I got maintenace free coach batteries - Page 2

gmacklem · 11-09-2015, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945

Shirley you are kidding about the airbags,,, Right ???
LOL !!!

I kid you not. Airbags wouldn't take air. I crawled under the RV and found the red air lines snipped off and no sign of airbags. I contacted the dealer where I bought it and they installed brand new bags at no cost to me. I did not ask nor expect them to do that since I bought it as-is. I think they were as surprised as me that the bags were removed.

Wolverine 1945 · 11-09-2015, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gmacklem

I kid you not. Airbags wouldn't take air. I crawled under the RV and found the red air lines snipped off and no sign of airbags. I contacted the dealer where I bought it and they installed brand new bags at no cost to me. I did not ask nor expect them to do that since I bought it as-is. I think they were as surprised as me that the bags were removed.

I hear ya,,, but I think that is only right that they replace some thing that was supposed to be there !!! Maybe the missing battery also ???
Sounds like the previous owner had a problem with someone ???

DXSMac · 11-09-2015, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brandon 2

I think maintenance free is just a come on. When you are checking the oil and other normal things on your motor home it good to pull those caps off and top them up with distilled water.. I have found that in hot weather they tend to go thru more water. Not hard to top the cells off. Make sure you keep the water level above the plates.

I once tried a "KWIK FILL" and I found that to be useless. I had trouble ascertaining when it was "full" and I overfilled a lot. Just do it by hand.

Wolverine 1945 · 11-09-2015, 10:43 AM

It maybe a totally different thing,,, but I replaced the Maintenance Free MotorCraft battery in my 03 F-150 a year or so back,,, because it was 11 years old,,, and I did not want to deal with it if it went bad during the winter !!!
Of course I replaced it with a MotorCraft battery !!!

camaraderie · 11-09-2015, 11:21 AM

Often the newer multi-cap batteries can be confused with sealed "no maintenance" batteries. Here's pix of both. Just because the hole covers are covered up and recessed doesn't mean they don't need to be watered.
Interstate Maintenance free design...

Interstate NON maintenance free battery with pry up recessed "tri caps". Check & water as needed.

burse · 11-09-2015, 12:09 PM

I had gel cell and when it got down to 12 volts or less the on board charger would not charge. I learned to connect a good 12 volt battery to the gell cell in series then connect 10amp off board charger to gell, this tricks gell to take charge. Had to do this once or twice a year.

Boso · 11-09-2015, 12:28 PM

I think maintance free would be ok in cars and some trucks but not as house batteries in a RV even has two batteries in ford diesel trucks from factory that are not maintance free

DXSMac · 11-09-2015, 04:49 PM

Ok, my new batteries don't have a "cover" like what was shown. Leads me to suspect they are possibly NOT "maintenance free." I'm gonna pull the caps.

OniOne · 11-09-2015, 07:33 PM

DSXmac

Here is the link to the DIY to fix the issue we had with our 3171ds and the navi, radio, battery.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...1ds-96032.html

~onione

Wolverine 1945 · 11-10-2015, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Often the newer multi-cap batteries can be confused with sealed "no maintenance" batteries. Here's pix of both. Just because the hole covers are covered up and recessed doesn't mean they don't need to be watered.
Interstate Maintenance free design...

Interstate NON maintenance free battery with pry up recessed "tri caps". Check & water as needed.

Great photos camaraderie,,, Thank You !!!
Our 2013 Sunseeker has batteries like the top photo,,, with different posts,,, so if I understand right they are Maintenance Free ???
I just looked,,, the Motorcraft battery I put in my 03 F-150 is Maintenance Free,,, it has a large plastic cover over the top,,, our 2011 EDGE Motorcraft Battery is not,, as is the Motorcraft Battery in the 2013 E450 !!!
Both those have caps,,, very tight fitting,,, but they can be removed !!!
Time to get some distilled water !!!

PS: both my lawn tractor have Maintenance Free Batteries !!!
LOL !!!

camaraderie · 11-10-2015, 10:06 AM

Wolverine...yup...the posts can be different but the top picture never needs water. Best way to preserve such batts is to NOT leave them plugged in when unused for a while...charge fully then unplug...removing negative wire or using a cut off switch to prevent discharge. Constantly leaving plugged in will gradually off vent water which can't be replenshed.
Maintenance free is great for starting batteries & I've got a couple on my scooters. Less to worry about.

camaraderie · 11-10-2015, 10:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DXSMac

Ok, my new batteries don't have a "cover" like what was shown. Leads me to suspect they are possibly NOT "maintenance free." I'm gonna pull the caps.

Usually there is a little slot built into the multicap cover where you can insert a screwdriver and gently pry up. If you are not sure...take a picture and post it here or give a link to the battery brand/model on line.

***********

@Boso....exactly my sentiments.

Wolverine 1945 · 11-10-2015, 10:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Usually there is a little slot built into the multicap cover where you can insert a screwdriver and gently pry up. If you are not sure...take a picture and post it here or give a link to the battery brand/model on line.

***********

@Boso....exactly my sentiments.

What are your thought about Battery Maintainers ???
I have one hooked to E450 battery & The battery in my lawn tractor that I use for Snow Blowing ???

camaraderie · 11-10-2015, 11:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolverine 1945

What are your thought about Battery Maintainers ???
I have one hooked to E450 battery & The battery in my lawn tractor that I use for Snow Blowing ???

Conventional flooded batteries self discharge at around 15% a month so if there are no parasitic loads (lawn tractor) there's no reason to keep any type of charger on unless unused for lengthy periods. (Discharge rate is less than 10% in freezing weather & 20 in HOT weather) I prefer to let a battery run down to 50% then apply a full conventional charge a bulk voltage & amps to "stir up" and mix the electrolyte & prevent sulfation rather than a small low volt, low amp constant current. That said...there is a benefit to keeping a battery topped up...and little risk of damage so sometimes the convenience outweighs the "best" solution. I have a battery tender for my scooters which sit most of the winter...but I only put it on for a few days at a time. In the coach...I simply properly fully charge by leaving it plugged in to shore power overnight then disconnect the negative batt wire and check every couple of months to see that I remain over 12.2V during the winter months when it is not used. Batteries will not freeze down to about 20 below if kept to 60% charge. (90 below if kept fully charged)
If I lived in the far north ...I might find a battery tender handy for the coach as well.

Now...since you mentioned battery maintainer...I will note that I'm simply referring to small, smart trickle chargers like the battery tender brand. I am not referring to any device that claims to reduce sulfation and maintain batteries with PULSE technology. These are snake oil and a waste of money...though some may work just as well as a battery tender since they include that charging routine as well as the snake oil.

Wolverine 1945 · 11-11-2015, 07:45 AM

Thank for the Info Cam !!!
I find that the Maintainer helps a lot in the winter when it comes to starting the tractor !!! A little heat would help a lot also !!!

DXSMac · 11-11-2015, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OniOne

DSXmac

Here is the link to the DIY to fix the issue we had with our 3171ds and the navi, radio, battery.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...1ds-96032.html

~onione

Thanks! Problem hasn't presented itself since I replaced batteries, but I will try that if it does!

trdutch · 11-18-2015, 05:41 AM

I read often of folks putting a tender or trickle charge on the Coach batteries.
If you have an electrical outlet to plug in the charger,why wouldn't you just plug in the the coach and let the units charging system maintain the batteries?
What am I missing here?

poorbuthappy · 11-18-2015, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trdutch

I read often of folks putting a tender or trickle charge on the Coach batteries.
If you have an electrical outlet to plug in the charger,why wouldn't you just plug in the the coach and let the units charging system maintain the batteries?
What am I missing here?

the combo of cheap converter/charger and small wires don't let the factory unit actually use all three stages, so it ends up boiling the batteries dry.

A32Deuce · 11-18-2015, 07:36 AM

I have a battery that I keep on a Battery Tender when not in use. Its an AGM bat, but I have been using the same bat since 2001. I would say the Battery Tender lives up to its name!

Wolverine 1945 · 11-18-2015, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trdutch

I read often of folks putting a tender or trickle charge on the Coach batteries.
If you have an electrical outlet to plug in the charger,why wouldn't you just plug in the the coach and let the units charging system maintain the batteries?
What am I missing here?

Maybe folks just run a small core to the Maintainer ???
I have a Maintainer hooked to the Truck battery !!!
From the barn,,, thru the E450 grill up to the Battery !!!

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