dead battery after 9 months

[Alabama Potter]

Okay, looking for some advice.

1. Bought new TT in January - love it - just got home from a camping trip but before we left the campground I went to retract the slide, using just battery power. No go. Plugged back in to shore power and retracted slide fine. Got home and checked battery. Deader than a hammer. Removed battery and took it to O'Reilly Auto to double check, and yep, stone cold dead. In looking around after removing it to see if something might have drained it DH discovered a battery disconnect key under the A-frame where the battery sat. Never saw THAT before! He didn't turn it off before he removed the dead battery. Have we done something irreparable? Did having that turned to "on" drain the battery?

2. Is battery a FR covered thing or should that be on the dealer? Our last TT from this dealership also had battery issue and had to be replaced by dealer after a couple of months, before we put in the 30 Amp plug at the house. Because it stays plugged in at home there were no obvious battery problems.

Hope it's FR because after about 5 years of business our dealer seems to have packed up his tents and closed down his dealership. ARGH!

I've reached out to Flagstaff Service on their web site but it's the weekend and frankly I figure you guys know more than they do!

Thanks everyone.

[bikendan]

Batteries on trailers are a DEALER item, not the manufacturer.
If the dealer didn't alert you to the battery disconnect switch, during the PDI/Walkthroughn you might have a case .
But its generally on the owner if they let a battery go uncharged.
Since they're out of business, it means you'll have to buy a new one.

[Alabama Potter]

Figures. But do you think any damage was done to systems by disconnecting before turning the battery disconnect key off?

[boondocking]

Not to worry, no damage was done. Disconnecting the battery would be the same as turning off the disconnect.

[Scrapper]

Originally Posted by Alabama Potter

Figures. But do you think any damage was done to systems by disconnecting before turning the battery disconnect key off?

In simple terms, no. Some batteries do fail before their life expectancy age is reached. Batteries will run down to a point that they cannot be recharged if you don't disconnect them without a way to charge them. Since you keep it plugged in at home the only thing you need to worry about is the converter boiling the electrolyte away. You may have to check the electrolyte level once a month and add distilled water when the level gets low. If your TT has a maintenance free battery like mine does then you can't add water.

[NJKris]

Every time a lead acid 'flooded' battery is allowed to go dead, for whatever reason, just know it's lifespan is approximately cut in half each time it happens. So what is a 60 month battery becomes a 30 month battery. That is, if it can be recharged and brought back to life at all.

[AZ Pete]

may be a warranty from the battery manufacturer. Check with them, as most batteries have some sort of warranty.

[Alabama Potter]

Originally Posted by Scrapper

In simple terms, no. Some batteries do fail before their life expectancy age is reached. Batteries will run down to a point that they cannot be recharged if you don't disconnect them without a way to charge them. Since you keep it plugged in at home the only thing you need to worry about is the converter boiling the electrolyte away. You may have to check the electrolyte level once a month and add distilled water when the level gets low. If your TT has a maintenance free battery like mine does then you can't add water.

Thanks. Another ignorant question. I thought being plugged in trickle charged the battery. SHOULD the battery disconnect key be turned off if we are using shore power at home? Would that keep the converter from “boiling the electrolyte away?”

Really appreciate the knowledge you guys share with us novices.

[rsdata]

SHOULD the battery disconnect key be turned off if we are using shore power at home? Would that keep the converter from “boiling the electrolyte away?”

modern converters if they are working properly will not boil the electrolyte, but that does not mean it does not need to be checked...

batteries are too expensive to not be checked with a voltmeter and caps removed every 3-4 months with one cable disconnected...

as far as warranty, check with a supplier of that battery type... most will give you something back within a year... that year starting with the date stamped on the battery.

[Flybob]

If you are keeping the unit plugged in at home when not in use, the battery disconnect switch should be on. You should also check the electrolyte ever 2-3 months just to be safe. Also be sure to check the break-away switch on the tongue as it can get accidentally pulled and will activate the brakes. That will kill the battery in no time.

An alternative would be to turn the battery disconnect off ( battery disconnected) and adding an aftermarket battery tender.

[Freetyme]

Have had a battery get weak but never totally drained. There is enough phantom draw if the disconnect is on without shore power. I'll opt for a battery upgrade over stock before leaving the dealer lot. The disconnect stays on while plugged in at home, 24 hrs before a trip and periodically if theres a long gap. I do check the electrolyte once a month and keep the batery indoors on a trickle charger during winter storage.

[n0ms]

I have had great luck with 2, 6 volt golf cart batteries rather then 1 12 volt. Solar is a good upgrade.
Like everyone said battery life is shortened when left dead or dry.

[bareftn]

Originally Posted by boondocking

Not to worry, no damage was done. Disconnecting the battery would be the same as turning off the disconnect.

Above maybe wrong if you turn off the disconnect switch the co detector will still work and drain the battery and if the smoke detector is hard wired it still works the only true way to disconnect the battery is remove one of the cables

[spock123]

About the only way you can stop draining the battery is disconnect the negative cable on the battery. A battery is a dealer install and they install the cheapest battery they can get away with. I would install a better battery