Chassis Workaholic batteries need maintenance!

[Pusherpilot]

I was hoping for the pix of the "hidden opening". I'll just go ahead and remove the label. Thanks for the tip!
Ron

[Dutch Star Don]

Just checked mine......if you look at the bottom of the label and just above the word "Poison" you'll see a ltlle slot/pry hole. If you pry up with a screwdriver, you'll see the label lift and you can cut around the edges.

Because I ALWAYS take everything apart, even if it isn't broken, I usually fill the Maintenanace Free batteries, but never messed with these. Thanks "jimlawman" for the heads up, mine took about 1/2 gallon.

Now for your evening visual.....I've been working hard over the past three days putting up a 12' x 32' covered patio. I was dead in my chair, but just couldn't let the batteries go unchecked any longer (part of my anal issues). Nine o'clock and in my tightie whities I went out and filled the batteries. The one closest to the door was easy. The one in the back requires a turkey baster to fill it. (I didn't want to loosen and remove cables). I'm sure you're thinking that's not too bad, but that's a 275 pound, 50+ man with the turkey baster running around the backyard.

Good thing it's not stored at a storage facility!

[MonacoMama]

Battery with cover on


Battery with cover removed


Ask...and Mama will get it for you! (Truth be known...the photo on MCOA was of poor quality)

MM

[MonacoMama]

OK...little did I know...that Diplomat Don is outside in his "tighty whities" while I am the one outside taking photos...(that's a switch )...but luckily I did NOT see anything in white!

MM

[Camelot Camper]

Be prepared to remove the battery cables and the battery tie down straps to be able to cut the lable around the edge of the rectangular caps. While I used a razor knife, I also just did the "grip it and rip it" on the lable.

Here's before:



Here's after:



CC

[AKBrick]

Great camera shots everyone!
It looks like I was trying to tear off the wrong section of the label. Looks like its time to get to work and check these things as its been since October of '07' since we bought the MH.

Diplomatmat Don,
I sure hope you have a high fence! I can't get the whity tighty picture out of my head now!

M.M.,
Thanks for the reminder of the Indy 500 I caught up with it on lap 24! It's too bad about all of the women getting bumped off, I actually was rooting for them. Two of them, that I saw wasn't even thier faults, bummer.

AKBrick

[nutensteve]

They always say a picture is worth a 1000 words. Now I think "I" can actually check my own batteries.

I agree with Sacs on CC's batteries...wow they are clean. CC what did you put on the terminals to prevent corrosion? After looking at your pics I realized that my batteries look pretty bad.

[Pusherpilot]

The pix are great, thamks so much!!
Ron

[William Willard]

Has anyone replaced your Workaholic Batteries, & if so, what did you replace them with? - I`m having problems with mine, & they are a year old -- I have the Echo-Charger, & the coach is pluged in at all times -- Bill Willard

[MonacoMama]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by AKBrick:
Diplomatmat Don,
I sure hope you have a high fence! I can't get the whity tighty picture out of my head now!
AKBrick </div></BLOCKQUOTE>especially on a 275 lb man
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SacsTC:
OK now CC..
Have you ever moved your rig down the road, or does it just sit still and get waxed!!! My goodness, it appears that you WAX the Batteries!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Sacs...I am afraid that Diplomat Don's would look the same way-from what we know about him....

Ok.. back from a 6.4 mile walk (yes...I really did walk that much AND I have witnesses for all but the last .4 miles)so I need to jump in the shower and get the coach cleaned up...but I am watching you guys... so behave!

MM

[Pusherpilot]

Just finished checking and refilling my Batts. they are the same as those depicted in the pix. It was easy with the only real work being unhooking one batt so I could get under the cables from the other. Never lost power to the chassis. Didn't remove the label just cut thru it on the seam around the fill cap.
The cells were only down about 1/4 inch but I used 1/2 gal of distilled water to get them up to the full line.
The batts in my coach didn't have the install date gadgets removed from the strip so I really don't know when they were purchased but the coach was purchased new in Apr 04 and has 50k miles on it.
Normally I wouldn't do this with 4 yr old batts but we're heading for the burning sands so I didn't want to take a chance. Thanks again for the tip.
Ron

[Pusherpilot]

Copied this out of the ramblin pushers site.
Re: [ramblin_pushers] Re: Workaholic batteries


Was just in a RV service center 5-23-08. Manager said Interstate (Workaholic) has shipped there last set with the decal as it appears now.. To many truckers and R V were returning them dead within a year for lack of water. Future sets will have a dotted line on the decal that says cut were to service (fill).
L.D.
-----Original Message-----
From: motorsman_tim &lt;motorsman_tim@...&gt;
To: ramblin_pushers@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sun, 18 May 2008 3:14 pm
Subject: [ramblin_pushers] Re: Workaholic batteries


John,
You are definitely being mislead by your battery rep. Your Workaholic
batteries DO have vent wells and are NOT maintenance free. You will not
find the cells by poking around with a knife. The cells are under a
hard plastic cover which is hidden under the paper labels on top of the
battery. You need to find the seam's and cut along them. Peel the paper
back and you'll find the plastic covers. Remove the covers and you'll
plainly see the cells.

Call Interstate direct, don't listen to the sales rep. At best, the
Workaholic batteries are considered 'low maintenance' by Interstate,
but still require periodic maintanance.

It's your call...if you belive you have maintenance free batteries then
don't maintain them. As I said before the only true maintenance free
chassis batteries are the AGM type...and they cost 3 times more than
wet cell. Good luck

--- In ramblin_pushers@yahoogroups.com, "johnscherman" &lt;jvscherman@...&gt;
wrote:
&gt;
&gt; It may be true that the workaholic batteries are wet cell, but the two
&gt; new ones I bought two weeks ago had no holes through which to put
&gt; water. I tried to find the plate to the holes with my knife. The
&gt; salesman who was watching me then stated, the battery is maintenance
&gt; free. No holes to put water into. You might want to check with your
&gt; local Interstate Rep.
&gt; John Scherman 01 Endeavor

[Camelot Camper]

THE HEART OF YOUR RV ARE THE BATTERIES

Actually Sacs, my owner's manual says to service the batteries monthly, but as you can see from the photo of my battery service card taped to my battery bay door that I'm really a slacker and only clean & service them every other month. I made an exception this month due to Jim's post.

And I don't use wax or polish on them, just a super concentrated solution of Baking Soda and water that I use to lightly dampen a sponge for cleaning. The red protection on the terminals was applied by the factory. Oh, and were going over 10,000 miles in less than 9 months.



CC

[William Willard]

Took my batteries to an InterState Battery distributor in Mesa AZ. that HappyCraz had recommended, & I had a dead cell in one -- The batteries had been in service for a year, but was made 6/06 -- They replaced both under warranty-- No charge -- Bill Willard