Community Forums

Ahall · 04-11-2024, 10:25 AM

I had left my coach at Houston Cummins for an emissions code and when it was ready to pick up guess what, coach had not been plugged in like they said. One other occasion it was in storage and a Electrican was making changes to some one else’s storage spot and forgot to turn all the breakers back on. Now the batteries are getting hot as they try to charge as well as smelling like rotten eggs.The real question is if I don’t boondock do I really need all 6?

Davidrvr · 04-11-2024, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ahall

I had left my coach at Houston Cummins for an emissions code and when it was ready to pick up guess what, coach had not been plugged in like they said. One other occasion it was in storage and a Electrican was making changes to some one else’s storage spot and forgot to turn all the breakers back on. Now the batteries are getting hot as they try to charge as well as smelling like rotten eggs.The real question is if I don’t boondock do I really need all 6?

Comes down to how much power you use and how much you will need to run the generator.

Try doing it at home and test everything overnight and you will get a better idea. More batteries is better but if you cant charge them, Not so much and also the other way around.

Batteries are shorting out... I would replace all of them with new. There is a chance of fire so get them out now.

Turbojack · 04-19-2024, 08:53 PM

I read your post and I first though that I had written it. My coach ended up being at Cummins Houston for a few weeks with an emission code and they ran the batteries down and I had the same problem when charging. I disconnected 3 of them and tested them. I have the electronic Harbor Freight tester. It showed 1 of the 3 battery with low voltage right after I disconnected it. Ended up having two batteries that were total shot. One is around 80% and the other 3 were around 85% of original power. I was going to the Foretravel Mid-South Rally and figured I would run with only 4 batteries. I have watched the voltage on this last trip and I didn't have a problem with battery capacity. Even stopping for a few hours for lunch. Today when we stopped the coach was not running when we pulled the slides out with the small air compressor running and the battery voltage went down around to around 13.2 volts

I am going to replace with Lithium, since I will be spending less money but want to make sure I have everything figured out before I do.

On a side note, since they ran your batteries down I would go and look at the control panel for your aqua hot. Check and see if the low voltage fault light is lit. If so you take a toothpick and push in a hole that says reset.

d23haynes57 · 04-28-2024, 10:20 AM

Need a little more information. Are your batteries 6 volt in series/parallel combination or 8 12-volt batteries in parallel combination? Your coach is all electric and I believe that most everything can run off inverter except for AC/Heat pump and the stove top. You may even have multiple inverters with one dedicated to the refrigerator with a dedicated battery bank, (4). The house batteries are also used to start the generator. As such if you reduce the capacity you will need to start the generator much more frequently. This may be a good time to consider other options including lithium. A good setup includes battery management that can disconnect them before they get damaged. You will also save a lot of weight. If the dealer committed to some level of care and they failed maybe they can assist with the recovery.

Turbojack · 04-28-2024, 03:15 PM

OP coach is 2018 Foretravel IH45 Has 6 8D 12v house GEL batteries, 2 inverters. 1 roof AC can run off the inverters.

d23haynes57 · 04-29-2024, 05:39 AM

Consider replacing the Gell or AGM batteries with this.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CNGN7PJX...6RkSp11Pn&th=1
or this,
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CRNMKYK9...6RkSp11Pn&th=1

These will outperform the gels and agms significantly and they have the ability to be turned off and stored for up to a year without being charged. They also save a lot of weight.

d23haynes57 · 04-29-2024, 02:09 PM

https://www.amazon.com/LiFePO4-Batte..._hp_atf_m&th=1

300 A/H in a compact package. 600 A/H for two as compared to 3 AGM or Gell being 674. Go for three and have 900 A/H available at a reasonable cost.

sherryO · 05-03-2024, 06:31 PM

A good thing about LoPo's for your house bats is that you can turn off the house bank when not plugged in. LiPo's will maintain their charge for a very long time.

Sayers · 06-03-2024, 04:00 PM

I replaced mine with 6 270Ah Battle Born lithium. Can go 1.5 days off grid. No worries about them being killed by service departments. (same happened to me)