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Topic: Battery problems again (Read 987 times) previous topic - next topic

Battery problems again

About a month ago we found our house and engine batteries were dead.  We keep our motorhome in storage and had not been out to check on it for a few weeks.  At that time I thought the problem was a defective HWH value which kept the air pump running and this drained the batteries.  I fixed the value and also installed a battery switch on the house batteries to prevent this problem in the future. 

Imagine my surprise when I came out to pick up the coach after only 5 days in storage to find the house batteries dead again.  The reason I noticed this is that the key fob did not work.  I checked the voltage on the center battery (of three) and it was about 4 volts.  How could this happen with the battery disconnect open?  The switch disconnects the ground from the third battery.  So the other two batteries are still connected in parallel.  I am thinking that battery #2 (middle) or battery #1 (inside) developed an internal short and that is what drained batteries #1 and #2.  I did not check #3 at the time, but I suspect it would have been OK since it was disconnected from the other two.  I installed another switch on battery #1 (see below).  That will allow me to determine which battery is causing problems.  The second switch isolates all three batteries.

I'm assuming that at least one of my house batteries is bad (damaged in HWH valve incident?).  The batteries are Trojan 8D AGMs.  I can get them from Continental Batteries in El Paso and they will deliver them to me for $470 per battery.  Questions...

1.  Does this seem to be a good price? 

2.  Do I need to replace all three batteries if only one seems to be bad.  I'm assuming these were the original batteries so they could be about 7 years old.

3.  It looks like the ends of these batteries have been modified to fit the battery holder.  See the other photo.  Has anyone else seen this on their coach?  If so, how does one do this?

Thanks in advance. 

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George Hatfield

  Never ever use World Line Motors of Nacogdoches for service!

Re: Battery problems again

Reply #1 –
Not sure on house, but I had one of my many year old optima start batteries go bad. MOT tested other two and said replacing just one would be fine. One year later, no problems to report.
Tim Fiedler    2025 LTV Unity MBL on Order
2000 Chevy Tracker 2 Door Convertible 4WD Now lifted 4.5"
1985 Citroen 2CV6 Charleston
Murphy Rebel on wheels with 175HP Titan
Cessna P337
1980 48' Westport MY (!/4 Share)

Re: Battery problems again

Reply #2 –
Quote
Do I need to replace all three batteries if only one seems to be bad.  I'm assuming these were the original batteries so they could be about 7 years old.
In situations where multiple batteries are connected in series, parallel or series/parallel, replacement batteries should be the same size, type and manufacturer (if possible).
Age and usage level should be the same as the companion batteries.
Do not put a new battery in a pack which is more than 6 months old or has more than 75 cycles.
Either replace with all new or use a good used battery.

Inactivity can be extremely harmful to a battery.
It is a VERY poor idea to buy new batteries and "save" them for later.
Either buy them when you need them, or keep them on a continual trickle charge.
The best thing - if you buy them, use them.
The selected media item is not currently available.Barry BEAM #16014
2003 U320 40' AGDS
Beamalarm, Foretravel technical help and specifications
"Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve"

Re: Battery problems again

Reply #3 –
George. If they are seven years old you are way past due. I replaced all of my original batteries last year. This 2003 was built in 2002 and delivered in December 2002.
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: Battery problems again

Reply #4 –
George,

They are likely not the originals, since those would have been MK (I think) Gels, not AGMs.  We replaced all of ours in 2007 (and went to AGMs).  There should be a date of manufacture somewhere on the batteries themselves, but moot point if one or more is bad.

When ours were replaced, the modification was to the battery tray, not the batteries.  Possibly more work (our battery installer did not charge for it), but in the unlikely chance that one were to have a battery fail inside the warranty period, I'm not sure it would be honored on a modified battery.

Michelle

Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: Battery problems again

Reply #5 –
George,

I am pretty sure that an 8d battery weighs 160 pounds.  Eat your Wheaties before you remove all three and then put three new ones in place.  And then you have to haul the old ones to a place that will dispose of them safely.

And be sure the ones you are buying will fit inside the tray without cutting into the case.  That seems like a really risky thing to do.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.

Re: Battery problems again

Reply #6 –
I  posted this before, but as unbelievable as it is, I'll post again.
I replaced my starting battries in August 2010 on the insistence of the Generator Shop ( did not buy batt's from him as he did not deal in them)
The one's I removed were clearly date April 1993  :o ( same as coach data place) They were still spinning the 6V92 like crazy. The Generator shop say they caused the Generator failure ( He did renew my 25-15, new diodes, regulator &  bearing)s
I just returned from a 3 month trip. My toad battery would start my toad. But in the shop I had the three AGM's. I used one of them to startthe toad. I checked the voltage before the start, 12.3 volts, after 12.3 Volts
They were AGM's with interstate labels, stick on labels

Whiskey Delta Charlie
1993 U300, 6v92
build 4366
USAF retired, Flight Engineer, C124, C130
 ATP, A & E.  & ex AI
 

Re: Battery problems again

Reply #7 –
Phenomenal.  Keep those old batteries.
 
I hope my Interstate batteries made in China do as well.
George Stoltz.  Retired from full-time living in a great Foretravel and now are back to living in a traditional sticks and bricks in Florida.