2017 Fuzion 371

No4hitter · 06-03-2023, 05:07 AM

Will bad batteries not let you use the hydraulic leveling system, slide-outs, and not allow the generator to turn over even with shore power connected?

**chuckster57** · 06-03-2023, 05:20 AM

Welcome to the forum

If your not plugged into shore power then the answer is definitely.

No4hitter · 06-03-2023, 05:36 AM

I am connected to shore power, but batteries are dead and nothing is working, you can hear them click, but it is like there is not enough power to work them.

**flybouy** · 06-03-2023, 05:52 AM

The batteries are a MUST when operating high Amp drawing equipment like slides. The motor will draw a very high amperage when it initially starts up and the battery is necessary to provide that surge in current. Relying on the convert only can damage the convonverterersion resulting in premature failure.

There's 2 conclusive methods for testing flooded cell batteries. First is with a battery hydrometer and second is with a load tester. Either can be obtained rather economically but most folks just pull the battery(s) and take them to a local autoparts chain. Most auto parts stores will check the battery for free. The other plus for having tested there is that if you need to replace it you are there.

**JRTJH** · 06-03-2023, 06:01 AM

Short answer: YES, you need a battery in the system !!!!!

Long answer: The trailer converter/charger usually is rated at 45, 55, 65 or 75 amps. The "high current motors" in the hydraulic system, slide moving systems, leveling systems and even the fifth wheel landing gear systems and the generator starter all use significantly greater amp loads than the converter/charger can safely provide....

Think for a moment about the CCA (cold cranking amps) rating on even a small GP24 battery. They are typically rated at a minimum, somewhere above 425 amps, and a typical GP27 "marine/RV battery" is rated close to or more than 1000 CCA.

It's impossible for a RV converter/charger rated at 55 amps to provide that kind of load to the trailer "heavy amp motors" without the fully charged battery to carry most of the load.....

So, do your converter charger a favor and follow the advice on that red warning label next to the slide switches. Every Keystone RV that I've seen had one of these "warning labels" on the wall next to the slide switches. Through the years, owners tend to remove them, but that doesn't change the requirement to have a battery to protect the converter/charger.

No4hitter · 06-03-2023, 06:59 AM

Great answer...Thanks

86GT2r · 06-04-2023, 06:02 AM

Best to charge / replace your battery. In a pinch, and if you have the access room, you could use jumper cables to your TV & use that to start your generator. This should allow you move the slides & leveling system.

No4hitter · 07-16-2023, 05:35 AM

JRTJH,

1 more question that I am sure you can answer, my battery is good, checking 12.8V and everything works fine when plugged in to shore power. Once I disconnect from shore power my incommand or Lippert level up system do not work. My battery also will not stay charged on shore power. I am getting ready to check the converter, but wondering if a bad converter would also keep the incommand and lippert from working?

Thanks

**JRTJH** · 07-16-2023, 06:46 AM

Several things come to mind:

1. Was the battery "load tested" or did you just use a voltmeter to check for voltage? You could have one or more "bad cells" in the battery that produce voltage with no load, but fail when a high amp load is applied. So, load test the battery to confirm it is working properly.

2. There is a battery cutoff switch on your trailer. If it is turned off, the converter is "disconnected from the battery" so it won't charge it AND the In-Command system is disconnected, so it won't respond.

3. That battery cutoff switch would cause "no 12 volt operation" in the trailer when not connected to shore power.

4. There are two "reverse polarity fuses" located on your converter/charger. If the cables were connected to the battery in reverse (POS to NEG and NEG to POS) even for a moment (just a single spark) then those fuses are blown. Their purpose is to protect the converter and the trailer system from the damage caused by hooking up the battery "backwards'... It happens more than you'd imagine...

5. In the "Brock Box" located near your battery, there are several 12 volt auto reset circuit breakers. They are notorious for failure. They often will not "reset" which causes the same condition as disconnecting the battery. You can locate your "Brock Box" by following the POS/black battery cable from your battery to the "black box it first connects to"... That's the "Brock Box". If you have a solar system connected to your battery, don't confuse the battery lead to the solar system, follow the cable that is NOT connected to the solar controller. If you have a inverter connected, that also is NOT the trailer battery power system for the trailer....

No4hitter · 07-16-2023, 07:04 AM

Thank you for the quick reply, there are a couple things on there that I haven't checked. I don't know if the battery cutoff switch works correctly or not and the Brock Box. Batteries are new and checked under load and the fuses are also fine.

No4hitter · 07-17-2023, 01:31 AM

JRTJH,

Thank you again, you saved me time, the way you worded response 2 and 3, I went straight to the disconnect switch and checked it out first, sure enough it does not show continuity in either position. I bypassed it and sure enough my batteries are charging and everthing is working correctly. I didn't check it before, I assumed if the disconnect switch was bad I wouldn't get any 12v operation plugged in or not.

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