Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-14-2014, 03:05 PM   #1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Sherwood, Arkansas
Posts: 144
Batteries dead on shore power

I have a 2012 Georgetown 337 and it has new batteries installed in August. I have had it plugged into shore power for the last two months since our last trip. I went to air it out and the slides would not work even plugged in. Come to find out the batteries were dead. Seeking suggestions why this occurred. Thank you for your responses.
__________________
James and Teresa,
DW of 32 Years.
2014 Coachmen Sportscoach Cross Country 360DL

ejw7213 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2014, 03:20 PM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7,948
Sounds like you need to check your battery charger if it is getting to the batteries.
You may have a main DC breaker tripped of have the master house power switch off.
Here is a breaker you need to check. Not sure if you have on exactly like this but it should be in the area of the house batteries. It may be tripped.
You can see the breaker in the upper left hand corner of the picture.
It has a red button to trip and if the red arm is out you must push it back in to turn on.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Motorhome May31_2013 012.jpg
Views:	100
Size:	57.5 KB
ID:	44922  
Iggy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-14-2014, 03:33 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
fonzie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Eastern Ontario
Posts: 4,167
Also check your water level in your battery, might be dry from being on charge all the time.
__________________
Fonzie
2011 Rockwood 8319SS with ProPride 3P hitch/GoodYear Marathons/TST TPMS 507
2019 F350 Ruby Red 6.7l diesel 3.31 axle electronic locker
Yamaha 3000iseb generator:Progressive Ind. EMS-HW30C : Eastern Ontario
Nights Camped: 2014 (18) 2015 (18) 2016 (36) 2017 (32) 2018 (42) 2019 (28) 2020 (35)
fonzie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2014, 01:07 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
jergeod's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Central upstate New York
Posts: 263
You do have your coach battery switch on?
__________________
George & Jerri
06 GT 340 TSSE
USMC
jergeod is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2014, 06:02 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
miked11272's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 102
I had the same problem about a week ago could not figure it out. The batteries were fully charged the breaker wasn't tripped. I started the engine of the motorhome and it reset everything. This is the second time this has happened.
miked11272 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2014, 08:06 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Howie in the Hills, FL
Posts: 1,415
On our boat we didn't have an analog battery gauge. We installed a cigarette lighter volt meter to make sure the batteries were being charged. At the same time while anchors down with the radio on, etc. we never drain the batteries to the point it wouldn't start the engine.

One of these:



Now, for the engine's battery you can just look at the dash gauge, but it would be nice to have something a bit more sophisticated than the battery dummy lights on the control panel. Maybe something as simple as an extra LED that'll let you know the batteries are being charged. Even better would be a display similar to the cigarette lighter meter that tells you the exact voltage.

This would be a cool mod:



Tap into the battery wires that feed the dummy lights and install the digital gauge on the control panel. Hmmm.
__________________
2014 Georgetown 351DS
-TruCenter -Front/Rear CHF -Hellwig Links -Tiger Trak -Ran McNally GPS -ScanGauge -Truck Systems TPMS -5 Star Tune
alparmer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2014, 08:09 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Howie in the Hills, FL
Posts: 1,415
I'd have to go out and look, but IIRC there is a cigarette lighter port in the same panel as the antenna amp button. I wonder if that one is being fed by engine's or house batteries.
__________________
2014 Georgetown 351DS
-TruCenter -Front/Rear CHF -Hellwig Links -Tiger Trak -Ran McNally GPS -ScanGauge -Truck Systems TPMS -5 Star Tune
alparmer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2014, 08:21 AM   #8
Site Team - Lou
 
Herk7769's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: South Eastern PA
Posts: 23,268
Quote:
Originally Posted by alparmmer View Post
I'd have to go out and look, but IIRC there is a cigarette lighter port in the same panel as the antenna amp button. I wonder if that one is being fed by engine's or house batteries.
That outlet is off the house batteries.

There is a breaker in your battery control center that also can open resulting in "failure to connect house batteries" This graphic can ehlp you troubleshoot this issue.

I included a GT370 wiring diagram contributed by a member that may also help you. While it may not be exactly like yours, it should be fairly close.
Attached Files
File Type: pdf Georgetown-Battery Connect Center.pdf (318.6 KB, 48 views)
File Type: pdf GT370 Electrical Layout.PDF (1.65 MB, 40 views)
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk7769 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2014, 06:36 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Howie in the Hills, FL
Posts: 1,415
Quote:
Originally Posted by herk7769 View Post
That outlet is off the house batteries.

There is a breaker in your battery control center that also can open resulting in "failure to connect house batteries" This graphic can ehlp you troubleshoot this issue.

I included a GT370 wiring diagram contributed by a member that may also help you. While it may not be exactly like yours, it should be fairly close.
Awesome, thanks. Once I receive the meter I'll post some pictures. I think it will become very handy...or peace of mind.
__________________
2014 Georgetown 351DS
-TruCenter -Front/Rear CHF -Hellwig Links -Tiger Trak -Ran McNally GPS -ScanGauge -Truck Systems TPMS -5 Star Tune
alparmer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2014, 10:15 PM   #10
Senior Member
 
Cornelius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 253
A similar problem happened here a few days ago. We were plugged in at a campground, and the batteries were dead. It turned out that the 120 volt circuit breaker for the DC converter had tripped. When it failed to reset, I unplugged the converter and then the breaker would reset properly. When I plugged in the converter, there was an arc flash at the 120 volt outlet, and the circuit breaker tripped again.

I knew the factory installed Parallax converter was not so great, as it is a single stage, fixed at 12.6 volts DC. After reading some comments and reviews about just how bad these Chinese made converters are, and their high failure rate, I replaced it with a Progressive Dynamics 4 stage converter (made in USA). I'm not sure yet how well the batteries will recover from the deep discharge.
Cornelius is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-15-2014, 10:34 PM   #11
Senior Member
 
mbtelguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 191
MH Coach Battery charging
One of the problems with the Motorhome battery disconnect switch is that the light on
the switch, misleads a person into thinking that because the light on the switch is on
the batteries are bring charged. The light on the switch only indicates that there is power available on the 12VDC buss and does not indicate that the batteries are being charged .
As an example try the following : disconnect the motorhome from shore power and operate the battery disconnect switch.
The light on the switch will gradually go out. Indicating that there is no power on the 12VDC buss.
Now with out touching the battery disconnect switch plug into shore power, the light on the switch will come on even though the batteries are not connect to the 12VDC bus.

In this state it appears that the batteries are being charged. Because of this many have gone to trouble of purchasing/installing additional chargers thinking that the original converter is not capable of bring the batteries to full charge, when actual fact the converter was not charging the batteries in the first place.

Now this is my understanding of the 12VDC battery/ converter circuit, if anyone has a different view of this I would appreciate hearing from them.

Gary
mbtelguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
power, battery

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:19 AM.