House Batteries Not Holding Charge for Long

[FLgatorgirl]

We purchased a 2005 Windsor 40PDQ about a week ago and if you read my other post know that we have had a little more adventure than we were looking for right off the bat (front driver blowout). The coach is awaiting heading to the collision shop hopefully tomorrow. In the meantime, we got her all cleaned up and are trying to learn how everything works.

I ran the generator for a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon as the batteries were low and I wanted fans running to air the coach out. Batteries are already toast this morning, genset would not start, just the clicking noise. I started the coach which was slightly hesitant and then was able to start the generator. The inverter has not been on, outside of slave loads, there is nothing running that I am aware of.

Our Class C could go around 5 or 6 days on one house battery if nothing was on, so I can't think this rapid discharge is correct on the Windsor. Thoughts? Also, I have not yet located the books explaining the Aladdin, can someone comment on how to understand battery readings on the monitor?

[Rex]

Could be your batteries were not fully charged. Some do not charge the house batteries unless connected to shore power or generator. The generator will always take longer. If yours also charges off the alternator, that will generally produce the best charge. You should have a remote panel inside connected to the inverter which will tell you the battery state of charge. Keep an eye on it. I doubt you will get more than a couple of days use from the batteries without any charge input so don't expect the same as your class C provided.

You should have an AUX START switch around the cockpit area. Pressing this connects both battery banks together and is primarily used to start the engine, but could be used to start the generator. Lots to learn about the new coach. Enjoy.

[pcarrell]

If those are the original batteries they are probably toast. If not get a regular charger and charge them for several hours. Check the specific gravity should be at 125 or above. You can buy a tester at any NAPA etc. If that checks you should thendo a load test. Harbor freight sells an inexpensive load tester.

Your Aladdin will show the battery voltage and also the input amps from the solar panel if you have one and also the amps if the genset is running or the engine alternator charging after the chassis batteries are fully charged.

[Mike Canter]

If it is like my Alladin (this is by memory) under coach electrical I can read the charge or discharge amount going to the house batteries and the voltage in the house batteries. If it is fully charged I will normally read 13+ volts. I also read my solar panel charge on that same screen. If you see below 12 volts then I would be worried. On the Engine screen I read the chassis battery voltage and mine is usually in the high 13's or even 14.1 volts if everything is good.

If I am plugged in and don't see a charge on the house batteries I then reset the inverter/charger. It doesn't happen often.

That Alladin coach electrical screen also shows me the AC load on each of the legs.

If you haven't already done it you should check the water level in all your batteries plus remove your battery cables and clean inside the cables and the battery post with a battery wire brush until they shine.

[FLgatorgirl]

Okay, DH will check water and connections. Alladin is showing for house batteries 13.6 VDC (what does that mean?) and AMP flucuating between 0-1 "discharge". Readings on inverter show, batteries 71% full and .8 hours left to charge. Maybe they were never fully charged before? I did not realize the generator would take longer to charge. Then again, I am not used to four batteries either.

[Mike Canter]

A couple of things. It can take a long time to get batteries to completly charge that last percentage. That percentage shown can depend on how the inverter was set up as to what a full charge is. My chart says that anything over 12.6 volts is fully charged. If one battery is bad then it will pull down all the batteries, If those are the original batteries then they are at least five years old and you don't know if the previous owner kept them charged or let them go dead. It maybe time to buy new batteries. I bought mine from Sam's for around $80 each. They should be GC-2 6 volt deep cycle golf cart batteries. The other option is to pull them all out and take them somewhere that can test a six volt golf cart battery under load.

[FLgatorgirl]

At least two of the batteries are not original, not sure if there are dates on the others. Inverter now says 100% charged, but Alladin is showing volts are now at 12.6 and 89 is the second reading which I guess is the charged percentage? The higher volt reading earlier was with the generator on. Now that we know they are fully charged, I will watch them and see what they do. We just replaced all 6 tires because of the scare with the blowout, we have our insurance deductible to pay and hopefully the batteries do not need to be replaced as well.