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11-07-2015, 06:43 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 90
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House battery question
Hi all,
New to RVing here. So we went to a full hookup campsite and after three days the chasis battery wouldn't start. Needed a jump. It's been fine ever since. Do you think it could be because the house battery was on the whole time? When plugged in, does the house battery need to be on? The reason I'm also wondering is because the previous owner installed a radio/ cd player that stays on when the house battery is on. I'm wondering if this is somehow draining the chasis battery. Thanks!
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11-07-2015, 07:15 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Plantation, Fl
Posts: 1,876
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In most RVs when in a full hook up campground the converter will charge the house battery, while the chassis battery isn't normally charged. It sounds to me that the radio/CD player is connected to the chassis battery, not the house battery. If that's not the case, you might have another drain on the chassis battery.
__________________
2024 Jayco Redhawk 26 M (OCCC challenged)
2017 RWD F 150 with a drive shaft disconnect
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11-07-2015, 07:24 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 90
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But the radio only works when the house battery is on.
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11-07-2015, 07:29 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,899
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Only you can answer your question.
Plug your coach into shore power and measure the voltage across the chassis batteries.
If it is 13.8v of more, then they are getting charged.
"Normally" the house and chassis batteries are completely separate.
And the inverter/converter will only charge the house batteries.
Many times the coach will have a separate charger for the chassis batteries....but not always.
Regards,
Dan
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2014 40QBH Phaeton DP Cummins 380HP ISL, Freightliner XC, 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk TOAD
Blue Ox Aventa tow bar, SMI Air Force One -Cave Creek, AZ.
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11-11-2015, 10:25 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,143
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Most inexpensive multimeters also have an amperage tester setting that will show if there is a parasitic voltage draw and how much that amount is. Just be aware that most inexpensive ones are limited to 10 amps. I learned a lot on my last rig about drains of this nature and eliminated them. Here is a simple video of how to test.
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History:'05 Concord, '08 View, '05 Chinook, '01 Jamboree 24D, '78 Apache Popup, 81 Komfort Tlr,
84 Mazda B2000 'w canopy,Tent from wedding in '96
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11-12-2015, 06:04 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Near Toronto, Canada
Posts: 1,842
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It sounds like you have a bad connection somewhere on the chassis battery. Presuming you drove to the campground the battery should have been fully charged. Even with a radio playing for a couple days you still should have been okay to start. At least mine does, I have only the in dash stereo.
The booster cables may have bumped the bad connection enough to do the trick.
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Ted 'n' Laurie, plus Jackson (aka Deputy Dog, the Parson Russell Terrier 'fur kid') and, Rylie (who crossed the Rainbow Bridge June 14, 2012).
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11-15-2015, 05:55 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 411
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Check for a bad cell in the chassis battery. If you have a marginal cell and run the vehicle every day or so you will not have a problem starting the vehicle. However if you have any additional draw on the battery it will fail. Take it to a shop or Batteries plus have them put the tester on it, usually is free, the tester will identify a bad cell. Bad cell = New Battery. It's not difficult to diagnose/recognize the problem but if you're not paying attention a bad cell can cause you grief at the most in opportune time.
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11-16-2015, 02:50 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Damon Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 24,024
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I will take excepton with one word in one of the replies.
"In most RV's"
I would change that to "Many" not Most.. I will also say in MANY Rv's the house converter does NOT charge the chassis (Starting) battery Epically in older units...
And finally in still more RVs (This would be "A Few" instead of "Many") the system to charge all batteries off either source is installed.. But Deffective.
Kind of like my phone it has alphabet problems.. The ABC is DEF
(Automatic Brightness Control,,, DEFfective).
When it comes to the battery isolator system (Whch controls which batteries charge from what)
Some have one way
Some have two way
Some have deffective two way.
It is imortant to know which you have.
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Home is where I park it!
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11-18-2015, 02:37 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: nude jersey
Posts: 64
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dont rely on a cheap multimeter
my harbor fright meter said my battery charging voltage(engine running) was 12 volts.It was off by 2 volts!My fluke 77 read 14.3 which is what it should be!
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11-19-2015, 08:21 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Anchorage, Alaska
Posts: 411
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Charging your fluke is correct manufacture specification standard 12v wet cell charge at 14.4 - 14.8
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11-19-2015, 08:25 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Tiffin Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 1,899
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mikhett
my harbor fright meter said my battery charging voltage(engine running) was 12 volts.It was off by 2 volts!My fluke 77 read 14.3 which is what it should be!
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Open up your HF meter, and calibrate it. There is a single adjustment pot.
Regards,
Dan
__________________
2014 40QBH Phaeton DP Cummins 380HP ISL, Freightliner XC, 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk TOAD
Blue Ox Aventa tow bar, SMI Air Force One -Cave Creek, AZ.
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11-25-2015, 06:28 AM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 90
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Well, figured out it was the radio system that was installed. Thanks for all the input.
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