Electrical Issue?

DarkElf · 09-21-2019, 12:38 PM

Hello all.

We took our late summer/early autumn camping trip the first two weeks of September.
Prior to the trip (some of you may remember) I was having a LF leveling jack error on my Lippert 3.0 leveling system.
I never did resolve that issue but since I was able to manually raise and lower the jacks we took our trip anyway.
However, I have noticed that the slideouts and jacks would not function properly without the AC being connect to power.
They acted like the battery was dead or dying.
If the AC is not plugged in the Lippert will work for about 20 - 30 seconds and shut off.
I have checked the water levels in the battery and the voltage and they both look fine - water plenty over the plates and the voltage reads 12.9 volts.
So it seems like the inverter is charging the battery because the voltage is where it should be.
I still get the LF jack error.

So, questions:

1: Why will my jacks and slideouts barely work - very sluggish - and quit unless the AC is plugged in, as if the battery is weak?

2: Could it be an amperage problem with the battery even though the voltage looks good?

3: Might the battery be drawing down quickly while using it and then recharging when not?

I just don't know enough about electrical things.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

86GT2r · 09-21-2019, 12:56 PM

Have you checked that your wire connections to the battery are clean and tight? Without a good connection, power cannot flow properly.
Good luck fixing your issues.

Pull Toy · 09-21-2019, 01:16 PM

+1 ^^^ for a battery issue... Check your connections for corrosion. Check your voltage again at terminals, then plug in ac and check again. Plugged in should show 13v + if accepting charge.

Good Luck,

DarkElf · 09-21-2019, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86GT2r

Have you checked that your wire connections to the battery are clean and tight? Without a good connection, power cannot flow properly.
Good luck fixing your issues.

Yes. And the inverter seems to be charging the battery okay which I would guess it wouldn't if the connection were bad?

But I'm glad you asked that question because it brings to mind something I forgot to mention:
I do not have post connections on the wires. They are the eye type connector that go over the threaded studs and a nut tightens the wire ends down.
If any of this matters.

DarkElf · 09-21-2019, 01:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pull Toy

+1 ^^^ for a battery issue... Check your connections for corrosion. Check your voltage again at terminals, then plug in ac and check again. Plugged in should show 13v + if accepting charge.

Good Luck,

Thank you Pull Toy and .... THANK YOU for your service!!

Ken / Claudia · 09-21-2019, 01:40 PM

Was the battery voltage checked while on AC (shorepower) or after it was unplugged a minute or two later?

Ken / Claudia · 09-21-2019, 01:43 PM

Was the battery voltage checked while on AC (shorepower) or after it was unplugged a minute or two later? And how and where did you get the reading of 12.9v?

DarkElf · 09-21-2019, 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia

Was the battery voltage checked while on AC (shorepower) or after it was unplugged a minute or two later?

I removed the battery and checked it about 15 - 20 minutes later.

DarkElf · 09-21-2019, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken / Claudia

Was the battery voltage checked while on AC (shorepower) or after it was unplugged a minute or two later? And how and where did you get the reading of 12.9v?

Oh. Forgot your other question ...

I hooked up the battery charger to charge it and it gave me a reading of 12.9 volts without even starting the charging process.

Ken / Claudia · 09-21-2019, 08:28 PM

My batteries in the boat and RV show 13.4 volts and full charge with a digital display. The RV batteries I just replaced would drop to under 13v soon after shorepower or genny is turned off. I would get the battery load tested before doing anything else. I would think the slides would work Ok at 12.9, but can not say for sure. At 11.8 or 11.6 volts in the boat the electronics shut down.

DetnNet · 09-22-2019, 04:09 AM

Ditto on check the battery connections. Next check the battery voltage no AC while using lippert. If voltage drops by more than a couple of volts then it is the battery.

Steveo57 · 09-22-2019, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkElf

Oh. Forgot your other question ...

I hooked up the battery charger to charge it and it gave me a reading of 12.9 volts without even starting the charging process.

A fully charged battery should be 12.8 - 12.9 volts after resting for 15 minutes or so with no load. So it sounds like the battery has a good charge.

jsmith948 · 09-22-2019, 05:41 AM

How old are the batteries? If they have bounced around in the RV long enough there could be a shorted cell. (Will take a charge but drop off suddenly when a load is applied)

Have they been allowed to drop below 50%? This can damage batteries and affect their ability to hold a charge.

Are both batteries the same age/type/size? The weaker battery will quickly "pull down" the stronger battery.

Have you had the batteries load tested? You batteries might accept a charge, but under load will not be able to keep up with the load. Take them to a reputable auto parts house and have them load tested.

You have to eliminate the batteries as a cause before you can trouble shoot further downstream.

DetnNet · 09-22-2019, 05:46 AM

I don't recall if you said how old the battery was? A cell can be weak or the internal connection to the terminals can be getting resistive. The voltage will then drop when you put the battery under load (using amps).

DarkElf · 09-22-2019, 08:46 AM

My 5th wheel has only one 12 volt deep cycle battery. It is 4 years old and I always charge it before use each spring.
I store it in doors during the winter in a heated environment.
I have not checked it prior to charging it.

Lil Joe · 09-22-2019, 08:57 AM

I agree with load testing the battery. It may show that its holding a charge but the plates inside may be corroding and not putting out enough amperage or cranking power to properly operate the equipment. Thats why the shore power will work as the amperage is there.

DarkElf · 09-22-2019, 10:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lil Joe

I agree with load testing the battery. It may show that its holding a charge but the plates inside may be corroding and not putting out enough amperage or cranking power to properly operate the equipment. Thats why the shore power will work as the amperage is there.

Though I know little about electrical things, that makes sense to me.
Thanks Lil Joe!

DarkElf · 09-23-2019, 06:42 AM

Okay. So, I got the battery tested and was told it was fully charged and under load it was okay - a little weak but nothing serious.
I went ahead and bought another one anyway.
The slideouts and jacks are definitely more responsive but my Lippert control is still complaining about my LF jack and shutting itself off.
What did forgot to try until now was disconnecting the AC and trying it.
But one thing is sure. There is something more wrong than the battery.

LV_Tom · 09-29-2019, 09:42 AM

Most don't know that 11.9 volts DC indicates a Dead Battery. Not zero volts

**chuckster57** · 09-29-2019, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LV_Tom

Most don't know that 11.9 volts DC indicates a Dead Battery. Not zero volts

11.9VDC isn’t a dead battery:

https://modernsurvivalblog.com/alter...-charge-chart/

Chart at bottom of page shows a much lower reading.

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