2020 Geo Pro delivered, didn't work

[Carrie S]

I am completely new here. Just purchased 2020 Geo Pro 19FBS. Looked at it at dealer on shore power. Everything seemed fine. Salesman was nice enough to deliver it to me from 2 hours away and when we tried to switch vehicles first thing power tongue jack barely moved. I checked inside and barely had any juice in there for a light. Slides and awning wouldn't work. I think batteries bad but he said they should have charged on drive up. My thought is that they shouldn't have needed charging especially with solar package, right???? Yes battery cutoff switch was "on". He drove it back another 2 hours and they're looking at it. anyway, i asked him to send me a pic of the solar controller. Looks like it's currently in the Sun? But battery looks dead? Are batteries 10.1 Volts? How do i know the solar panel is charging batteries? I don't know enough about the solar system yet but i want to be sure when i get back to the dealer I know what i'm looking at if their service people don't!! I wish my first post was "Hello, my name is Carrie and i'm super excited to use my new/used camper"

[PodGeek]

Link to controller manual:

https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/c...-PWM-30-UL.pdf

By the way, took our R-Pod in for some work after last season. Has the factory solar, which has been great at keeping the battery charged for two years. They kept it for maybe six weeks, and when I got it back and the battery was dead, apparently because they kept it somewhere out of the sun. Lesson learned.

You may well have a dead/dying battery.

[bikendan]

Dealers are notorious for leaving the battery on and letting it drain.
If the battery was dead, towing it for only two hours isn't enough time to recharge the battery.
10.1 is a really dead battery.

[Carrie S]

How do i know if i have a dying battery? Don't you have to put a load on them or something to find that out? or is that a different type of battery? Wouldn't having the battery cut off switch prevent drain on the batteries? I'm sure the unit was sitting outside for the last 30 days or so. I just hope its not a bigger electrical problem...I haven't heard back from them.

[PodGeek]

Originally Posted by Carrie S

How do i know if i have a dying battery?...

Took mine to Batteries+ and they tested it. "Dead as a doornail".

[Carrie S]

Got it. Thanks!! It would be nice if it had good batteries when buying a "new" unit to me.

[PodGeek]

Originally Posted by Carrie S

Got it. Thanks!! It would be nice if it had good batteries when buying a "new" unit to me.

Look on the bright side. You didn't say that the roof leaks...

[Carrie S]

I haven't used it yet!!!!!! Good Lord i sure hope that doesn't happen!! I've read the reviews.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by Carrie S

How do i know if i have a dying battery? Don't you have to put a load on them or something to find that out? or is that a different type of battery? Wouldn't having the battery cut off switch prevent drain on the batteries? I'm sure the unit was sitting outside for the last 30 days or so. I just hope its not a bigger electrical problem...I haven't heard back from them.

The symptoms you listed, slow tongue jack, slides and awning not working, no lights are all symptoms of a dying battery. You can always put a battery charger/ maintainer which shows the voltage on the battery to test it. Batteries are usually 12+ volts for your size unit. Having it load tested at the local auto store is better.

The battery cut off switch doesn't stop the battery from draining due to parasitic loads. You need to either take off the negative battery cable (the cheap solution) or have a battery disconnect switch installed on the battery itself. Just make certain to turn it back on because the battery controls the brakes.

If the battery has been weakened by continuously letting it run down, you probably will end up replacing it (or the dealer will since you just bought it). Sometimes they just won't hold a charge.
You probably didn't see any signs of problems on the dealers lot because they had it plugged into electricity.

Hopefully a new battery will fix the problems.

[PhilFromMaine]

Originally Posted by Carrie S

I am completely new here. Just purchased 2020 Geo Pro 19FBS. Looked at it at dealer on shore power. Everything seemed fine. Salesman was nice enough to deliver it to me from 2 hours away and when we tried to switch vehicles first thing power tongue jack barely moved. I checked inside and barely had any juice in there for a light. Slides and awning wouldn't work. I think batteries bad but he said they should have charged on drive up. My thought is that they shouldn't have needed charging especially with solar package, right???? Yes battery cutoff switch was "on". He drove it back another 2 hours and they're looking at it. anyway, i asked him to send me a pic of the solar controller. Looks like it's currently in the Sun? But battery looks dead? Are batteries 10.1 Volts? How do i know the solar panel is charging batteries? I don't know enough about the solar system yet but i want to be sure when i get back to the dealer I know what i'm looking at if their service people don't!! I wish my first post was "Hello, my name is Carrie and i'm super excited to use my new/used camper"

10.1 is a very dead battery. I assume it is a lead acid battery, a cheap one at that. They should replace the battery with a new one because when one lets their battery get that discharged they are permanently damaging it.

You can tell if your Solar system is working by viewing the screen on the solar controller. By pushing the display buttons, you can cycle to a screen that shows how many amps are flowing from the solar panel to your battery. Of course you need a sunny day to do this and your panel must be in complete sunlight.

There could be a myriad reasons why a good functional panel didn't charge the battery.

[Ken-m]

Pretty obvious it's a dead battery, hard to believe the delivery guy dragged it 2 hours back to the dealer for a dead battery. That is the reason I'll never take my rig to a dealer for anything ever . But then again I still vote and look what we have .

[Carrie S]

thank you. Good points. i didn't know that cut off switch doesn't cut off parasitic load. Good to know how to stop that if needed. Is having the inverter on but nothing plugged in a parasitic load, Or a drain in general?

[Carrie S]

thanks for that explanation on the Amps. Thats what i was wondering about. I find this solar stuff very interesting. I think this unit may have been used to boondock alot so maybe 2 years is enough of use on the batteries. And who knows how they were maintained in the winter. Thank you!

[Carrie S]

ken-m. you're funny. Love you voting comment. I'm ok they took it back. what if it's not just the batteries?!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Carrie S

Got it. Thanks!! It would be nice if it had good batteries when buying a "new" unit to me.

Not sure how GeoPro battery disconnect switches work.
Some disconnect it when in the On position, so the battery is disconnected from shore power and the trailer. On other switches, On means the battery is connected to the trailer and can supply power.

[Carrie S]

Originally Posted by bikendan

Not sure how GeoPro battery disconnect switches work.
Some disconnect it when in the On position, so the battery is disconnected from shore power and the trailer. On other switches, On means the battery is connected to the trailer and can supply power.

yes, i've got some figuring out to do. In addition now, i'm wondering if there is a transfer switch on the camper? Or do you just turn off the inverter? Because if i'm on shore power or generator, do i really want my solar energy going to the batteries also? I printed the Go Power Reference Guide to learn more. whew, lots to learn here, but i love it.

[PodGeek]

Originally Posted by Carrie S

...And who knows how they were maintained in the winter....

I leave my battery connected all winter...the solar takes care of things. A charged battery apparently doesn't suffer in cold weather (at least mine hasn't).