Batteries cooked

[OKpete]

I have a 2013 Sunseeker 3170DS, Last winter I left the unit plugged in to 30 amp power, in it's enclosed garage, for approximately 2 weeks and found the unit full of odor, battery, and alarm chirping. Batteries were cooked. WHY ? I thought motorhome could be left plugged in to outside power indefinitely and would be OK. Replaced batteries and now afraid to leave unit plugged in. I always get better advice on this forum than calling the dealer

[Bluepill]

I had the same problem. Toasted 3 batteries that were less than a year old. I now use only a small battery maintainer for storage. Small maintainers cannot over charge your batteries because they only supply a small amount of current.

This is the unit that I use:

http://www.amazon.com/Yuasa-YUA12010.../dp/B00HZTDKZG

The "Battery Tender" brand has failed in service for two friends, so I chose the Yuasa brand since they make excellent batteries for motorsports.

[doc73]

If the charger is not "smart" you will cook them like hotdogs.. Need to see what model your converter is the see how smart ut is..

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[GL1800Rider]

Okpete, since your unit is a 2013 you probably have a WFCO converter. In my opinion they don't do a real good job of conditioning or charging your battery. Foresters and Sunseekers now use the Progressive Dynamics converter and transfer switch. In storage mode the voltage drops to 13.2 volts so as not to overcharge the batteries. Also, every 21 hours for a period of 15 minutes it charges at 14.2 volts which prevents battery stratification & sulfation - the leading cause of battery failure per the manufacturers literature.

http://www.progressivedyn.com/pd4600...placement.html

[Skyliner]

First thing I change on all of my campers is replace the power converter/charger with a Progressive Dynamics Intellicharger with smart wizard pendant....never had an issue with overcharging when camper is brought home and plugged in.

[Flybob]

The WFCO converter does not have a maintenance mode. The lowest level is essentially a trickle charger which will slowly boil off battery water. Once the water gets low the battery will cook. You have three choices.
1. Replace the converter with Progressive Dynamics converter.
2. Use a Battery Tender (TM) to maintain batteries.
3. Use the WFCO converter, but check battery water ever 2-3 wks.

[sanpedroflyer]

Originally Posted by OKpete

I have a 2013 Sunseeker 3170DS, Last winter I left the unit plugged in to 30 amp power, in it's enclosed garage, for approximately 2 weeks and found the unit full of odor, battery, and alarm chirping. Batteries were cooked. WHY ? I thought motorhome could be left plugged in to outside power indefinitely and would be OK. Replaced batteries and now afraid to leave unit plugged in. I always get better advice on this forum than calling the dealer

My post is about my batteries which are just over 8 months old Have a Dec 2014 sticker)! The RV was delivered in early July 2015.

I had to remove the batteries to re-arrange the battery Box; the wires almost completely covered the water vents.

But BOTH batteries are showing signs of over charging (the cases have small bulges,

But what really makes me angry is that they are NO NAME! They are not any name Brand, there are absolutely no markings except some small numbers in the plastic! No Amp Hour ratings, No Nothing!

You pay $100 Grand and FR gives you #$%%^&&** batteries!

Really sucks!

sanpedroflyer

[doc73]

It's all about the bottom line...

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

[OKpete]

Thanks for all the good info, I agree with 'flyer, spend a bunch and get no name batteries and a converter that cooks them. Seems very odd. So here is another question, can you leave the batteries in place and use a battery tender? If so, I woulg assume you connect tender to coach posative onone battery and negative on second battery ?

[RamblerGuy]

I wouldn't worry about which positive and which negative post to which to connect the battery maintainer. The current is small and the cables connecting the batteries together are large so the difference in current going to the batteries will be neglible.

[Flybob]

Originally Posted by sanpedroflyer

You pay $100 Grand and FR gives you #$%%^&&** batteries!

Really sucks!

sanpedroflyer

Are you surprised. You probably also got a no name antenna and no name tires.

[dwhit]

I have no-name sealed batteries under the stairs of my other RV...an older class "A" Damon. First thing I did was change the converter from a primitive and tired Magnatek to a 55 amp WFCO smart charger. It has three levels of charge. The lowest is a maintaining 13.2vdc.

I've not had a 12volt issue of any sort in three years with the two chassis batts and the engine batt. A modern WFCO should be fine.

Some ok with WFCO, some not. A lot of personal preference/convenience.

My new XLR 415 has a Progressive. It has a transformer that hums so loud with or without load I will have to switch it out. I will not let me rest.

Some ok with Progressive, some not. A lot of personal preference/convenience.

One poor performing cell in a bank of batteries will bring any converter to boil the batteries.

In three RV's I've purchased replacement WFCO's for the first two. In my third and newest I have to replace a Progressive.

All my RV's are connected 24/7...never boiled a battery. Most of my batteries last >7 years. Mtcyl batts around five as I have them on desulphators 24/7.

A voltmeter is your best friend.

Converters are similar to oil forums IMHO.

[MarsMan]

I connected w coachmen and they advised me not to use the converter to maintain the batteries during extended storage. They suggested disconnecting the batteries, remove them to a warmer area and put on a maintainer OR leave in coach, disconnect batteries from the coach by removing the +ive cable/wires. Make sure fully charged (if being left for a month or 2) or put on a maintainer and can be left for months

Since I have a solar panel, I disconnect +ive terminal from coach and let the solar controller float charge the batts. I did check the battery fluid levels and if a nice day will check again in a couple of months. Now have a Trik-L-Charger connecting to the chassis battery to keep that baby healthy.