Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) Battery???

[dhatfield6]

Since day one of owning my 2013 XLR 380 AMP, there has been a low voltage issue when using the Lippert Level Up system. A new deep cycle led acid battery installed by the dealership, with 13.7 amps, trailer plugged into 120 volts 24/7 and the system still kicks out and the level up led display reads "LOW VOLTAGE" before resetting. Thats the situation, now the question.

I know nothing about the charging system in the RV. Have nothing as far as paperwork, make or model from Forest River or the dealership. Can I simply switch to an AGM type battery and everything work the way it was designed?

Are you using an AGM battery?

Any knowledgeable info in layman terms would be greatly appreciated.

[Kenny kustom]

I would guess, the issue is more the wiring, than the battery.

Could you upgrade the main power feed to the controller/motors?


2016 Sabre 36QBOK
2015 Ram 3500 CUMMINS

[Stank Bait]

Take the battery and have it tested.

[dhatfield6]

Its a new battery and tests good.

[northstar1960]

Originally Posted by dhatfield6

Since day one of owning my 2013 XLR 380 AMP, there has been a low voltage issue when using the Lippert Level Up system. A new deep cycle led acid battery installed by the dealership, with 13.7 amps, trailer plugged into 120 volts 24/7 and the system still kicks out and the level up led display reads "LOW VOLTAGE" before resetting. Thats the situation, now the question.

I know nothing about the charging system in the RV. Have nothing as far as paperwork, make or model from Forest River or the dealership. Can I simply switch to an AGM type battery and everything work the way it was designed?

Are you using an AGM battery?

Any knowledgeable info in layman terms would be greatly appreciated.

That's a big YES you can go AGM deep cycle . you may want to make it two or three AGM deep cycle bats for more amp hrs . it's not uncommon to see low voltage from the leveling systems they draw lots of juice one battery my not be enough to offer a steady 12.9 or above

[Kenny kustom]

It could also be basic voltage drop, from undersized wiring.

More batteries MAY not help.
But, never a bad idea.. Just may not solve this exact problem.


2016 Sabre 36QBOK
2015 Ram 3500 CUMMINS

[dave961]

I did a lot of reading about different battery types, and replaced the dealer battery with an AGM. Yes, you can just switch it out. They cost more, but in my mind are worth it. If you do a lot of boon docking, you may want to read (several) posts on this site about putting in 2 6-volt golf card batteries.

[Skyliner]

I have yet to see a camper that has proper diameter wire from battery area in front run to the back where the converter is located.

I calculated that I would need to use a 4/0 cable form my factory converter not to lose more than 1.5% voltage. Stock wire was 6 gauge.

I put a converter/charger next to the front battery back to get away with not having to use very thick wiring.

Also, what is the converter you are using? Odds are you may not be charging your battery long enough and that may be causing your voltage drop.

[spock123]

I purchased a PD 9270 converter to replace the 55amp that came in camper. I was planning to put the new converter in the same spot, I think now I will move the new one close to the batteries. What do y'all think?


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[Kenny kustom]

Originally Posted by spock123

I purchased a PD 9270 converter to replace the 55amp that came in camper. I was planning to put the new converter in the same spot, I think now I will move the new one close to the batteries. What do y'all think?


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As close, but not in the same compartment.


2016 Sabre 36QBOK
2015 Ram 3500 CUMMINS

[dhatfield6]

Skyline, are you saying that the wiring from the battery to the converter needed to be 4/0 awg?

[Kenny kustom]

Originally Posted by dhatfield6

Skyline, are you saying that the wiring from the battery to the converter needed to be 4/0 awg?

IF the convertor was left in its original spot. If you are moving it closer, you don't need to go that big.


2016 Sabre 36QBOK
2015 Ram 3500 CUMMINS

[camaraderie]

Originally Posted by dhatfield6

Its a new battery and tests good.

Your first note says it is 13.7 volts which is impossible and if that is a correct reading I am going to suggest that you were reading voltage in the coach while the charger was on ....in other words ...you were reading the charger...not the battery. Get yourself a turkey baster at the local auto parts store.... hydrometer. Remove battery caps and Suck up the fluid out of each cell and take a reading.


The specific gravity readings you take should not vary by more than .1 from cell to cell AND here is what they represent:


If you are not at 100% ....keep on charging your battery....suggest leaving yourelf plugged in with charger on overnight.
Make sure you ARE charging by going to your battery terminals and taking a voltage reading with a voltmeter while plugged in... you should measure somewhere between 13.2V and 14.6V depending on how depleted the battery is....13.2 when you near 100% ....14.6 if you are below 75% charged. If you don't see voltage like this...your charging system is not working and you should check to see the salesman switch is turned off (your 12V lights will work inside the coach when it is in the right position). Alternatively..you may need to replace a fuse on your battery charger/Converter or on the 12V fuse panel inside your coach. Worst case..converter is dead ...but that is unlikely.

If it doesn't test to 100% by the morning then your battery is NOT good.
AGM batteries will NOT solve your problem. The problem is with either the battery or the charging system and if the latter...then swapping batteries is not the answer.
There are plusses and minuses to AGM vs. WetCell batteries. Lets find the problem first and then figure out if you would benefit from spending 2-3x as much for AGM's vs. a good DEEP CYCLE wet cell.

[Jonol]

If the battery is full charge you should get 14.6 Volts.
Also check for the ground on the motor.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by dhatfield6

Its a new battery and tests good.

Look for the problem to be poor conductivity between the battery and appliance that is giving the trouble. Most common problem automotive or RV is poor ground conntection. Start with were the batteries ground to the frame. At four years old, mine had become such a poor ground that the lights dimmed when the water pump cycled on. That was a good thing because it motivated me to go to all LED lights. They are great, but they were still dimming when the water pump came on. In that case the ground was visibly corroded when I took if off to look at it. There is often also a ground connection to the frame at the motor system that is acting up so that only it is affected. Same issue can occur on the hot side but ground is where I would go first. Checking voltage will not reveal the problem unless you check it while the load is fading the system out. Any connection at all will carry enough current to read as ok on the vold meter as it alone is not a load

[ScottBrownstein]

We have two discussion going on here. As far as replacing a 55 amp charger with a 70 amp unit, you are taking a calculated risk there since the wiring is probably not sized to handle 70 amps. However, you will almost never see 70 amps anyway, even in boost mode.

Now as far as wire size is concerned, 4/0 would handle 80 to 100 amps on a 50 foot unit with the converter in the back and the batteries in the front (that is 90 to 100 feet round trip.) at a 3% voltage loss, which is considered ideal for critical applications, which battery charging isn't! #4 should do it for a 40 foot round trip and besides, you are not going to be able to put anything bigger than maybe #4 into the converter itself.

I would, however take a look at the wiring when putting a 70 amp unit into a 55 amp design. Sure it will help, but only in the first 15 minutes of boost mode.

[Karl4Cat]

Doug, it's not your battery if the issue persists while on shore power and your converter is providing additional DC output. It's a bad connection or ground. Once you find and cure it, then you can consider a battery upgrade however a battery upgrade by itself will not cure your issue. Going AGM is a nice option though. I run 2 Lifeline 4CT 220AH 6V AGM's in my RV and am very happy with their performance.

[Tom48]

One battery alone may not really be enough either for the Inverter or the load when the slide motor is activated. Also I always assume the manufacturer will cut corners on the 12 volt battery cables to the system and the cables that feed the inverter. Nine amps on the 120 volt lead for the frig means maybe as much as 90 to 110 amps on the 12 draw to the inverter so that will pull voltage down too and requires some pretty heavy battery cables from the batteries to the inverter

[camaraderie]

Originally Posted by Jonol

If the battery is full charge you should get 14.6 Volts.

Sorry ....dead wrong. That is a CHARGER voltage that is in the RANGE of charger voltages that may be applied to charge a battery.
A fully charged AND AT REST battery will read 12.7 volts when disconnected from everything for 24 hours. Any higher readings are false surface charges from recent or active charging and not battery state of charge indicators.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Sorry ....dead wrong. That is a CHARGER voltage that is in the RANGE of charger voltages that may be applied to charge a battery.
A fully charged AND AT REST battery will read 12.7 volts when disconnected from everything for 24 hours. Any higher readings are false surface charges from recent or active charging and not battery state of charge indicators.

Absolutely CORRECT