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Old 06-22-2014, 07:13 PM   #1
ed cobos
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battery

don't know if this is the right thread but here goes - we have left our trailer for over a month in storage and when we went to load it up for our summer trip i checked levels for water, tanks, etc and all the indicators were not lighting up, including the battery light. when i hooked up the trailer cable to the truck they all lit up. i have a couple of dumb questions: does this mean my batteries are dead? and will they recharge when driving? thanks for any feedback.
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Old 06-22-2014, 07:40 PM   #2
JRTJH
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Not dumb, just "inexperienced".... Yes, your batteries are dead. The stereo light, CO monitor, Propane monitor, etc are always on. They draw a small amount of battery power to operate. This is called a "parasitic drain" because they are "hidden from view" and "not readily considered" as a part of the RV function.

Charging a "completely dead battery" will take upwards of 12-24 hours depending on the rate of charge. The relatively small wire from the tow vehicle voltage regulator (charge line) will carry limited amps to recharge your trailer battery. If you're towing "all day" you may see a significant charge, but if you're going to tow for an hour or two, you'll arrive with a battery that will be "dead again" once you run up the tongue jack, turn on the refrigerator and flush the toilet a couple of times.

You'd be much better charged if you can take your battery home, put it on a battery charger and let it sit for a day or longer. Or, if you have access to 120VAC, just plug your trailer in and the converter/charger will charge your battery usually overnight.

Trailer batteries will last for varying lengths of time depending on use, temperature, state of charge and type of battery. But, anyone who leaves their TV battery systems "on" for a month will experience the same "dead battery" that you have.
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Old 06-22-2014, 07:47 PM   #3
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When you are hooked up to shore power, the battery condition panel indicator light will always show that it is fully charged or all 5 lights lit up or whatever. If your battery is dead, it will still show that it is fully charged. Disconnect from shore power and now have a look at the battery indicator lights - this will give you a much more accurate reading of the condition of your battery. If none of the lights "light up" then, as JRTJH indicated, your battery is most likely discharged.
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Old 06-23-2014, 02:36 PM   #4
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Take 'em out when you store the trailer and hook them to a trickle charger for a few days. Just check the water levels before and after. Won't hurt anything but I wouldn't do it while they're still connected to the trailer. If you don't want to take them out, at least disconnect them while you charge them.
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Old 06-27-2014, 06:05 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pappydude View Post
If you don't want to take them out, at least disconnect them while you charge them.
That is really not necessary for charging, unless I'm reading something wrong?
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Old 07-06-2014, 05:40 PM   #6
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For future storage of this type (a month or so), you should be able to just disconnect the negative wire from the battery while it is in storage to prevent those parasitic drains. I did this in April and when I hooked it back up I had plenty of juice for the power tongue jack (with 12 volt's in parrallel). If I were leaving stored for any more than 6 weeks, like over winter, then I keep them home and put them on the charger once a month to top them off. Just watch that your all metal adjustable wrench doesn't hit the diamond plate splash guard while you're loosening the terminal nut......not that I would ever do that
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Old 07-06-2014, 06:30 PM   #7
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And another good reason to always remove the negative first, not that I had experience either.
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Old 07-15-2014, 06:04 PM   #8
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I know this has been discussed in the forum, but perhaps a battery disconnect switch is an option. This would guarantee any peripheral bleeding of your 12V system.
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Old 07-15-2014, 06:32 PM   #9
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Recommendation on charging, use a deep cycle charger. It will charge the battery at a reasonable rate for a deep cycle battery (generally not more than 10 amps). Deep cycle batteries are designed to deliver power for a long time and are different than cranking batteries that deliver huge power for short times. Different construction.

Some use solar chargers, some take the battery home, some have dc gas chargers, lots of ways to do it.

Even the battery just setting there not connected to anything for a long time will become discharged to some extent.

Check the battery with a hydrometer for an accurate charge reading (remember to wash out the hydrometer with clean water to neutralize the sulfuric acid from testing the battery).
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Old 07-15-2014, 09:00 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dcsdiver View Post
I know this has been discussed in the forum, but perhaps a battery disconnect switch is an option. This would guarantee any peripheral bleeding of your 12V system.
Here is one that I did, sense you mentioned it

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14802
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Old 07-16-2014, 02:33 AM   #11
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My Alpine came with a battery disconnect switch. Only problem, I always forget about it until I have that brief moment of confusion when nothing is working, then the duh factor kicks in. Love the switch though, no more pulling batteries or disconnecting cables until it's time to winterize.
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Old 07-16-2014, 03:12 AM   #12
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Quote:
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Here is one that I did, sense you mentioned it

http://www.keystonerv.org/forums/showthread.php?t=14802
Nice mod Bob.
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Old 07-16-2014, 07:35 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bsmith0404 View Post
My Alpine came with a battery disconnect switch. Only problem, I always forget about it until I have that brief moment of confusion when nothing is working, then the duh factor kicks in. Love the switch though, no more pulling batteries or disconnecting cables until it's time to winterize.
So did mine. But that cut off switch still leaves a parasitic drain. If you turn that one off, and store it, it will be dead by spring. Mine cuts everything off beyond the normal cut off switch provided. But you have to remember to turn it back on to allow charging from the TV and to assure the break-a-way brake switch operates.
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