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BFL · 01-21-2021, 05:55 PM

I’m reluctant to write this because I know that most if not all will think I’m an idiot but here goes...( my wife knows I am at least she tells me I am...)
On a recent trip to the mountains, we arrived set up camp and drove into town to pickup a few things. Our friends who were camped next to us called us to tell us an alarm was going off in our RV. We rushed back and found our batteries which are located under the entry steps in our 2019 Coachmen Leprechaun were boiling and off gassing!
The batteries were shot and I replaced them. The local experts all had different theories as to why this happened.
A. I had the battery cut off switch in the on position while hooked to shore power and this caused the problem.
B. I drove the unit up there (about four hours) with the switch in the on position and this caused it.
C. I had stored the RV for a month or so in my RV
garage hooked up to shore power and the switch on and this caused the problem.
When should I have the switch on and when should I have it off?
Thanks!

twinboat · 01-21-2021, 07:34 PM

You did nothing wrong, leaving the switch on.

Its a storage switch for when there is no power to plug in to.

If you have battery caps on the batteries and didn't check the water level, then that's on you. You need to take a look every month or so and add distilled water to them if needed.

When they get low, they get hot and boil and set off alarms.

THenne1713 · 01-21-2021, 10:56 PM

Age of battery? While issue (can be) bad converter staying in high charge voltage mode, Boiling usually more a reflection of BAD CELL/FAILING BATTERY, but always BEST PRACTICE to VERIFY Charging VOLTAGE after installing new battery/ies and again after 1-to-2-hours (expect 13.2vdc). Typically, aged battery plate PIECE falls off into bottom of cell shorting cell, and causing the BOILING (and low battery voltage)

wanderso · 01-21-2021, 11:02 PM

Could also be a bad 12 volt converter / charger that is over charging the batteries.

BFL · 01-23-2021, 11:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

You did nothing wrong, leaving the switch on.

Its a storage switch for when there is no power to plug in to.

If you have battery caps on the batteries and didn't check the water level, then that's on you. You need to take a look every month or so and add distilled water to them if needed.

When they get low, they get hot and boil and set off alarms.

Thanks! I'll put checking the batteries on a monthly to do list for the RV.
Ben

f14av8r · 01-24-2021, 05:36 AM

Also, check to ensure that your charger is properly configured for FLOODED Cell lead acid batteries. Any other setting could potentially cause problems as all of the different types used different voltages and charging profiles.

twinboat · 01-24-2021, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by f14av8r

Also, check to ensure that your charger is properly configured for FLOODED Cell lead acid batteries. Any other setting could potentially cause problems as all of the different types used different voltages and charging profiles.

Do you know if they have an configurable converter/charger ?

Most factory installed class C chargers are one size fits all, and will work fine that way.

Unless you know that he has configurable settings, your sending the OP on a wild goose chase, looking for something that's not there.

BFL · 02-05-2021, 01:56 PM

No, I don’t know. This one was installed on the RV when we bought it new and I’ve never looked into it. I will now.
So the best thing to do is leave the switch on until I store the coach then switch it to off to keep the batteries from draining. Correct.