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Topic: Batteries dead (Read 808 times) previous topic - next topic

Batteries dead

I evacuated Florida from Irma and arrived at my brothers in Grand Rapids , as I pulled in driveway blew a power steering hose blowing oil all over the engine and chassic batteries. M& K service is here now the high pressure line , 35 foot long , that goes from the pump to the steering box needs to be relplaced .  Problem is that now chassis batteries are dead , question. Could the oil have caused a short in the batteries. We have attempted to plug the coach into a 15 amp circuit but it blows a breaker every time 15 amp
Is all we have available and the generator doesn't seem to charge

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #1 –
Disconnect start  batteries, plug in again to see if the breaker kicks off again .  If it does not, one or more of the start batteries  have a shorted cell.  Take the batteries to a parts store that sell your brand and have them check the batteries..  If one checks bad, replace all three.

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #3 –
Jerry has it. What did M&K service do so far? Many times, a repair can be associated with a problem. Oil should not effect the batteries. Where did the hose fail. The end? Seems like a repair could possibly be made rather than replacing the entire hose. So yes, disconnect the batteries first. Then I would try a second source of shore power. Did you clean the batteries and terminals? Get all the cables back on the correct posts? Strange coincidence the hose blew and a battery failed at the same time.

Pierce

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #4 –
Dan, sorry you are having issues, but thankful you are not in Irma, and thankful this happened AFTER you arrived safely at your brother's. Hate to think of the mess you'd be in if this was on the other end of the trip. Wow!

~Diane

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #5 –
Try flipping your main breaker off. If the circuit breaker doesn't blow turn back on and see if you can use individual breakers to find where the load is too great. If your generator isn't charging the batteries the 15 amp cord won't either. You need to fix the charging issue first.

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #6 –
Lost the pressure line to our fans with the accompanying mess. They just spliced in another piece of hose and pronounced it OK. Been running like that since 2013. Really good thing is that there will never be any rust on the engine after the 5 gallons of oil spray.

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #7 –
Quote from: Dan Daniel –
Problem is that now chassis batteries are dead , question. Could the oil have caused a short in the batteries. We have attempted to plug the coach into a 15 amp circuit but it blows a breaker every time 15 amp
Is all we have available and the generator doesn't seem to charge
Shore power or generator won't charge the chassis battery (unless the boost is on). So if the generator is running and the chassis battery is still low, try hitting the boost switch.

Charging the house batteries when discharged can exceed 15 amps depending on how capable your charger is. For example a 125 amp charge at 14V would be approx 16- 18 amps at 115V accounting for charger efficiency.

So, popping the shore 15 amp breaker could be a short, or your charger trying to charge a low house battery.

Do you know the max charge current rating of your charger? Also, some chargers have the ability to reduce the charge rate.

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #8 –
You might also try plugging into a non gfci receptacle or circuit.

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Dan Daniel –
Problem is that now chassis batteries are dead , question.

 We have attempted to plug the coach into a 15 amp circuit but it blows a breaker every time 15 amp

Is all we have available and the generator doesn't seem to charge

 Couple of separate issues:
1.  Converter or inverter/charger from the factory did NOT charge the chassis batteries.  As posted, you need the boost switch on for that to happen.

2. Is 15 amp breaker popping the breaker (i.e. overload) OR tripping a GFI (that you need to reset)?  If overload, and you have an inverter/charger, reprogram it using power save or power share to limit how many amps of 120 VAC it can use.

3.  Generator powers the converter or inverter/charger EXACTLY THE SAME as shore power.  Said another way, the converter or inverter/charger doesn't know or care what source of 120 VAC it has.

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #10 –
Might also check to make sure electric for water heater, and block heater are off at the saw on the foot of the bed. It's easy to inadvertently turn them on.

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #11 –
Brain fade! I was thinking house batteries when you said chassis batteries. I always call them engine batteries. No, the engine batteries won't charge from shore or generator power.

Pierce

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #12 –
They will if you install an AMP-L-START device
 

Re: Batteries dead

Reply #13 –
Thanks to everyone who responded. Repaired the power steering hose and had to replaced my inverter, it would start and then quit.  Cost a few CB but we are homeward bound now to see what kinda damage Irma did.