Dead deep cycle battery
-
Kyle
- Weekend Camper
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 1:00 am
- B190 Year: 1989
- WBCCI: 0
- Location: Albany, Georgia
Yet another question for the B190 Guru's. In my quest to get my 1989 B190 up and ready for a "possible" road trip, I went ahead and replaced my coach battery with a deep cycle marine/RV battery. Although the battery is not brand new i know last time i used it, it was good. I installed the battery, I drove it around to see if it was going to charge. After my run around town I checked the "monitor" it showed that one bar meaning it must be getting a charge. At the house i have a 30 amp outlet that i connet the shore power to, I left it hooked up all night and went out the next night to check to see if the battery in the coach was completley charged, and it was completley dead. The only way it will work in the coach is with shore power. I thought that if you are plugged into SP that it will charge the coach battery. Is there a way that I can check to see if the battery is receiving power from the charging device. Again thanks for the advice given to the Newbie so far.
-
skater
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2570
- Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:00 am
- B190 Year: 1991
- WBCCI: 13270
- Location: Annapolis, MD
Hi, Kyle. I split this into a separate thread to make it easier to see what's happening.
Shore power should be charging the battery, so I would check the following things:
1. First, make sure the battery is actually connected to the converter. Some people install disconnect switches to prevent the battery from being drained. These are usually located near or on the battery but that's not a given.
2. I would attempt to charge the battery using a known-good method, such as a battery charger, or swap in (temporarily) a known-good battery. The engine battery would work fine. Once you do that, with the engine off and SP disconnected, see if the lights and accessories in the coach work - not the ones above the front seats, but the ones above the couch, the fan, etc. If they do not, then there is a disconnect somewhere between your battery and the 12 volt coach system. If they do, then the problem is either your battery or your charging system.
3. To determine whether the converter is working (based on what you've said, I'm pretty sure it is, but it's worth double checking to be certain), disconnect the coach battery, keep the engine off, and plug in the SP. The same lights and accessories I mentioned in #2 should work just fine. If they do, then the converter is working. If you have a voltmeter, now would be a good time to see what voltage the converter is putting out - it should be 13.2-13.6 volts.
4. If the battery powers the lights when everything else is disconnected (#2), and the converter is working, then it's likely the battery is bad. Have you checked the fluid level in it? AGM and gel batteries do not need this check, but other deep cycle batteries do (unlike most car batteries these days, they are not sealed).
You can do these troubleshooting steps a couple ways - the basic idea is to isolate each source of power (engine, SP, coach battery) and see if they're all connected and working.
About the engine connection - in mine, running the engine charges the coach battery and supplies power to the coach 12 volt system (those lights and fans, again). However at least one other member (with an '89 I think - the thread is in this forum) has discovered that his system was not wired that way for some reason. In mine there is a battery isolator hooked up right next to the battery that connects the systems when the ignition is on; when I turn the ignition in mine to start I can actually hear it clicking. His never had that isolator, nor were the systems connected as far as he could tell. (Do not connect them without an isolator or a bad engine battery could kill your coach battery as well.)
One other thing - in case you aren't aware, you do have to keep an eye on the fluid level in the deep cycle battery. I'm miserable about remembering to do this, which is why I'm upgrading the converter to a "smarter" model, and putting in an AGM battery that doesn't require maintenance.
Shore power should be charging the battery, so I would check the following things:
1. First, make sure the battery is actually connected to the converter. Some people install disconnect switches to prevent the battery from being drained. These are usually located near or on the battery but that's not a given.
2. I would attempt to charge the battery using a known-good method, such as a battery charger, or swap in (temporarily) a known-good battery. The engine battery would work fine. Once you do that, with the engine off and SP disconnected, see if the lights and accessories in the coach work - not the ones above the front seats, but the ones above the couch, the fan, etc. If they do not, then there is a disconnect somewhere between your battery and the 12 volt coach system. If they do, then the problem is either your battery or your charging system.
3. To determine whether the converter is working (based on what you've said, I'm pretty sure it is, but it's worth double checking to be certain), disconnect the coach battery, keep the engine off, and plug in the SP. The same lights and accessories I mentioned in #2 should work just fine. If they do, then the converter is working. If you have a voltmeter, now would be a good time to see what voltage the converter is putting out - it should be 13.2-13.6 volts.
4. If the battery powers the lights when everything else is disconnected (#2), and the converter is working, then it's likely the battery is bad. Have you checked the fluid level in it? AGM and gel batteries do not need this check, but other deep cycle batteries do (unlike most car batteries these days, they are not sealed).
You can do these troubleshooting steps a couple ways - the basic idea is to isolate each source of power (engine, SP, coach battery) and see if they're all connected and working.
About the engine connection - in mine, running the engine charges the coach battery and supplies power to the coach 12 volt system (those lights and fans, again). However at least one other member (with an '89 I think - the thread is in this forum) has discovered that his system was not wired that way for some reason. In mine there is a battery isolator hooked up right next to the battery that connects the systems when the ignition is on; when I turn the ignition in mine to start I can actually hear it clicking. His never had that isolator, nor were the systems connected as far as he could tell. (Do not connect them without an isolator or a bad engine battery could kill your coach battery as well.)
One other thing - in case you aren't aware, you do have to keep an eye on the fluid level in the deep cycle battery. I'm miserable about remembering to do this, which is why I'm upgrading the converter to a "smarter" model, and putting in an AGM battery that doesn't require maintenance.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer
WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer
WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
-
skater
- Site Admin
- Posts: 2570
- Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2007 1:00 am
- B190 Year: 1991
- WBCCI: 13270
- Location: Annapolis, MD
If you install a battery disconnect (they aren't expensive) and remember to do it, and watch the fluid levels, any deep cycle battery will be fine, and if you buy a good one it'll probably last longer and may save you from checking the fluid levels (AGM batteries, for example).Kyle wrote:OK, this was a simple one. I took the battery to a local shop and had ut tested: no good. So, I will invest in new deep cycle battery. Any suggestions? I have to remember KISS!!
Problem is, if you buy a good battery for $150 then cook it in a season because you forgot to disconnect it, it's going to be an expensive bummer.
1991 Airstream B190 - bought, 2005; sold, 2011; bought 2017
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer
WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
1995 Airstream Excella 30' trailer
WBCCI #13270, Washington, DC Unit
-
Alaskan
- Site Admin
- Posts: 814
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:00 am
- B190 Year: 1999
- WBCCI: 0
- Location: Alaska and Washington
These are a good idea....this small model is made by Bluesea Systems.
Available at marine stores like West Marine for about 20 bucks. They are about 3" square and the Red Key will pull out when in the Off-Position.
I don't like to store a rig with the batteries hooked up...this solves that problem....easy to install
ENGINE BATTERY....
HOUSE BATTERY...
Available at marine stores like West Marine for about 20 bucks. They are about 3" square and the Red Key will pull out when in the Off-Position.
I don't like to store a rig with the batteries hooked up...this solves that problem....easy to install
ENGINE BATTERY....
HOUSE BATTERY...
-
Alaskan
- Site Admin
- Posts: 814
- Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 12:00 am
- B190 Year: 1999
- WBCCI: 0
- Location: Alaska and Washington
These small shut-off battery switches are made by Blue Sea Systems and they are available in 2 models...
One with a red key-type handle, like these pictured above, that can be removed when you turn the switch to the off position and the other model simply has a knob...
Available at most Marine stores....like West Marine which are all over the US and the cost is around $20....
Overtons, which is an online Marine Store has them at $19.95...
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... ID=FROOGLE
eBay at $14.95 for the model with a knob...
Auction Number: 380000565364
One with a red key-type handle, like these pictured above, that can be removed when you turn the switch to the off position and the other model simply has a knob...
Available at most Marine stores....like West Marine which are all over the US and the cost is around $20....
Overtons, which is an online Marine Store has them at $19.95...
http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product ... ID=FROOGLE
eBay at $14.95 for the model with a knob...
Auction Number: 380000565364