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Old 03-31-2014, 06:32 PM   #1
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Battery overcharging

We have a 2006 Wildcat. We usually camp every other weekend and so we just plug in to shore power between trips. I usually check the battery water every 4-6 weeks and its never been low. Yesterday morning I noticed a sulfur smell and checked. The battery was very hot and cooked dry. Where can I start looking for the problem? It appears that whatever monitors the charging of the battery has quite working. Thanks for any help you can offer.
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Old 03-31-2014, 06:48 PM   #2
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Not sure what you have for your power center but if it is a 3 stage it should maintain a float charge of 13.2 volts. This should not normally cause an issue but if something failed on it, it could put out as high as 14.4 V which would overcharge a battery.
Regardless, you need a new battery. I would check the output, with a new fully charged battery, with a good digital voltmeter.

What is the make and model of your power center?
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Old 03-31-2014, 06:55 PM   #3
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Not sure the power source, Where can I find that information?
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Old 03-31-2014, 07:04 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by steveandbarbara View Post
We have a 2006 Wildcat. We usually camp every other weekend and so we just plug in to shore power between trips. I usually check the battery water every 4-6 weeks and its never been low. Yesterday morning I noticed a sulfur smell and checked. The battery was very hot and cooked dry. Where can I start looking for the problem? It appears that whatever monitors the charging of the battery has quite working. Thanks for any help you can offer.
You have a 3 stage charger now WFCO, they are junk. They will not drop to 13.2 amps unless they do not read any load for 48 hrs. That is in the manual. So the way they wire the units is that they wire the CO in and also your radio which it reads and never drops to 13.2 it will stay in absorption mode at 13.6. That will kill your battery. The first thing I would do is get a progressive 4600 unit to replace it and then install a new battery. Your convertor went out so you should upgrade. The difference in cost is like 40.00 but it is a true 4 stage not 3 stage. Even FR now has gone to progressive in all there units. Very easy to wire in and replace. When you get home you just press the wizard button and drop it down to 13.2 trickle charge. It will also drop down by itself if no loads are shown. The good part is that it will read your parasites and not stay at 13.6 that is the best advice I can give you. I know if FR is making this change after all these years it tells me something.....
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Old 03-31-2014, 07:04 PM   #5
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Ok, I think I have that information. It's a Parallax Power Supply Electronic 7300 Series.
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Old 04-08-2014, 05:44 PM   #6
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I think my problem was from the battery went bad. The charger was possibly trying to charge it at the highest rate and the battery would not take the charge. I replaced the battery and it seems fine.
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Old 04-08-2014, 09:41 PM   #7
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This can happen as a battery ages and sulfates and the internal grid shorts.
You have a charger that will charge at 14.0V when the battery is depleted and then drop to 13.2 volts for maintenance. Taking a reading with a voltmeter at your battery terminals will confirm that everything is working right...you should always see somewhere between 13.2 and 14.0V...and should never see more than 13.2V if you've been on charge for 8 hours or more.
Good idea to confirm this whenever you check your water every month or so.
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