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01-28-2018, 11:46 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 436
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House Batteries Many Questions
So when you have your rig tied into shore power and it just sitting inside storage do you leave your main power switch on house on?
Second, if your house batteries are low what recharges them? Shore power, generator or the engine?
And it the batteries are low what should I do.
It’s been cold in Oklahoma and we went out today to pull the rug out, start the engine and the generator and let them run for a while. The steps didn’t come out and while the engine was running and the generator I couldn’t open the slides. But when we pulled it back into the storage and connect to the shore power and turned on the main power switch the slides opened up.
So, I’m assuming the batteries are very low.
Thank you for your wisdom.
Not ok in OK.
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01-28-2018, 11:58 AM
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#2
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Kanadian Kamper
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 8,130
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1. If you’re plugged in, then yes I leave the switch on to charge the batteries.
2. Yes to all you just said.
3. Monitor them over the batteries over time with being charged.
4. You need the main switch “ON” to work most everything.
5. Plug in, leave main switch on and monitor the batteries to see if they come back up to where they should be.
__________________
Ken and Terry
2018 Sunseeker 2430S-CD, nicely modified and carried by a 2017 Ford E450 Sport
Former Georgetown 330TS owner for 10 years with more mods than I can count, pushed by our 2017 GMC Terrain
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01-28-2018, 12:30 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,645
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The slides will not operate with the ignition switch on. The batteries (coach and chassis) are charged when plugged into shore power via the converter but the coach batteries must not be disconnected for them to charge. And as said the other sources (genny/engine) will also charge the coach batteries either via the converter or the engine driven alternator.
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01-28-2018, 12:32 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 848
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You should check the electrolyte levels at least once a month and top off with distilled water as needed.
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01-28-2018, 01:25 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Ontario, California
Posts: 2,146
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kentdavido
So when you have your rig tied into shore power and it just sitting inside storage do you leave your main power switch on house on?
Second, if your house batteries are low what recharges them? Shore power, generator or the engine?
And it the batteries are low what should I do.
It’s been cold in Oklahoma and we went out today to pull the rug out, start the engine and the generator and let them run for a while. The steps didn’t come out and while the engine was running and the generator I couldn’t open the slides. But when we pulled it back into the storage and connect to the shore power and turned on the main power switch the slides opened up.
So, I’m assuming the batteries are very low.
Thank you for your wisdom.
Not ok in OK.
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Main switch on in most recent FR units if you want batteries to charge. TV barely charges batteries. Engine I motorhome will do better depending on rig. Slides pretty much need well charged batteries as they can draw more than charger/converter puts out alone, especially if low batteries are already putting a load on it.
Also if the batteries were really dead for any length of time they may never fully recover so if any sign they are not performing well after being hooked up charging for couple days better run a load test on them and plan appropriate action.
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01-28-2018, 02:04 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Broken Arrow, OK
Posts: 207
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Ken,
Pretty sure all your the batteries are Maintenance free.
and as stated battery cutoff and inside switch have to be on to charge, and it will charge all the batteries, first the coach batteries then the engine battery.
And their correct, engine cannot be running when slides are used.
If you have a volt meter, check the battery's under the steps to see how much voltage they have. While charging 13.4 Volts to 14.8 Volts, when not charging 12.8 Volts. 12.0 Volts and under is not good.
__________________
Bill
2015 Charleston 430RB
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01-28-2018, 02:07 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 436
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Thank you all, and I feel really foolish that I forgot to turn the coach off. I know better than that when trying to open the slides. I’m heading out there shortly to check it out again. Appreciate all the advice and you guys are the best.
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01-28-2018, 04:57 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: British Columbia Canada
Posts: 556
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Don't feel bad. Had my Motorhome for over a year and I know slides will not operate with engine running. So there I sat one day scratching my head as to why the slides would not go out and thinking the worst. And then it dawned on me, ya motors running. a seniors moment?
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01-28-2018, 06:23 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 7,645
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Just a note. The engine does not have to be running for the slides to be locked out. Just setting the ignition to on will lock them out. Guess you knew that though. By the way, if the steps do not extend when the door is opened and you suspect a bad coach battery just leave the door open and hit the emergency start switch. If your chassis battery is charged and If they extend you know the coach battery is low on charge.
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01-28-2018, 06:28 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 436
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Where is the emergency start Switch
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01-28-2018, 06:38 PM
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#11
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Kanadian Kamper
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 8,130
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It’s easily accessible from the driver’s position and varies bewteeen models where it might be located, but is usually labeled “BATT BOOST”
It’s a momentary switch used for when the engine battery might be weak and can’t start the motor.
__________________
Ken and Terry
2018 Sunseeker 2430S-CD, nicely modified and carried by a 2017 Ford E450 Sport
Former Georgetown 330TS owner for 10 years with more mods than I can count, pushed by our 2017 GMC Terrain
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01-28-2018, 06:39 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 436
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I swear I’m getting old. Thank you so much
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01-28-2018, 10:21 PM
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#13
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jkoenig24
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Box Elder, SD (formerly NY)
Posts: 953
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If this is a recent purchase of a new coach, the batteries could be the victim of "Lot Rot". MANY RVs sit for months (or longer) at the dealership before they're sold. Batteries (and tires) that sit for extended periods of non-use do NOT fare well and, premature demise of such components is not unusual. There should be a label on the batteries showing when they were put in service (and tires will have a date code). If the components sat for months without being used/plugged in, that could explain your battery problems.
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01-28-2018, 10:59 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 436
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I’ll be honest that I don’t keep the main power switch on while it’s plugged while he sits in his insulated building. I was concerned about over charging the batteries while he sits there. I thought I read that some place. So I went out this afternoon, filing each battery with distilled water, plugging him and turning on his main power switch. I’ll purchase a voltage tester and check them out. I think it was pretty cold here for a good solid two weeks and he took a hit. We always take him out of storage for cruise every 3 weeks, to keep everything fired up. Thank You
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01-29-2018, 12:57 PM
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#15
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Kanadian Kamper
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Southern Ontario
Posts: 8,130
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Not that there’s anything wrong here, but.......
I don’t recall anyone calling the motorhome “him or he or his”
Wish mine was indoors when we’re not in “it or her or....”.
__________________
Ken and Terry
2018 Sunseeker 2430S-CD, nicely modified and carried by a 2017 Ford E450 Sport
Former Georgetown 330TS owner for 10 years with more mods than I can count, pushed by our 2017 GMC Terrain
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01-29-2018, 01:02 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 436
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kenandterry
Not that there’s anything wrong here, but.......
I don’t recall anyone calling the motorhome “him or he or his”
Wish mine was indoors when we’re not in “it or her or....”.
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We’ll, with all due respect it’s a him and his name is George.
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01-31-2018, 03:13 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Western New York State
Posts: 1,923
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Oh boy, there's the making of a whole new thread, "Do you have a name for your RV"?
__________________
sherman12 and The Fabulous Miss Barb
2014 SportsCoach Cross Country 360DL DP
Former 2011 Georgetown 330TS
Kia Sportage on MasterTow Dolly
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01-31-2018, 04:00 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tulsa
Posts: 436
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sherman12
Oh boy, there's the making of a whole new thread, "Do you have a name for your RV"?
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It’s already out there in this group.
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01-31-2018, 04:21 PM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Flatville, IL
Posts: 86
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I killed the house batteries on my 2013 G-town because I did not leave the disconnect switch "on" when plugged into shore power. I replaced them the summer of '17. (Also, I wasn't aware that the engine battery will also be charged. Thanks for that information.)
Now I would like to know the purpose of even having a disconnect switch.
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01-31-2018, 04:27 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 848
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ol Poopypants
I killed the house batteries on my 2013 G-town because I did not leave the disconnect switch "on" when plugged into shore power. I replaced them the summer of '17. (Also, I wasn't aware that the engine battery will also be charged. Thanks for that information.)
Now I would like to know the purpose of even having a disconnect switch.
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Ensuring your house batteries maintain maximum charge.
Make sure it's disconnected when removed from shore power. Disconnect the ground cable from ground while in storage to ensure the charge isn't being depleted by radios, lp gas monitors etc etc.
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