Community Forums

arnold931 · 10-01-2020, 04:42 PM

I have a 2014 Palazzo 36.1 with 4 new 6-volt batteries. I had it in for about 3 weeks for service. They left the Disconnect Switch in the USE position and when I picked it up, the batteries were dead (the tech measured 2 volts). They ran the engine for about an hour and it didn't appear to charge. They plugged it into shore power for 2 hours-still nothing. They finally put on a charger and after 1/2 hour we could start the generator. Question is: shouldn't running the engine or plugging into shore power charge those batteries?

iluvuk · 10-01-2020, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arnold931

I have a 2014 Palazzo 36.1 with 4 new 6-volt batteries. I had it in for about 3 weeks for service. They left the Disconnect Switch in the USE position and when I picked it up, the batteries were dead (the tech measured 2 volts). They ran the engine for about an hour and it didn't appear to charge. They plugged it into shore power for 2 hours-still nothing. They finally put on a charger and after 1/2 hour we could start the generator. Question is: shouldn't running the engine or plugging into shore power charge those batteries?

When they are that discharged it will take a long time to charge them, depending upon your charger settings. Plug it in for 12 hrs with inverters charging settings correct and verified.

twinboat · 10-01-2020, 05:18 PM

Shore power or the generator that run the inverter/charger will not charge the house batteries if that low.

Inverter/chargers require 8 to 12 volts, depending on the brand, to start charging. It protects them from working with no batteries connected.

The engine needs to bring the chassis battery up to 13.5 volts before It will connect them to the house batteries.

That's if the problematic isolation/charging solenoid is working. They fail often and that sounds like yours has.

Now that all is charged up again, start the engine and see if the house battery volts go up after 10 to 25 minutes or so.

arnold931 · 10-01-2020, 05:27 PM

Thanks. So what can I tell if house battery volts do/or don't go up after 30 minutes?

Roy-c · 10-01-2020, 05:27 PM

When you discharge batteries to they point they are toast. They will not recharge to normal levels. If I remember correctly they will only regain 50% of capacity. ( it is possible that I am not remembering that percentage exactly right but I should at least be close. )

twinboat · 10-01-2020, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arnold931

Thanks. So what can I tell if house battery volts do/or don't go up after 30 minutes?

Its time for you to pick up a cheap multi-tester, but there should be some kind of volt monitor in the RV.

twinboat · 10-01-2020, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roy-c

When you discharge batteries to they point they are toast. They will not recharge to normal levels. If I remember correctly they will only regain 50% of capacity. ( it is possible that I am not remembering that percentage exactly right but I should at least be close. )

That's not true, there's a good a chance that the batteries will recover.

The OP said the batteries are not that old, throwing them away is a waste.

appsol · 10-04-2020, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

Its time for you to pick up a cheap multi-tester, but there should be some kind of volt monitor in the RV.

The standard inverter/charger model in the 2014 Palazzo line was a Magnum Energy ME-2012 with a Magnum ME-RC controller located on the panel above the door. Press the Meter button. That will show the current voltage and charging status.

If you don't have the manual here is a link:

https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/si...%20V2.9%29.pdf

If the Trombetta isolation solenoid has failed, which as Twinboat says is common (I replaced two before switching) you might want to change to a Precision Circuits Battery Isolation Manager (BIM) which replaces both the failure prone Trombetta and the BIRD controller with one integrated unit. I had that done at the TMC factory service center while on a visit for other issues, as they use that device in later years and other models.

https://precisioncircuitsinc.com/pro...er-225-amps-2/

iluvuk · 10-12-2020, 12:20 PM

I had this happen to me. Batteries discharged to 2.7 v. I couldn't get Magnum to charge them even when on shore power because of the cutout feature. I hooked up a regular battery charger to the battery bank, left it on 15 min, then the "Temporary" voltage was reading over 12 volts (due to the charger) and the magnum charger, which was hooked to shore power then kicked on. I then removed the battery charger from the bank and left it on shore power to charge.