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05-19-2015, 11:57 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: In our coach
Posts: 232
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battery charge
I have had my coach plugged into shore for days and my batteries have been at the full indication, however, went to fill up gas this morning and by the time I got back and shut down engine the indicator was already down by one light. Shouldn't the batteries be charging while engine is running?
TY
Ben
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05-19-2015, 12:50 PM
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 78
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I know the chassis batteries should be charging, but I'm not sure about the house batteries. I also know the furnace should run off the alternator when in motion, but I don't think the AC units will--I believe you have to invert or have the generator running to run AC.
This winter we did a cross country trip and after each day, my house batteries were way down (after running the furnace while underway). Turned out I had a bad relay which prevented power from the alternator to run the furnace.
So I'd be interested to know if the alternator is responsible for charging the house batteries. I think someone told me that if the chassis batteries are charged, power will be routed to the house batteries in that priority, but I'm only telling you what my bad memory thinks it read.
Looking forward to hearing more from more learned sources!
Just read the first reply on this post...fills in some of the gaps.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...wer-82272.html
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05-19-2015, 02:24 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Dallas TX
Posts: 1,675
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Bender, don't you have a magnum display that shows the actual volts? It might tell you more than the idiot lights. Did you have your inverter on running the refrigerator and anything else?
__________________
Dan
2014 Berkshire 390RB-60
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05-20-2015, 12:40 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: In our coach
Posts: 232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dan-nickie
Bender, don't you have a magnum display that shows the actual volts? It might tell you more than the idiot lights. Did you have your inverter on running the refrigerator and anything else?
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Yes I do Dan and I have to figure out how it all works. First time buyer and unfortunately we spent all our time at the dealership fixing factory issues and not familiarizing with the systems, so I'm playing catch up.
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05-20-2015, 01:32 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,255
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One thing to remember.. when you are on shore power, the led indicator for your batteries will always show "full" even when they may not be. It's just reading the charge coming from the converter.. not an actual state of charge. After several days on shore power though.. you're battery "should" have been fully charged.
I have no idea what type of battery you have, but it's possible it may just be an inadequate battery. You might want to check the manufacture date of you battery. If it sat with the dealer for awhile I can imagine your house batteries may have not been well maintained.
There are so many factors at work that it's difficult to guess any one possibility without more information.
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05-20-2015, 10:03 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: In our coach
Posts: 232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yarome
One thing to remember.. when you are on shore power, the led indicator for your batteries will always show "full" even when they may not be. It's just reading the charge coming from the converter.. not an actual state of charge. After several days on shore power though.. you're battery "should" have been fully charged.
I have no idea what type of battery you have, but it's possible it may just be an inadequate battery. You might want to check the manufacture date of you battery. If it sat with the dealer for awhile I can imagine your house batteries may have not been well maintained.
There are so many factors at work that it's difficult to guess any one possibility without more information.
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Good advice yarome, we just assume because it's new, that there shouldn't be bad system equipment such as batteries. I have 4 6V house batteries and will check the dates and levels. Interestingly, I have a manual that says I have Trojan brand, yet installed are World Wide brand. Levels and connections all look good, however, the date stickers are not marked so can't tell when they were installed.
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05-20-2015, 10:20 AM
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#7
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Phat Phrog Stunt Team
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Iowa
Posts: 34,507
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnbendr
Good advice yarome, we just assume because it's new, that there shouldn't be bad system equipment such as batteries. I have 4 6V house batteries and will check the dates and levels. Interestingly, I have a manual that says I have Trojan brand, yet installed are World Wide brand. Levels and connections all look good, however, the date stickers are not marked so can't tell when they were installed.
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Somewhere in the battery case top lid the born on date should be "burned" in.
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded, 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "6 nights"
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05-20-2015, 10:31 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: In our coach
Posts: 232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TURBS
Somewhere in the battery case top lid the born on date should be "burned" in.
TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded, 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "6 nights"
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Nothing "burned" in on top of either battery. Is it possible that the dealer replaced batteries since the manual provided by FR are not the same brand and that's why no burn in date?
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05-20-2015, 11:09 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,255
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You got a little jipped on the batteries. World wides are an econo deep cycle. The ones you have are rated for 115 amp hours.. so with 4 (2 sets) you have a total of 230ah, but really only 115ah's so as not to drop below 50% SOC. With Trojans you would have 220ah in a SINGLE set. 4 would gettcha 440 with 220 on tap. Cost wise you're not looking at a major difference.. around $95 for WW's and $130 for Trojans. Even most of the box store 6v's would be a major step up from the WW's for $85 or so each. Nearly the same capacities as the Trojans.. just not built as well and won't last nearly as long.
WW doesn't mark month of manufacture.. only a single digit representing the YEAR. Ie. 2012 would be marked with a "2".. 2015.. a "5". Even 6 months to a year out of date sitting around without proper maintenance can just about kill an economy battery like that.
If Trojans were clearly written into your paperwork I would, first nicely, but demand if necessary that your dealer make it right. 4 Trojans will get you setup QUITE nicely. If properly maintained should do you right for 7 years or so.. and if done well... 10 years is pretty darn common.
The dealer probably bought a pallet of those WW's and been feeding them into the pipeline to make some extra coin. Hopefully they have been sitting around dry and not yet activated until just before they were slapped into your rig.
Really a moot point to me though... go getcha those Trojans you were already supposed to have.
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05-20-2015, 11:24 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,255
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Just an afterthought.. if the dealer is being a real 'jack' you might be able to get him to settle up with you with merchandise that you would need anyway. I would hit him up for $500 in merch. He makes out a little better due to dealer cost you're made whole. Then just go trade out those WW cores on a decent set.
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05-20-2015, 12:30 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Location: In our coach
Posts: 232
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Yarome
You got a little jipped on the batteries. World wides are an econo deep cycle. The ones you have are rated for 115 amp hours.. so with 4 (2 sets) you have a total of 230ah, but really only 115ah's so as not to drop below 50% SOC. With Trojans you would have 220ah in a SINGLE set. 4 would gettcha 440 with 220 on tap. Cost wise you're not looking at a major difference.. around $95 for WW's and $130 for Trojans. Even most of the box store 6v's would be a major step up from the WW's for $85 or so each. Nearly the same capacities as the Trojans.. just not built as well and won't last nearly as long.
WW doesn't mark month of manufacture.. only a single digit representing the YEAR. Ie. 2012 would be marked with a "2".. 2015.. a "5". Even 6 months to a year out of date sitting around without proper maintenance can just about kill an economy battery like that.
If Trojans were clearly written into your paperwork I would, first nicely, but demand if necessary that your dealer make it right. 4 Trojans will get you setup QUITE nicely. If properly maintained should do you right for 7 years or so.. and if done well... 10 years is pretty darn common.
The dealer probably bought a pallet of those WW's and been feeding them into the pipeline to make some extra coin. Hopefully they have been sitting around dry and not yet activated until just before they were slapped into your rig.
Really a moot point to me though... go getcha those Trojans you were already supposed to have.
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So I called FR first to see if they are using Trojans exclusively before "accusing" the dealership of swapping them out...unfortunately they said that they could have installed different ones including World Wide (depending on what was bulk purchased at the time) and put in the wrong manual. Before I go changing them, I need to become more familiar with my charging system.
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