Electrical/battery problem?

[dstacy969]

Hi, we bought a 2016 wolf pup 16 FQ last month. It has been sitting in our driveway since. I got in it this morning, nothing was working, lights, stereo, etc. The same thing happened a couple of weeks ago, and I hooked my tow vehicle up to it (electrical cable) and let it run for a while to charge the battery. After a while, I was able to get the electrical components to work. Today however, I tried the same thing, and still no power inside at all. The tail lights, turn signals, etc. work but nothing inside. Do I have a bad battery?


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[dstacy969]

UPDATE: I tried hooking up to "shore power" from my house. Everything inside worked. Then I unplugged from the house power, didn't change anything else, but everything is still working. Can anyone explain this?


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[TURBS]

If your unit is not used for a period of time the battery will go dead because of phantom electrical draws.

Battery needs disconnected

Battery disconnect needs to be off if you have one

Or you need to leave it plugged in 24/7

Battery cut off


2015 Columbus 320RS
2008 2500HD Duramax
2015 nights camped "34"

[dstacy969]

Thanks. I don't believe I have a battery disconnect switch. I will disconnect the cables in the future, I guess. I still don't understand, though, why plugging it into the house power for a few minutes seemed to kind of "jumpstart" the battery power?


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[ScottBrownstein]

Originally Posted by dstacy969

Thanks. I don't believe I have a battery disconnect switch. I will disconnect the cables in the future, I guess. I still don't understand, though, why plugging it into the house power for a few minutes seemed to kind of "jumpstart" the battery power?


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Your converter started supplying 12 volts from the shore power. It will also try to charge the battery, but it sounds like it is incapable of being charged. Leave it hooked to 120 volts for 24 hours. If there is no 12 volt when you disconnect, time for a new battery. Of course check the battery connections first.

[Stank Bait]

Once the battery gets below 10.5 volts, throw away and get a new one if you want reliability.

[dstacy969]

Okay. Thanks everyone. Seems there's plenty to learn about RVs, I look forward to it.


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[bikendan]

One of the top newbie mistakes is not being aware of all the parasitic power drains in modern RVs.
Installing a battery disconnect switch is a favorite mod and very simple.

a website that should be required reading for all newbies, is "the 12 Volt Side of Life I & II"
Google it.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Stank Bait

Once the battery gets below 10.5 volts, throw away and get a new one if you want reliability.

Yep, just was checking out the battery on my Yamaha generator. It is a 12 volt "motorcycle" battery and the generator was put away with it fully charged.

I found it with 3.6 volts so I ordered a new one. Even my 4 stage battery charger couldn't bring it back to life.

I have to disassemble the generator to get to the battery. I also bought a battery minder so it will stay plugged in from now on.

[bob caldwell]

Herk, why not add a couple jumper wires to battery posts so that the minder would/ will be easy to connect to...

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

Herk, why not add a couple jumper wires to battery posts so that the minder would/ will be easy to connect to...

That is the plan. I will be using Powerpole connectors on the battery minder so the connect/disconnect will be fast and easy.

[dstacy969]

Originally Posted by bikendan

One of the top newbie mistakes is not being aware of all the parasitic power drains in modern RVs.
Installing a battery disconnect switch is a favorite mod and very simple.

a website that should be required reading for all newbies, is "the 12 Volt Side of Life I & II"
Google it.

I'll check it out, thanks!


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[firsthere]

My dealer showed us this nice setup that worked great on our 21rb. The large hole was already in place just had to drill two mounting screw locations.

[Still Kickin]

Originally Posted by Herk7769

Yep, just was checking out the battery on my Yamaha generator. It is a 12 volt "motorcycle" battery and the generator was put away with it fully charged.

I found it with 3.6 volts so I ordered a new one. Even my 4 stage battery charger couldn't bring it back to life.

I have to disassemble the generator to get to the battery. I also bought a battery minder so it will stay plugged in from now on.

Herk, read this article. It's the most definative on that "fourth" stage thing the're selling. Sure seems like the marketing of a four stage is a hoax to me.
Credit to another forum member for this contribiting article Answer To The Question: Battery Desulfators - Do They Work? - Blog | Impact Battery Blog Just sayin'

[updhaul]

As a new owner you will find a volt-ohm meter will be a great addition to your tool kit. About $20-$30. That way you will be able to check battery voltage at the battery post and so many other problems that can be solved. The battery connections are frequent cause of new "failure" in vehicles and rv's of all types. Check them, make sure trip home didn't loosen up connection enough to cause intermittent problem so you can have confidence it will not reoccur..

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Still Kickin

Herk, read this article. It's the most definative on that "fourth" stage thing the're selling. Sure seems like the marketing of a four stage is a hoax to me.
Credit to another forum member for this contribiting article Answer To The Question: Battery Desulfators - Do They Work? - Blog | Impact Battery Blog Just sayin'

I read that article all the way through and it seemed to me the opposite was true. They were only contraindicated in Lithium Batteries because they use a different Chemistry.

"PulseTech to the Rescue!

A few years back Pulse Tech patented a pulse frequency that would dissolve the crystalized sulfate and return it to its original form. And with that the first Battery Desulfator was born! The military was (and is) its primary customer. Their pulse frequency is a range from 22-28 KHz. That is roughly 22,000-28,000 pulses per second. The years of testing has produced empirical data that shows the effect on lead plates and validates their use as a battery desulfator."

[dstacy969]

Originally Posted by ScottBrownstein

Your converter started supplying 12 volts from the shore power. It will also try to charge the battery, but it sounds like it is incapable of being charged. Leave it hooked to 120 volts for 24 hours. If there is no 12 volt when you disconnect, time for a new battery. Of course check the battery connections first.

The problem seems to be solved. We've camped two weekends since then at campgrounds with electrical hook ups, and after the first weekend being on shore power all weekend, the battery seemed to be fine, and has been since.

[Boomer1968]

Should the battery cut-off switch be turned "off" or "on" when the RV is plugged into shore power and the battery is still in it?

[Flybob]

Originally Posted by Boomer1968

Should the battery cut-off switch be turned "off" or "on" when the RV is plugged into shore power and the battery is still in it?

ON. The converter charges the battery. The cut off switch is used to disconnect the battery when the unit is not connected to shore power when stored so the parasitic loads do not drain it. Be sure to have the switch on when towing as depending how it was installed, it may disable the break away braking if off.

[Boomer1968]

Thanks for the info...... Long time reader but never a poster.