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05-05-2019, 06:29 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Independence
Posts: 25
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Dead
Well, I've done it. I'm sure some of you have, but this time it was me.
Went to storage today to clean up the rig and get our new mattress laid out and everything was dead. No lights, no vaccum, no hitch jack. Nothing. I've read through a lot of stuff, never once did I read it was suggested to remove the battery or unhook the battery. So, now it sits in my garage, connected to the charger hoping to get some juice back before our trip this weekend. Lesson learned.
Anyone else learn this lesson the hard way? Any suggestions to prevent this moving forward?
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05-05-2019, 06:37 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,286
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You need to keep some sort or charger on the battery. The three options I know are:
Plugging in to shore power
Having a solar panel connected to the battery
Having a battery tender connected to the battery
If your current battery is done and will not come back to life, you may want to consider replacing a 12v battery with 2 6v golf cart batteries connected in series to produce 12 volts. This will just about triple your usable amp hours. That is what I did when I killed my 12v battery.
Good luck!
__________________
Mike
2017 F250 6.7 Powerstroke FX4 crew cab
2016 Hideout 24BHSWE (27 foot TT)
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05-05-2019, 06:41 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Independence
Posts: 25
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Whoa, hold on now! This battery was brand new less than a month ago, I hope it's not completely dead! What are the odds of that happening?
__________________
2008 Dodge Ram 1500
2017 Keystone Hideout 262LHS
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05-05-2019, 06:48 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,286
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RVDad
Whoa, hold on now! This battery was brand new less than a month ago, I hope it's not completely dead! What are the odds of that happening?
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I’m not a battery expert by any means, but it will significantly reduce the life of the battery (lead acid) if you let it discharge more than about 50%. If it’s only a month old you are probably ok. You will know if it is damaged because it won’t hold a charge very well.
When you are using the battery, try not to take it below 60 or 50% charge before you recharge it. I use a 2000watt generator to recharge my batteries when I’m dry camping. If you are plugged into shore power, that should charge your battery and you don’t really need to worry about it.
Also, I pop the caps off my batteries about every month to make sure the metal plates are covered with water. If they are not, you can add distilled water so they are covered. Use distilled water only.
Edit-the above advice is for flooded lead acid batteries, not sealed AGM or lithium ion.
__________________
Mike
2017 F250 6.7 Powerstroke FX4 crew cab
2016 Hideout 24BHSWE (27 foot TT)
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05-05-2019, 06:53 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,218
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RVDad
Well, I've done it. I'm sure some of you have, but this time it was me.
Went to storage today to clean up the rig and get our new mattress laid out and everything was dead. No lights, no vaccum, no hitch jack. Nothing. I've read through a lot of stuff, never once did I read it was suggested to remove the battery or unhook the battery. So, now it sits in my garage, connected to the charger hoping to get some juice back before our trip this weekend. Lesson learned.
Anyone else learn this lesson the hard way? Any suggestions to prevent this moving forward?
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Been there done that, current 5er had more parasitic then the old one, went to 5er and battery dead, Charged it, installed a true battery disconnect switch and use it.
__________________
Russ & Paula and Belle the Beagle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW 14,000# GVWR (New TV)
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS 32’ GVWR 12,360
Visit and enjoy Oregon State Parks
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05-05-2019, 07:21 PM
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#6
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,677
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RVDad
Whoa, hold on now! This battery was brand new less than a month ago, I hope it's not completely dead! What are the odds of that happening?
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The problem with depleting a battery to "dead" is that it literally destroys the rest of the battery's life. Here is a link from Interstate (my batteries);
https://www.intechtrailers.com/image...nce-Manual.pdf
Notice that you should never deplete more than 50% at any time. Also note the chart on the lower left indicating what happens to the cycle life of the battery if left to discharge 100% - an 88%+ reduction in cycle life if you let it "die". You just don't do it and take all precautions to prevent it. I'm going thru that right now with my dealership that pulled the breakaway switch and killed my new Interstates - they will be replaced with new ones.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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05-05-2019, 08:04 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 4,218
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RVDad
Whoa, hold on now! This battery was brand new less than a month ago, I hope it's not completely dead! What are the odds of that happening?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sourdough
The problem with depleting a battery to "dead" is that it literally destroys the rest of the battery's life. Here is a link from Interstate (my batteries);
https://www.intechtrailers.com/image...nce-Manual.pdf
Notice that you should never deplete more than 50% at any time. Also note the chart on the lower left indicating what happens to the cycle life of the battery if left to discharge 100% - an 88%+ reduction in cycle life if you let it "die". You just don't do it and take all precautions to prevent it. I'm going thru that right now with my dealership that pulled the breakaway switch and killed my new Interstates - they will be replaced with new ones.
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Well in my case if I remember correctly mine was pretty dead, I took home and put a slow charge on it for several days, then reinstalled with and a full disconnect. After that I could go to the yard (no Power) and run the slides out and in several times without issue.
I agree NOT the best for the battery, but not the end of the world.
__________________
Russ & Paula and Belle the Beagle.
2016 Ram Laramie 3500 DRW 14,000# GVWR (New TV)
2005 Copper Canyon 293 FWSLS 32’ GVWR 12,360
Visit and enjoy Oregon State Parks
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05-06-2019, 04:44 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Norwood, CO
Posts: 681
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I put a disconnect switch on the negative side of my batteries so that during long periods of idleness they are off-line. Can be found on amazon or most any boating store.
__________________
German Shepherd Guy
2018 Keystone 26RBPR
2014 Suburban 2500, 6L with 3.73 rear
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05-06-2019, 04:53 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: SE Michigan
Posts: 1,659
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Do something like this:
http://www.keystoneforums.com/forums...6&postcount=89
It took me just a couple of hours and about $50 hardware. If you're not boondocking, your current single battery will at least stay charged when the switch is off.
__________________
2017 Keystone Bullet 308BHS in Saddle.
2017 RAM 2500 Laramie Mega Cab 4x4 Hemi 6.4L
2008 GMC Yukon XL Denali (SOLD)
Hensley SwiftArrow Control Hitch with 1000 lb Spring Bars
Me, DW, (3) little DS's, and 1 rambunctious Boston Terrier
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05-06-2019, 05:16 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,286
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I’m curious to anyone who’s trailer sits for long periods of time with the battery disconnected. Does the battery stay charged when it is completely disconnected or do you have to connect it to some type of power source to maintain the charge?
My trailer is always plugged in when I’m not using it so I don’t have to deal with the battery being disconnected. I guess I was under the impression it wasn’t good for the battery to sit for long periods of time without a maintenance charge because the battery will discharge over time even if there is no load on it.
__________________
Mike
2017 F250 6.7 Powerstroke FX4 crew cab
2016 Hideout 24BHSWE (27 foot TT)
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05-06-2019, 09:11 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Solomons
Posts: 3,874
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Dead
Quote:
Originally Posted by Logan X
I’m curious to anyone who’s trailer sits for long periods of time with the battery disconnected. Does the battery stay charged when it is completely disconnected or do you have to connect it to some type of power source to maintain the charge?
My trailer is always plugged in when I’m not using it so I don’t have to deal with the battery being disconnected. I guess I was under the impression it wasn’t good for the battery to sit for long periods of time without a maintenance charge because the battery will discharge over time even if there is no load on it.
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When I had a true battery disconnect the battery would hold charge for at least a month even in cold weather. I would go over once a month or so and plug into thectruck to add a little charge to it. Seemed to work well. The previous year I took the battery out and ran a battery maintainer on it. Just wanted to see how it would work the next year. On my 5er I’m plugged in except when it’s at service. I’ve had the batteries be dead when I went to pick it up. They put a jump on it to bring the jacks up so I could tow it home. 2 hours later at home the batteries were strong enough to run the hydraulics to level the rig and put out the slides. Unfortunately as has been mentioned they probably took a hit on their service life.
__________________
Tom
2019 Alpine 3651RL
2016 F350 CC DRW
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05-06-2019, 11:36 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Independence
Posts: 25
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Quote:
Originally Posted by busterbrown
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I may look into something like this. We have our trailer at a storage lot with no power, so I may just pull the battery each time it's going to sit for longer than a couple weeks.
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05-06-2019, 12:05 PM
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#13
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,327
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Quote:
Originally Posted by German Shepherd Guy
I put a disconnect switch on the negative side of my batteries so that during long periods of idleness they are off-line. Can be found on amazon or most any boating store.
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Just sayin, every disconnect installed by the factory is on the positive side. There has been too many discussions to count on which way, I’m sure your ok.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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05-06-2019, 12:32 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 1,005
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You either have a flow of electrons, or you don't - but as you say, there has been too many discussions on the topic
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek Champagne 38EL - "Big Bertha"
2019 GMC Sierra 3500 Denali HD 6.6L Duramax TD, CC, 4WD, DRW - "Mr. Beefy"
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05-06-2019, 01:10 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2017
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 187
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Logan X
I’m curious to anyone who’s trailer sits for long periods of time with the battery disconnected. Does the battery stay charged when it is completely disconnected or do you have to connect it to some type of power source to maintain the charge?
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I bring my batteries in the garage, connect them in series with a battery cable between positive on one battery and negative on the other, then connect this Battery Tender to the other set of posts and leave it plugged in. Check the water level on occasion and the batteries are happy until the next outing.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00068XCQU..._t2_B015KBIHDU
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05-06-2019, 07:04 PM
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#16
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Cedartown
Posts: 39
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Logan X
You need to keep some sort or charger on the battery. The three options I know are:
Plugging in to shore power
Having a solar panel connected to the battery
Having a battery tender connected to the battery
If your current battery is done and will not come back to life, you may want to consider replacing a 12v battery with 2 6v golf cart batteries connected in series to produce 12 volts. This will just about triple your usable amp hours. That is what I did when I killed my 12v battery.
Good luck!
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4th option: install a battery disconnect switch, this will keep the drain down to zero. carbon monoxide detector will kill the battery in about a week or so if left on
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05-06-2019, 08:43 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: nm
Posts: 1,833
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That's nothing holiday world pulled my camper from the shop to the parking lot with dead battery and the slide partly out a few years back for warranty. I blew a@@ gasket.. It's a good thing you caught it .
__________________
2018 1 ton 4x4 c.c standard bed GMC Denali
Anderson ultimate hitch
2015 311 Impact Fusion toy hauler
2018 Milwaukee 8 FLRTU roadglide glide ultra
2018 800 Z force spot BUGGY.
500 watts of solar enough power for boon docking.
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05-06-2019, 11:49 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Great Falls, MT
Posts: 322
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Bring it back to your storage location and remove the negative cable. It should be ready to go for the next adventure!
__________________
2016 Alpine 3601RS
6500 Onan
2016 Chevrolet 2500 LTZ/Z71
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05-07-2019, 02:28 AM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 279
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Less than a month old .take it back to where you bought it. Have them charge it and test it under a load .if it has issues give them a few bucks and replace it with a new one.
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05-07-2019, 04:28 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,286
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Quote:
Originally Posted by papachaz
4th option: install a battery disconnect switch, this will keep the drain down to zero. carbon monoxide detector will kill the battery in about a week or so if left on
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I think as mentioned in previous posts, you have to maintain the charge of the battery. It can’t sit for more than about a month without some sort of maintenance charge on it, even with a disconnect switch.
__________________
Mike
2017 F250 6.7 Powerstroke FX4 crew cab
2016 Hideout 24BHSWE (27 foot TT)
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