me it's out of warranty.

Bulk Charge is 14.1 volts
Float Change is 13.6 Volts
Unplug from 50 Amp
Battery Voltage 12.6
Wait about 10 minutes with Inverter on volts 11.9. Turn off inverter volts are 12.0 after about 30 minutes volt 11.8 with inverter still off.

Inverter on - Amp draw on the Fire Fly shows 11 amps with fridge running shows 20 amps. With the inverter off lights on amp draw shows zero

Yes I do have a digital multimeter.

Coach is stored in side without heat but plug into 50 amp service.

On my to do list is check water levels every 30 days.

The coach was at REV Dallas from 1 Dec to the end of Jan and the batteries were low when picked up. When I checked them after the coach had been running they read 10.5 so I don't know for sure how low they were before I checked them

Also, check specific gravity and read very close to the same reading.

Learned something - I will pull the inverter manual and read up on "equalizing" batteries see if mine has that feature.
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Old 04-21-2018, 06:36 PM   #7
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i have a Magnum MS2812 Inverter in the coach.

This is what the manual says.

" The MS Series inverter/charger also allows you to select an equalize
charge for the batteries. Press and hold the Charger ON/OFF switch for 4 seconds. The Equal-ze (EQ) function will be initiated (and the correct code will be sent to the remote.)The EQ function automatically terminates after 4 hours of operation. You can also manually stop the equalize mode by pressing and holding the Charger ON/OFF switch while the inverter is in EQ mode."

I don't see a button on the inverter other than switched mounted to the bulk head says on and off. I have a Fire Fly system that has the Inverter and Battery Charge listed. The battery charge has "Enable" and "Disable" I pressed and held for 4 seconds several times and the status never changed from Float. Any Ideas.


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Old 04-21-2018, 06:47 PM   #8
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I don’t know the aH capacity of your batteries...so let’s say 225aH

3 * 225 aH = 675 aH (6 - 6v)

50% depth of charge



675 * .5 = 337.5 aH

11A, 20A avg...15.5A

337.5 aH/ 15.5 A = 21 hrs 46min

So, if you can’t run the loads you have for at least twelve hours...something is wrong.


10.5v in December isn’t a good thing. One or more of those batteries...I’m guessing...are toast.

Don’t feel bad...there are more than a few folks that have had storage calamities and ruined new batteries.

It’s one of the reasons I put Solar on my coach. The sun will maintain them even if the dealership responsible for caring for the coach does not. We usually keep it plugged in next to our home...but you never know what might happen when your out seeing the country.

The MS2812 has four different remote heads for control.

The basic, the ME-RC, the ME-ARC, and the ME-RTR...

I’m not familiar with the FireFly system...hopefully someone knows how to navigate the sub menus to access more than ON and OFF. Or maybe there is a Magnum remote panel somewhere else in the coach.

The battery charger has to be in float or silent...and then hold down the charger button for the number of seconds...to enter equalize. It won’t enter if it’s in Bulk or Absorb at the time.
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Old 04-21-2018, 06:49 PM   #9
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Batteries on my 2014 Discovery are still good. Wife accidentally knocked 50A loose from house current. 6 house batteries after 1-2 days still at 12.3v. Took 8 hours to recharge back to 12.6v
Normally try very hard to keep shore power plugged in or engine on. $600 for batteries is a expense I want to avoid.
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Old 04-21-2018, 06:58 PM   #10
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Magnum ME-ARC remote...
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Old 04-21-2018, 07:01 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by C.Martin View Post
Magnum ME-ARC remote...
I saw a picture of that in the manual but it said it was optional. I have never seen that panel in my coach and there is all kinds of inverter settings in the Fire Fly panel it also controls heat pump, cool, exhaust fans, lights, AGS, and water heater all in the same panel.
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Old 04-21-2018, 07:11 PM   #12
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You might call customer support for your make...and ask if a remote panel is mounted somewhere in a basement compartment, how they program the charger? Via FireFly or a Magnum Remote?

Those touch screens look beautiful...but I hate giving away a real interface to control ALL the parameters. Hopefully you have one...or there is some way to access it thru the FireFly. I would hate to have to take it to a dealer and wait three weeks to get someone to change a parameter for my MS2812...
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Old 04-22-2018, 09:10 AM   #13
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OP has a residential frig. Won't take much, other loads, to deplete his batteries over night.
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Old 04-22-2018, 10:11 AM   #14
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One thing the "Voltage to SOC" charts do not include is batery internal resistance, other resistance and load current.. E=IR applies to here. ONly E is NEGATIVE

Where are you measuring voltage. IF it is on the inverter's display then all the above apply.. Measure using a digital voltmeter AT THE BATTERY not the wire's connected but the battery itself Or if attaching a fixed meter hook to the OTHER SIDE of the battery terminal

Any difference between this meter and the inverter display indicates loss in a connector or wire between the two. Clean when found.

Second: Even if all connections are rock solid and clean. The Voltage at the battery post WILL GO DOWN under load.. Again Delta E = IR. where R is the INTERNAL resistance of the battery.

You have a fairly big inverter powering a decent amount of loadl. You may be drawing as much as 50 amps. that can make a difference.. Let me research.... Alas though Trojan lists "Resistance" as a factor on their we site they did not give a value, mOhm range so it's not much but at 100 amps draw just 1/1000th of an ohm would cost you one volt.
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