Community Forums

adlerx · 02-19-2011, 11:12 AM

OK, I am new to this whole RV thing and still learning. My coach is a 99 La Palma 34s.
I have had it on a couple of overnighters and the house batts seemed to hold up fine using the heater over night with no shore power hooked up. I assume the batts started on full charges because we had traveled some distance to get to our destination and the test indicator shower full.
Night before last after arrving home from a 150 mile drive home, I left the heater on very low, about 55, to keep the coach from freezing as tempps in the 20's had been predicted and I didn't want feel like messing around in the wet, cold and dark to get it plugged in when I got home.
I went out in the am and turned off the heater and ran the gen for about an hour.
Last night, I went to the caoch to grab something and had no lights. The house batts were dead!
I started the motor and let it run long enough to get enough juice to start the genset and let it run for about 4 hours. The test lights indicate house batts fully charged when I turned it off about 3am.
How long should the house batts last? I didn't leave anything on in the coach, why would they discharge? I have had the coach over a week and they seemed to have performed fine up until now.
When I bought the coach, the seller replaced the batts with I am sure the cheapest batteries available but really, a week?
I haven't been out to check anything this morning yet and all this occured late last night.
Also, what are the best house batteries you can but? what do the cost and what about those jalmost the best?
If the best will only give me 5% better performence but costs 100% more,any ideas/input appreciated

Triker56 · 02-19-2011, 11:27 AM

Does your MH have a converter or a Inverter/charger?
That will make a big difference how long the generator will take to recharge. 1 hour with either won't do much charging.

Is your house battery a 1 12V or 2-4-6 6V ones?

adlerx · 02-19-2011, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Triker56

Does your MH have a converter or a Inverter/charger?
That will make a big difference how long the generator will take to recharge. 1 hour with either won't do much charging.

Is your house battery a 1 12V or 2-4-6 6V ones?

House batts are 2x6v. Not sure about the converter/inverter/charger. I don't think there is an inverter. I haven't seen one and the 110 doesn't work unless plugged in or gen on.

I just went out to plug it in and thetest light showed 2/3 charge from running the gen for four hours last night. Got her plugged in now.

BryanL · 02-19-2011, 03:00 PM

How long your batteries will last depends upon how you use and maintain them.

It takes 8 to 12 hours to fully and completely charge your batteries with proper equipment.

Batteries need proper storage maintenance between trips that will keep a full charge on them and do something to inhibit sulfation. This is the one to look at when you find your batteries just aren't reliable. It is why upgrading the converter is often one of the best things you can do for your batteries.

When it gets cold the batteries suffer from many issues. The can lose up to 20% of their capacity when they get cold and you often have higher energy demands including the furnace and additional lighting and a little of this and that.

"007" · 02-19-2011, 03:13 PM

Bryan L is correct in his post.
You need to get yourself a good battery charger to bring up your house batteries to full charge, just waisting time and money bringing them up with Gen and engine alternator.
Once they are up plug coach into house 110 outlet and your converter will keep them up.

adlerx · 02-19-2011, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by "007"

Bryan L is correct in his post.
You need to get yourself a good battery charger to bring up your house batteries to full charge, just waisting time and money bringing them up with Gen and engine alternator.
Once they are up plug coach into house 110 outlet and your converter will keep them up.

So if I hook up an external battery charger, do I need to take any precautions like battery cut off or what? And excatly how do I connect the external charger to the two 6v's?
I do have the manual for my coach and I have read it but none of this is covered.
Thanks

GaryKD · 02-19-2011, 04:37 PM

Hi adlerx,
Consider a smart charger. First thing is to check your currently installed coach battery charger. Get the Brand and model and Google them. There will, most likely, be information as to the charger specs and operation. After the batteries have been charged for 24 hours, one can take a VDC reading. If the reading is around 13.5 VDC you may already have a smart charger installed.

If not, for me, I'd purchase a smart charger for the coach and not bother with an external charger.

"007" · 02-19-2011, 05:38 PM

This pdf will show 2 6V batteries hook charger on the pos & neg terminals.
Your charger should show when they a fully charged.

wa8yxm · 02-19-2011, 06:19 PM

How long it takes to charge batteries is a function of the converter size, other loads on the 12 volt system and the size of the batteries,, Within reason the larger the converter, or the smaller the battery bank, the faster the recharge.

That said 6-8 hours is MINIMUM for a full charge. The maximum can be days.

Though in theory you can charge faster than six hours to full, Charging that fast is not doing the battery any good.

And again, within reason, the longer the charge,, Generally speaking (There are exceptions) the better for the battery.. Up to around 15 hours to reach full charge.

tomwalt · 02-19-2011, 06:42 PM

I just went through this drill myself. I have 2 each 650 amp house batteries that would last 3 days when sparingly used (down to below 11Volts). By disconnecting all loads and measuring the amps used by each I discovered the refrigerator used .4 amps when turned OFF, gas detector .05 amps and clock on the radio .05 amps. I disconnected the 12V power going to the frig and my house batteries have stayed full for 2 days now and still read 12.9V. I think you may wnat to spend a couple hours trying this yourself. It's a good way to get to know and draw/document your electric system prior to having bigger issues. P.S. Clean the connections as you go.