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Old 01-17-2020, 05:43 AM   #1
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Having problems with 6V batteries, New Rig

Bought my MH in Oct, as a new rig. Drove it home to storage and shut everything off. Twice I have visited it and the 6v batteries are dead. Turned off the red knob in the bat compartment both times. This is a left over 19 that was new to me, I suspect it had sat on their lot for a while and had not been plugged in.

I have a friend that was a chemist for a battery company and he explained what happens to any lead acid battery if left in an uncharged state for a long period of time. They may or may not come back. I bought some bottles of electrolytes, and will add that to the 4 bats and see if they disulfate. I have a feeling that I will be looking for new bats.

I have thought about going thru the warranty, called a dealer and they said have to go thru the battery company, not a coach warranty issue.

Any thoughts?
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Old 01-17-2020, 05:50 AM   #2
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Don't take the word of ANY dealer. I'd call the manufacturer of the coach and explain the situation to them.
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Old 01-17-2020, 06:22 AM   #3
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I have read many battery maintantnce instructions and they all caution not to add electrolyte to a battery. It will change the spicific gravity.

They say to only add water.

https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/...surface_charge
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Old 01-17-2020, 06:24 AM   #4
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Is your battery shut off for the chassis or coach? Most are for the chassis

If it is for the house bank and they discharge then you could try reconditioning each individually

Make sure your battery bank is truly isolated and the battery tops are clean and dry

Check your charger settings and be sure they are set correctly for the battery type

Most of the OEM batteries are going to have a one year from manufacture warranty


Good luck
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Old 01-17-2020, 06:34 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat View Post
I have read many battery maintantnce instructions and they all caution not to add electrolyte to a battery. It will change the spicific gravity.

They say to only add water.

https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/...surface_charge
Distilled water only.
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Old 01-17-2020, 06:43 AM   #6
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Here's a link to a YouTube video that describes lead acid battery maintenance, including equalization:



At the 10:00 minute point, the equalization process is discussed.

You wouldn't be the first to suffer from poorly maintained batteries while a coach sits on a dealer's lot for an extended period of time. Still, if I were in your shoes, I think I'd first make sure that each of the cells is properly filled with distilled water and then run through an equalization cycle.

Good luck.

Take care,
Stu
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Old 01-17-2020, 06:57 AM   #7
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Take out thebatteries and take them to a reputable battery dealer and have them checked, then go back to the dealer you bought the unit from and have THEM not you change them out for new ones, it is their responsibility to sell you a working unit in good condition, especially if this is a new unit, if not then file a formal complaint with the manufacturer.
For the most part there is no lemon law that covers RV's, and Indiana backs the manufacturer not the consumer, I know this for a fact. A friend went through all that with his new Passport, new unit had a variety of defects right out of the gate, finally had the loan company step in and demand it be fixed, replaced, or they were going to pull their payment, and pass the word to not make any more loans on anything they sold, he got a new unit and the batteries were dead the next day out camping, but the battery dealer warrantied them. I do know that here our battery dealers are really good about that, and they take up the issue with the trailer dealers.
I would start by disconnecting the batteries negative cables and try charging them one at a time to see if the will take a charge, if not then go into full attack mode at the trailer dealer.
Just my 2 cents worth.
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Old 01-17-2020, 09:03 AM   #8
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Ditto on NOT adding electrolyte. Distilled water only.


Find out what batteries that "red knob" controls. You have two sets of batteries (house and chassis) and each would need a separate disconnect. You may not be switching the house 6v batteries off. Some diesel pushers have a manual knob for the chassis battery and a remote control (solenoid) for the house batteries.


How long does it take for the house 6v's to go dead? Are we talking a few days or a few weeks? And what is the voltage when "dead". Around 11v (too weak to do much) or really dead, e.g. 6v-8v for each pair.
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Old 01-17-2020, 09:16 AM   #9
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2 Parts

First - you probably killed off the batteries and like others have said, dead batteries do not come back. Your warranty will probably allow for replacement under 1 year and you have to work that to make it happen.

Second - don't let this happen again.
Most RV's have systems directly connected to the battery and the so called "off switch" does not disconnect them. That is why they are dead and can go dead in as little a 1 week. Options is to connect the RV to power even if it is a simple 120 volt 15 amp circuit or use a small trickle charger, solar is nice too. Other option is to actually disconnect the battery or install a disconnect switch on the battery cable before any other connection so you know your really off.

Learn about your electrical system, I wrote this up some time ago, great for the newbie.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f54/elect...me-464251.html
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Old 01-17-2020, 10:28 AM   #10
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Thank you to everyone that replied to my post, I will certainly consider all your suggests. I do have a battery cut off switch in each battery compartment. One for chassis and one for coach as well as the electronic one in the coach.
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Old 01-17-2020, 10:32 AM   #11
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Thank you to everyone that replied to my post, I will certainly consider all your suggests. I do have a battery cut off switch in each battery compartment. One for chassis and one for coach as well as the electronic one in the coach.
Check the battery cable to that cut off switch and see if anything is connected before the cutoff switch, that will be where your phantom loads suck power from your battery.
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Old 01-17-2020, 10:45 AM   #12
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"inlineskater".....I read your post twice and you don't say if the starting batteries, house batteries or all batteries are dead. Disconnecting the house batteries should preserve them, unless they were bad to start because they were run down at the dealer. The starting batteries, even though you say they have a disconnect, don't always completely disconnect. Things like your radio, engine and transmission computer power to help them retain their memory.

It will be a pain, but you need to charge them ALL and then test them individually, to see if they're still good. You CAN'T test dead batteries. They need to be charged.

Once you know what their condition is, either live with them if they're still good, or go back to the dealer and make them correct it. If the dealer, were to take a hammer to the batteries, would it still be up to the battery company to adjust the batteries, no, the dealer destroyed them. The dealer letting them go and stay dead is the same as them taking a hammer to them.
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Old 01-17-2020, 11:16 AM   #13
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I don't know about current procedures, but in the past RVs came from the manufacturer with no house batteries - they were installed by the dealer once the RV was sold. That way the customer could be reasonably assured that the batteries were fresh. Similarly, trailers and fifth wheels arrived with no propane tanks or batteries - part of the PDI procedure once the unit was sold was to install those things...
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Old 01-17-2020, 07:40 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan_Hepburn View Post
I don't know about current procedures, but in the past RVs came from the manufacturer with no house batteries - they were installed by the dealer once the RV was sold. That way the customer could be reasonably assured that the batteries were fresh. Similarly, trailers and fifth wheels arrived with no propane tanks or batteries - part of the PDI procedure once the unit was sold was to install those things...
This might be true for a trailer, but how would you move or run a motorized unit like a Class A or DP.
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