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Old 06-19-2013, 07:47 AM   #1
kiwi2000
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battery basics

I thought I would post my recent findings of RV batteries so other newbies might be one step ahead so to speak in their dealings if an issue should occur with the RV battery.
I have another post active regarding another issue should anyone care to view it.

A new RV battery is replacement warranty for one year only. There is no sliding scale of coverage as in a regular battery. After one year you are on your own.
It might be worthwhile to have your battery checked in the 11 month.

My RV battery requires topping up with distilled water. I remember helping my Dad top up the car battery back in the day but did not think these types of batteries were still in use today. So have a look.

It turns out that the battery disconnect switch does not totally disconnect all sources from the battery. I have found out that the propane and CO detectors bypass the cut off switch. Which in my case anyway is resulting in a continuously dead battery.

Because my RV battery is encased in a screwed down compartment in an inconvenient area it will be difficult to remove the 4 screws the remove the shroud then disconnect the negative terminal to stop the battery drain.

Does anyone have any other tips to add in regards to battery maintenance?
Any easier way to disconnect the battery from the constant draw?
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Old 06-19-2013, 09:39 AM   #2
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I installed one of these on the ground wire from the battery to the chassis.

Battery Disconnect



It breaks the ground therefor the battery is removed from the circuit. When hooked to shore power, all 12volt items still work off the inverter.

I flip it back on though before moving the slides. The inverter can't handle that much amp draw.
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Old 06-19-2013, 09:54 AM   #3
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One thing on my "To Do" list is to get a battery hydrometer.

For the battery cutoff, I installed my own.
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Old 06-19-2013, 12:43 PM   #4
WaltBennett
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Something I noted in a solar article and then noted on our second battery was the parallel cable was far too small to be of any good (10 or maybe even 12 gauge). I checked the charge level and that second battery was never getting fully charged. My temporary solution is to put a trickle charger on the second battery after disconnecting both with a knife switch on the first battery's leg to the house to totally isolate them. I've got to find some 8 or larger gauge wire and redo that mess. The knife disconnect switch has to be replaced as well (it was left over from way back but does the job - sort of). Don't want to sink a lot of $$ into this yet as I'd really like to go AGM 6v and solar. That'll mean rewiring a whole lot of stuff.
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Old 06-19-2013, 02:28 PM   #5
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I believe batteries are dealer installed, so make and model may vary.
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Old 06-23-2013, 11:38 AM   #6
Jim Dow
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Battery Disconnect - For Sure

I installed a) a second 12v battery (operating in parallel), b) battery post fuse for each battery, c) a "for sure" disconnect switch (with a keyed lock) that allows me to use the first, second, or both batteries and charge either one or both while they are disconnected, and d) two Battery Tender chargers (one for each battery) for charging the (disconnected) batteries.

I have not had any battery problems since.

This weekend, I will be replacing both of my lead-acid batteries with matching size 27 AGM 12v batteries - maintenance free I will use those in the camper now as spare batteries for my trolling motor on the boat. I always need extra trolling motor batteries.
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Old 06-23-2013, 07:27 PM   #7
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RV batteries

Our previous TT we bought at Camping World, and we were surprised that they do not provide a battery or some of the waste hoses or connections. Of course that just might be this dealer location. The reason he gave was most of the time a dealer would provide just the cheapest quality, and you could go get a better quality if you were saying you were going boondocking.
To me it seemed could offer the minimum but let you upgrade if you wanted. Seems like they were missing a good upgrade opportunity.
In our case we aren't boondockers- at least for now-so the stock battery is fine.
I don't leave the battery in over the winter, and hook up a battery maintainer. So far the battery in our Cougar has held a charge between trips using the built in disconnect.
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Old 06-24-2013, 09:58 AM   #8
kiwi2000
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Thanks for all the tips we are purchasing the disconnect thing from Napa and will try to install it.
I did not even think to remove the battery over the winter but will do so this year.
In speaking to keystone there are a lot of things that the battery disconnect switch does not affect so it is best to install that product to cut off power to everything.
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Old 06-24-2013, 02:30 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kiwi2000 View Post
Thanks for all the tips we are purchasing the disconnect thing from Napa and will try to install it.
I did not even think to remove the battery over the winter but will do so this year.
In speaking to keystone there are a lot of things that the battery disconnect switch does not affect so it is best to install that product to cut off power to everything.
You are correct. The factory installed battery disconnect only disables some of the parasitic power feeds. The remaining parts of the 12 VDC system is powered up and running. The easiest way to completely disconnect the battery from the RV is to remove the negative cable. Or, install a second battery disconnect on the negative terminal BEFORE it enters the wiring harness.
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Old 06-25-2013, 03:28 PM   #10
kiwi2000
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Or, install a second battery disconnect on the negative terminal BEFORE it enters the wiring harness.

I have purchased the item, It only came with one red key not two. So before the wiring harness, which harness exactly. It appears that all manner of wires run to and from that battery. It would also appear that I would require at least one spare wire complete with terminations to complete this connection. Would I be able to purchase one at the same Napa?

Before it "enters the wiring harness" does that mean before it enters the battery or after the battery?

Is there only one place to put this in or many?
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Old 06-25-2013, 05:32 PM   #11
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If you look at the negative terminal on the battery, there are 1, 2 or 3 wires on it. If you take them off the battery, install them on one side of the "new battery disconnect switch" and install a NAPA 4 guage battery cable from the other side of that same switch to the battery's negative terminal, you will have put a switch "on the negative side of the battery BEFORE it enters the wiring harness."
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