Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: dead engine batterys ? (Read 602 times) previous topic - next topic

dead engine batterys ?

Hi and Happy Easter everyone.
 I have apparently drained our two new optima Red top  starting batterys [2- 8D house batterys OK }

6/2 amp charger will not charge them both.  is it suppose to ?  the head lights show dim at night bot no dash lights or
instrument gauges work. the battery surge button does nothing and the 50 amp start on the charger doesn't help.
thinking of trying to charge the batterys one at a time ,
BTW  I thought the heart 25 charger took care of the house and engine batterys.

Think I am going to have to use the sears diehard  trickle charger all the time  or do I need to buy something I am missing ?. 
I have 50 amp and 20 amp hooked up at home.
also noticed the 12v water pump stays on just de -winterized drained anti freeze and flushed and filled fresh water tank.
turned off pump so as not to burn it up as luck may have it, LOL.

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #1 –
Quote from: Bill & Leslie –
Hi and Happy Easter everyone.
 I have apparently drained our two new optima Red top  starting batterys [2- 8D house batterys OK }

6/2 amp charger will not charge them both.  is it suppose to ?  the head lights show dim at night bot no dash lights or
instrument gauges work. the battery surge button does nothing and the 50 amp start on the charger doesn't help.
thinking of trying to charge the batterys one at a time ,
BTW  I thought the heart 25 charger took care of the house and engine batterys.

Think I am going to have to use the sears diehard  trickle charger all the time  or do I need to buy something I am missing ?. 
I have 50 amp and 20 amp hooked up at home.
also noticed the 12v water pump stays on just de -winterized drained anti freeze and flushed and filled fresh water tank.
turned off pump so as not to burn it up as luck may have it, LOL.
Inverter charger does not charge engine batteries. You can use your boost button to temporally charge the engine batteries. Most people have an auxiliary charger such as Trikl start or Echo charge to maintain the engine batteries. The 6/2 charger will charge them but very slowly. But if they are completely drained sometimes auto chargers won't get them started charging.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #2 –
If you can jump the batteries the alt does a great job.. if not take them off and charge 1 by 1

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #3 –
Thanks, 
I will have to move some things out of the way to get my truck close enough to boost.
can i jump off the mh using my truck if both batterys are still hooked up to the motor home ?
 

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #4 –
Does the boost not work? If it works that should charge the engine batteries. After filling the water tank did you turn off the fill valve under the bathroom sink? If not the pump will continue to run.
previous 1984 35 ft ORED 250 HP 3208 Cat       
previous 1998 40 ft U295 CAI 325 hp Cummins
previous 2003 40 Ft u320 build #6140 450 Cummins M11.                                                         
1999 Mazda Miata
Ron, Nancy, Tipper the cat, Max The dog
1997 U 270 36 ft build number 5174 8.3 Cummins

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #5 –
How do you use the boost ?  Sorry,  Just getting to know this Old Gal been treating her real good since We got her last Thanksgiving
in Texas. 

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Bill & Leslie –
How do you use the boost ?  Sorry,  Just getting to know this Old Gal been treating her real good since We got her last Thanksgiving
in Texas.
I sent you a message.
1999 40 ft. U-320 wtfe build 5563 Chuck & Lynda's "Rollin' Inn"  2030 watts solar
prev. mh's 71 GMC 5 yrs. 73 Pace Setter 1 yr. 78 Vogue 5 yrs 81 FTX 40ft all electric 18 yrs. 1996 Monaco Signature 3 yrs.
2014 Grand Cherokee Overland
Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.  James Dean

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #7 –
We put solar chargers on house and engine batteries to keep them up while in storage. Works great.
Bob, Vicki & Lilly
2003 Foretravel U320 40'
2008 Honda CRV - Toad
Build #6138

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #8 –
If the battery voltage is below the threshold voltage that the newer electronic chargers require to recognize the battery they will not charge it.  Hook up a good battery to the discharged battery (+ to + - to -) and connect the charger.  That should work.  If you can leave a trickle charger connected when in storage that will fix your problem.  Engine batteries have a small parasitic drain on them all the time unless you disconnect them.

Keith
Keith, Joyce & Smokey the Australian Cattle Dog
1995 U320 SE Extreme 40' WTBI Build # 4780, with a Honda CR-V hopefully still following behind.
Motorcade # 17030
FMCA # F422159

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Bill & Leslie –
...also noticed the 12v water pump stays on just de -winterized drained anti freeze and flushed and filled fresh water tank.
turned off pump so as not to burn it up as luck may have it, LOL.
Yes, you don't want to burn the pump up.
I'm guessing to fill the water tank you pressed a switch?  (verses opening a manual valve)
If so, then this is most likely caused by the fill valve being stuck open.  The water just circulates in a loop.  In older coaches like mine there is a manual fill valve located under the bathroom sink.  In newer coaches there is a solenoid valve located next to the water pump.  It can get clogged with debris that makes it stick open.  The repair is to disassembly and clean it.

These valve look a lot like a sprinkler valve.  On some there is a flow control on top that might close the valve as a temporary measure.  From the photos I have seen it appears there are brass valves and plastic valves.

Here's prior thread with a photo of the fill valve: Water Fill Valve
The forum has a search function under the "Community" tab on the left that is very handy once you know what key words to search for.  In this case I just searched for "fill valve".
John Fitzgerald
1991 U300 (SAI) Side Aisle Island Bed 40'
Detroit 6V92 with Allison Retarder
Meridian (Boise), Idaho

Re: dead engine batterys ?

Reply #10 –
RE: dead batteries.
If House batteries OK I would start the generator and turn the Boost Switch on.
That should charge the starting batteries. (it ties the two banks together)
Later I would also suggest getting a Trip-L-Start or something similar to keep the starting batteries charged.
Ultra TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer
Eric & Nancy
1999 36 Ft. U320 WTFE
2016 GMC Terrain