Dead house battery

[Wanderlost]

Arggggh, the house battery went dead (probably the original). I want to blame a day trip in the desert on washboard gravel road that shook loose a connection. Nothing worked on the house side & generator would just click. Traced what wires/connections I could and did find a loose battery connection. Plugged into shore power and voila everything powered up. Put the house battery on a charger but it would only charge to 66%. It was enough to power everything & the generator too. Next day battery dead. Could it just be the battery?

Break into small groups and discuss.

[skater]

LOL.

There are a couple things at work here.

First, is the battery sealed? If not, you need to keep the fluid level (distilled water) at the recommend level. If it drops, it will damage the battery.

Second, if you keep the camper plugged in, the original converter will overcharge the coach battery, killing it. My converter went bad and was only putting out 10 volts, so I replaced it with a 3-stage model that maintains the battery safely. At the same time I put in an Optima Blue Top deep cycle AGM battery. That's been a couple years now and it's still working well.

Third, the batteries do wear out. I doubt it's the original one - they're only good for a couple years.

Fourth, deep cycle batteries are more resistant to damage from deep discharging, but not impervious - it can still damage the battery, especially if it's repeatedly discharged.

[Wanderlost]

Thanks for the alternatives. I think it is likely the battry.
Jay

[weekender]

Hello
Message mostly for Tony in Nova Scotia..

I'm currently on the east side of PEI, partway through a 2 week trip. Tomorrow we will cross back to Nova Scotia via thrwood islands ferry. As would be appropiate, our hose battery has given up the ghost. Would you have any idea or recommendation where I might be able to pick up a replacement?

Thanks
Steve

[Roadhog]

The original house battery would most likely be a Motorcraft BH50DC. You should be able to pick one up at a local Ford Dealer. It may be a bit pricy. Interstate Batteries also make a battery 50-XHD which is suppose to be a replacement. Hope this helps.
Happy Trails, Howard

[skater]

Any deep cycle battery that fits will work. Even a non-deep cycle battery will work, but it's more likely to be damaged if you deep discharge it.

[weekender]

Thanks for all the suggestions after 2 RV dealerships (who had never seen a battery like that), and 3 car parts stores (2 of which could order a battery, bot did not stock such an obscure size), I ended up at a Ford dealership--exact battery-$150 without installation.

Day 12 of our tour of the Canadian Maritimes. The van has been flawless! Highly recommend spending time in this part of north America. Exceptional beauty

[skater]

Thanks for all the suggestions after 2 RV dealerships (who had never seen a battery like that), and 3 car parts stores (2 of which could order a battery, bot did not stock such an obscure size), I ended up at a Ford dealership--exact battery-$150 without installation.

Wow, that's weird. Both times I've replaced mine, I had no problem getting it - once from Camping World and once from an auto parts store.

[Roadhog]

Skater
I noticed that you have a 1991 B-van. If I am not mistaken you have the older van style before the change in 1992. I had a 1987 C Class and the house battery was a full size 27 battery which I suspect yours is, which would be a standard and available most everywhere. The house battery in the 1992 and newer is a very narrow battery to fit into the space available under the hood of the latter models, which makes it a very special battery and not available everywhere.
Howard

[skater]

Skater
I noticed that you have a 1991 B-van. If I am not mistaken you have the older van style before the change in 1992. I had a 1987 C Class and the house battery was a full size 27 battery which I suspect yours is, which would be a standard and available most everywhere. The house battery in the 1992 and newer is a very narrow battery to fit into the space available under the hood of the latter models, which makes it a very special battery and not available everywhere.
Howard

Ahhh, that would make sense. It didn't occur to me that they would've changed that. Thanks!

One possibility to get around the hassle would be getting a battery relocation kit (~$70) and moving the battery under the couch or something like that... then you can use a standard size battery. I'd recommend only doing this with an AGM or other sealed battery that won't outgas on you.

[weekender]

Thanks for all the discussion. Yes, I have a 93, which has a very specific place under the hood for the house battery. It is also a very specific size, as there is absolutely no additional room under there to accommodate. I would not be surprised to learn that Ford had this batter made specifically for their van. The dealer I found in Nova Scotia, says the battery tray and design is from Ford, as the van frame is also used for other applications, such as contractors who also want lighting when the van is not running. Camper conversions, including those done by Airstream, and several lesser scaled campers and weekenders done by Ford are common. So far, I have not had a time when this battery has not met my needs, though I admit, I rarely use the camper for an extended stay in one spot. The longest I have stayed in one place is 3 days. I have found as well, that charging from the engine brings the battery back very quickly.