Inverter or Batteries - Page 2

TitanMike · 05-08-2019, 04:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stepdad1234

I would never open or close slides or use leveling jacks without shore power or generator. Batteries also need to be fully charged. These are 12 volt systems and is a huge amperage draw! My second inverter and I have four Trojan 6volt batteries and with Residential refer and all the computers/TV's/etc. this works for me. (Solar and small 2k gen)

The electric slide on my trailer only draws 7 amps according to my Victron battery monitor. Takes less than 30 seconds to extend or retract so the operation uses less than one amp hour. Main issue is battery voltage which is why the manuals all mention turning on generator or plugging in to shore power.

babock · 05-08-2019, 05:30 PM

I just use battery power for my slides as well.

djousma · 05-09-2019, 08:28 AM

So, again it sounds like your batteries are not being charged when plugged in to shore power. Back in march you reported in this thread that your converter switch was turned off?

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ml#post2052064

I also asked you if you had the red battery disconnect switch off. That would also stop the batteries from being charged. If the Red key can be removed without turning it, then the batteries are disconnected from the shore power. I did this once, as the wording on the switch is confusing.

whj469 · 05-09-2019, 08:33 AM

I will try the battery disconnect switch. It is off. Thank yoy

CHICKDOE · 05-09-2019, 08:54 AM

to OP:

it sure sounds like you are experiencing low batteries. on our 3825 there is a little control panel for the lippert level-up system. turn it on and scroll down to the battery voltage display panel. it will show the battery voltage. (no need for a multimeter to do this). a fully charged set of batteries should show something like 12.7 volts. if you do not have this you are not getting your batteries fully charged! also when they are being recharged the display will show a voltage of 13.4 or so. this will confirm that you are getting a recharge voltage.

i run the slides in and out using just battery power but i also keep the batteries fully charged. jumping them with jumper cables will not recharge them.

on our 3825 the battery disconnect switch is just inside the passenger side storage door up high on the read bulkhead wall. as djousma said check the status of this switch. if you can remove the red plastic key, the batteries are not disconnected and will not receive a charge from the converter.

i originally had problems with our batteries getting drained even when the disconnect switch had them disconnected. i think i found 5 items that were still probably putting a parasitic load on the batteries. i put in a real battery disconnect switch on the battery cable that disconnected everything. since i did that i see no drain on the batteries and they keep their charge quite well. i use that battery voltage display panel of the lippert level up controller to monitor battery voltage.

i realize that there may be differences between my trailer and yours due to model changes over the years. hopefully your lippert display still shows battery voltage. monitor it.

djousma · 05-09-2019, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whj469

I will try the battery disconnect switch. It is off. Thank yoy

If it is off, then that is your problem. As Chickdoe points out, even when off, certain items like LP detector, etc are still connected, draining your battery when not connected to shore power. I too installed a true disconnect, right at the battery so that "everything" is disconnected. I can then leave it all off-season and be fine in the spring.

djousma · 05-09-2019, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHICKDOE

to OP:

it sure sounds like you are experiencing low batteries. on our 3825 there is a little control panel for the lippert level-up system. turn it on and scroll down to the battery voltage display panel. it will show the battery voltage. (no need for a multimeter to do this). a fully charged set of batteries should show something like 12.7 volts. if you do not have this you are not getting your batteries fully charged! also when they are being recharged the display will show a voltage of 13.4 or so. this will confirm that you are getting a recharge voltage.

i run the slides in and out using just battery power but i also keep the batteries fully charged. jumping them with jumper cables will not recharge them.

on our 3825 the battery disconnect switch is just inside the passenger side storage door up high on the read bulkhead wall. as djousma said check the status of this switch. if you can remove the red plastic key, the batteries are not disconnected and will not receive a charge from the converter.

i originally had problems with our batteries getting drained even when the disconnect switch had them disconnected. i think i found 5 items that were still probably putting a parasitic load on the batteries. i put in a real battery disconnect switch on the battery cable that disconnected everything. since i did that i see no drain on the batteries and they keep their charge quite well. i use that battery voltage display panel of the lippert level up controller to monitor battery voltage.

i realize that there may be differences between my trailer and yours due to model changes over the years. hopefully your lippert display still shows battery voltage. monitor it.

I think you mean the batteries ARE disconnected, and not receiving a charge.

whj469 · 05-11-2019, 09:14 PM

I thank all of you. It looks like it was the battery disconnect. Once I turned the key the converter turned back on and I hope all is now well? If there is more I will post again with details.

CHICKDOE · 05-12-2019, 06:41 AM

did you find the battery voltage display on the lippert control panel? this is a great way to monitor battery voltage. if fully charged and not being recharged the voltage should be about 12.6 volts, may a bit more. when being recharged they should be around 13.6. i use this all the time to confirm that i have a full battery when i put it into storage and that i have a recharge voltage when i am hooked up to shore power. i put a true disconnect switch on the batteries. i also use the lippert system to confirm that i have disconnected the batteries for storage. it won't come on if my disconnect has disconnected the batteries. the factory switch does not disconnect all loads and they will drain the battery while in storage.

other than that congratulations on the 3825! we have used ours quite a bit and we like it a lot. the wife likes her kitchen!

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