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Topic: Battery issues (Read 461 times) previous topic - next topic

Battery issues

Last time at the lake I knew the house battery was having trouble and the Inteli-Power seemed to be having an issue with staying on.  I didn't expect everything to hit at once.  This time both batteries were dead after only 4 weeks being idle.  Had to replace the start battery because I couldn't get close enough to the compartment to reach it with jumper cables.  Thought the Inteli-power was going to be able to handle the house battery problem, but it decided 30+ years was enough and with a puff of smoke quit.  I had another 60 amp charger, but it appeared the battery and anything else on was not going to allow it to get the coach back into the green on the monitor.  When I purchased the new house battery, the guy said 7 years wasn't bad for that battery.  I told him that didn't make me feel any better.  He said I could extend the life by installing a solar charger(I don't have AC available in the storage area I use).  He made the comment it would not prevent sulfation, which I didn't even know what that meant.  The new Inteli-Power 9100 arrived at the house the same day I returned home.  Contained in the box was a flyer for a "Charge Wizard" which says it has a "Desulfation Mode".  According to the flyer every 21 hours it will go into that mode.  When I researched sulfation it said not using the battery was the problem and the only way to prevent it in an idle system was to have a trickle charge going to the battery.  Also the only way to desulfate a battery was fill the cells back up with distilled water and trickle charge the battery for 36 hours and if that didn't do it, do it again.  If that didn't fix it buy a new battery.  When I read the specs on the Inteli-Power it appears to do everything the Charge Wizard does, including trickle charge, but I guess you can stick the wizard some place and watch the light blink.  Has anyone gone to small panels to keep their batteries up?  Most of the ones on Amazon indicate they won't overcharge the battery.  The price seems to go all over the place.  Also, am I the only one who has never heard of sulfation?  I just thought 3 years was the best I could get out of my boat or RV battery.
Bill and Doris
93 GV gas