Dead Motor & RV Batteries

[KsKaren]

Hi, after reading all of the forums, I still have questions. I have a 2017 Sunseeker & I’ve been home a month. Tried starting motor engine & batteries have been dead twice. Bought 3 new batteries less than a year ago so want this problem solved before end of warranty. Should I get solar trickle chargers for my batteries? Can 1 solar charger work on 2 interior batteries? Do you suggest a different kind of charger? Appreciate your help. Stay safe & wash your hands!

[bikendan]

Have you been plugging the RV into shore power, when at home? If not, no wonder the batteries are dead.
Also, what warranty are you referring to? The factory warranty expired already.

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by KsKaren

Hi, after reading all of the forums, I still have questions. I have a 2017 Sunseeker & I’ve been home a month. Tried starting motor engine & batteries have been dead twice. Bought 3 new batteries less than a year ago so want this problem solved before end of warranty. Should I get solar trickle chargers for my batteries? Can 1 solar charger work on 2 interior batteries? Do you suggest a different kind of charger? Appreciate your help. Stay safe & wash your hands!

Let’s recap....after being home 1 month, the engine wouldn’t start from the battery under the hood? Strange. A one year old battery should be able to start you in Kansas weather.

The two house batteries only less than a year old too?
While you’ve been parked, did you have the factory battery disconnect switch in the OFF position? Parasitic draw from house items can kill your house batteries. Do you know if your LP detector was manually turned OFF? They can draw down your house batteries.

Do you have digital meter and know how to get readings from your batteries at rest and plugged in (if possible)?

[nayther]

found out parasitic losses for my trailer are about 3 amps

[Kirk S]

I have a 2017 Forester, Sunseeker's cousin.
When I plug into shore power with the battery switch on the converter charges the house batteries AND the chassis battery.

If you have the type batteries that require adding distilled water on occasion then that should be only maintenance you need to perform other than visual inspections for swelling or corrosion.

When not traveling, we've kept the RV plugged in to shore power for 3 plus years and all 3 original batteries are in good condition.

If you are able to plug in a battery charger, which should not be necessary if your converter is operating properly, then just plug in your Sunseeker. Note that you should not run the air conditioner or microwave unless you are plugged into a 30 amp/120 volt RV receptacle. Otherwise, everything else should operate as designed using a 30 amp to 15/20 amp adapter (dogbone).

[KsKaren]

I appreciate the suggestions for this novice camper. I purchased 3 batteries for chassis & house a year ago & still under that battery warranty. Last fall & winter I plugged in until I headed south in January. It did not get that cold late March is southern KS. I have contacted an electrician to see if I can add a 30 amp outlet rather than over paying at local RV parks. I will go out & learn how to shut off house batteries & LP detector.

So do you suggest I buy solar trickle chargers? I’m not sure when electrician will come & give me a quote. Thanks!

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by KsKaren

I appreciate the suggestions for this novice camper. I purchased 3 batteries for chassis & house a year ago & still under that battery warranty. Last fall & winter I plugged in until I headed south in January. It did not get that cold late March is southern KS. I have contacted an electrician to see if I can add a 30 amp outlet rather than over paying at local RV parks. I will go out & learn how to shut off house batteries & LP detector.

So do you suggest I buy solar trickle chargers? I’m not sure when electrician will come & give me a quote. Thanks!

You can use an outside home outlet, with an adapter, to plug the shore cord into. Don't need a 30 amp outlet to keep the batteries charged.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by bikendan

You can use an outside home outlet, with an adapter, to plug the shore cord into. Don't need a 30 amp outlet to keep the batteries charged.

x2
You need one of these adapters (available at Walmart or other stores that sell rv supplies https://www.amazon.com/Conntek-14101...=fsclp_pl_dp_2

If your batteries are charged, you can disconnect the negative cable on the battery and they won't lose any charge from a parasitic electrical drain.

[A32Deuce]

Go to any auto parts store and buy yourself 2 battery cut off switches, install them and when you come home from camping ,disconnect the batterys.

[Danesville]

I put battery minders on mine if not in use, they work great at maintaining charge

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

Originally Posted by nayther

found out parasitic losses for my trailer are about 3 amps

That is a lot. That is probably "charging" amps.

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

Originally Posted by KsKaren

I appreciate the suggestions for this novice camper. I purchased 3 batteries for chassis & house a year ago & still under that battery warranty. Last fall & winter I plugged in until I headed south in January. It did not get that cold late March is southern KS. I have contacted an electrician to see if I can add a 30 amp outlet rather than over paying at local RV parks. I will go out & learn how to shut off house batteries & LP detector.

So do you suggest I buy solar trickle chargers? I’m not sure when electrician will come & give me a quote. Thanks!

Solar is not necessary and more expensive. As long as you can:

Keep RV plugged in while stored.


And put battery tender on Engine battery or all the batteries and disconnect from the load.


Good Luck

[ArkRVHog]

Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird

x2
If your batteries are charged, you can disconnect the negative cable on the battery and they won't lose any charge from a parasitic electrical drain.

This is exactly what I do based on great advice from the forum. My coach batteries were fully charged, disconnected the negative cable, came back a month letter, reconnected and had 100% charge showing on my Victron monitor.

I have not disconnected my chassis battery but never go more than one month without starting it up for maybe 15 minutes or so. (And no parasitic draw on it.)

And from my experience, once a battery has lost its charge a few times, it seems like it is never the same after that IMHO.

[Cold Lake Kid]

I have a similar problem keeping my house batteries charged.
I have to park in a storage lot without power to the unit, so I often have flat house batteries when I try to use the motor home on the weekends.
The solution I found was to physically disconnect the house batteries when I park the unit and re-connect them when I want to use the motor home again.
The unit's disconnect switch just doesn't stop the parasitic drain.
I remove the batteries for longer term non-use and occasionally charge them.

[Tom48]

I guess we are lucky. Our new to us motorhome has a complete battery isolation switch on the house batteries then a separate, complete battery isolation switch on the coach battery. Even at that the former owner had a small solar panel on top of the air conditioner what she said prohibited the batteries from draining at all ever.

being the go big or go home guy that I am we immediately put 600 watts of solar on the roof and never have to think about the batteries again.

I always recommend that anybody with decent DYI skills put at least a windynation.com 100 watt RV kit on their RV. we started with a hundred Watts portable then rapidly went to 200 Watts on the roof so we didn't have to mess with it. The next coach got 380 on the roof and those batteries have never getting below 12.3 volts even during abusive use while camping. When I say abusive Houston I mean running the inverter the DirecTV and the 32in HDTV half the night. We even occasionally fired the microwave off the inverter.

[rsdata]

And from my experience, once a battery has lost its charge a few times, it seems like it is never the same after that IMHO.

that is a fact, does not need to be an opinion...

[Philkaty]

I start my MH about every 2 weeks. Start the generator also.

[GoneSouth10]

Originally Posted by Philkaty

I start my MH about every 2 weeks. Start the generator also.

Remember to throw a significant load on the genny for a good workout! Probably don't need to load it every two weeks, but periodically . . .

[Philkaty]

You know it. I turn on the AC and lights. Watch TV for about 2 hours or take a nap...

[GoneSouth10]

Originally Posted by Philkaty

You know it. I turn on the AC and lights. Watch TV for about 2 hours or take a nap...

Haha - with this heat we're having, I just went over to my coach yesterday to fire up the genny and both A/C units while I watched a couple of episodes of Trailer Park Boys!!