Another battery question

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Another battery question

June 16, 2011, 08:38:31 am

I've done a search and many questions regarding batteries have been asked and answered in detail. I didn't find an answer to my question. I bought 3 wet cell batteries last july for my U280 making them 11 months old. 3 is the number of batteries this coach has. I'm not having any obvious failure as far as system working. Batteries have always maintained 12.5 or so volts after charging, for days after charging. I havent actually used the coach since this april but do plug up to my shore power every afternoon to allow the air compressor to top off air bag suspension. Usually leave it plugged up an hour or so and this seems to maintain battery's as well. This week my coach batteris fall to 11.5 volts after charging. Cables connections are clean and water levels full. I did leave it on shore power for 24 hours and all batteries peaked out at 13.2 . Unplug the coach and let it set without use and after a couple hours coach drops down to 11.5 with chassis holding in mid 12's.............. Question is do I have a battery going south and need to contact my dealer while these things are as new as they are. Is he likley to tell me this isn't significant enough for replacement? I did run my generator once for 4 hours to see if results would change but there was no change. Also put a 10 amp charger on coach for a bit. It took only a few minutes to reach full charge but coach voltage dropped to mid 11 volts same as before after an hour or so........ What maintained voltage level indicates a problem on a "sitting" battery not in use? Thanks.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #1 – June 16, 2011, 10:20:43 am

First, have you verified that you don't have some electrical draw on that is discharging the batteries?

Is it the house or chassis batteries that are doing this (or both).

A fully charged wet cell battery at rest is about 12.7 VDC. The below 12 readings could well signal a bad cell. You might fully charge them and then disconnect them from each other and see what they read OR even better, check the cells after charging with a hydrometer (they are not expensive and available at most auto parts houses).

Brett

Re: Another battery question

Reply #2 – June 16, 2011, 11:42:30 am

Dub, are you taking your voltage readings from the Audit System or a volt meter at the batteries. I had a bad ground that caused the Audit to give me the wrong voltage. Your description sounds very similar. If it is the Audit voltage, try using s volt meter on the batteries themselves first.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #3 – June 16, 2011, 12:11:14 pm

Getting my readings from the audit system. I will check in to the hydrometer. It is the coach battery or batteries, engine battery stays at mid 12's at rest.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #4 – June 16, 2011, 12:15:38 pm

I always find the voltage at the battery terminal is higher than the Audit voltage, even when everything is working correctly.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #5 – June 16, 2011, 12:19:52 pm

Dub, As long as you use the Audit reading you will never know what is going on, You will need to find a cheap digital VOM like a cheap radio shack model at least, you do not need a Fluke / high class meter, just one that works.
They should start about $15.00 area. Make it easy on your self and get a digital meter.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #6 – June 16, 2011, 12:39:21 pm

How many batteries are we talking about? Best to disconnect batteries (remove cables) and check voltage with digital voltmeter (at the battery). You could charge the batteries and then disconnect and check voltage (s) over a period of several hours. If more than one battery, one bad one (or cell) could bring the other down so you would need to separate the two (or more) to check. This assumes you followed recommendation of above posts. If the battery (s) keeps voltage, the problem is in the coach's electrical system. You should see ballpark 13.8V at the battery (with digital voltmeter) when charging. Less if close to 12.7, possibly more if discharged. Anything over 14.5V or so could indicate a bad voltage regulator with shortened life for batteries.

Never mix a new battery with an old if in a group.

A fully charged battery will go all winter (like the DieHard ad) even packed in ice without a problem. Almost impossible to freeze a fully charged battery (-100 degrees) . Even a battery at 40% will go down to -20 temps before it freezes. Once you go over 80 degrees ambient in summer, a fully charged battery can go flat in as little time as a month with higher temps speeding the process. The story of a battery discharging if you store it on the ground/concrete is a "wives tale".

Re: Another battery question

Reply #7 – June 16, 2011, 12:53:00 pm

Is a hydrometer and digital volt meter the same instrument? They are all three 11 months old. If one is truly maintaining 11.5 volts while the other 2 are in the 12's does that warrant asking the dealer for a replacement or is that unreasonable?

Re: Another battery question

Reply #8 – June 16, 2011, 01:17:30 pm

Is your three battery total for both start and house or? How many for the engine/start side vs. house? I should have included this in above post.

Just read your next post. No, the two are different. Car parts store or Home Depot/Lowe's or Harbor Freight will have digital voltmeter. No need to spend a lot. $10 for basic, $30 for deluxe digital at H.F.

Yes, take the low voltage battery back to dealer. At eleven months, you should get free replacement.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #9 – June 16, 2011, 01:29:53 pm

Will have a volt meter by end of the day. If these numbers hold true I will go back to the dealer. Thanks all.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #10 – June 16, 2011, 01:53:20 pm

A hydrometer from any auto parts house should be around $5. It is a very accurate way to check the condition of a battery that is fully charged. It will pinpoint a bad cell in less than 5 minutes of work to check two batteries worth of cells.

They are easy to use and read.

It will also give you a lot more creditability with the battery supplier on getting replacements if needed if you give him the SG (specific gravity) readings for each cell. SG is what the hydrometer measures.

Brett

Re: Another battery question

Reply #11 – June 16, 2011, 03:32:17 pm

Thank you much.

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Reply #12 – June 16, 2011, 05:45:31 pm

I will follow the advice given but haven't gone yet to purchase tester. I did call the battery dealer just now and he advised me I have a 1 year warranty. He is coming by monday with a "load tester" and will probably go by his findings with that. Is the "load tester" as reliable as volt meter and or hydrometer. I've used a load tester before and know that it will show a bad battery, my concern is a battery "going bad" We are at the end of the warranty and I will buy a battery if necessary, I would rather the dealer buy it.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #13 – June 16, 2011, 07:47:37 pm

Dub, a volt meter can be used for many things and is the first tool to buy IMHO. Next would be the load tester. They are available from Harbor Freight and Tool for under $30.00. I'm sure if Brett suggested it a hydrometer is very useful but I have never had one. I am confident that if you only have one it should be the volt meter.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #14 – June 16, 2011, 07:48:32 pm

As with using a hydrometer, the battery can only be properly load tested when fully charged. Both are reliable, though the hydrometer is probably a more accurate measure of battery condition. I would spring for the $5 and test with a hydrometer.

Brett

Re: Another battery question

Reply #15 – June 16, 2011, 10:12:13 pm

Also: lesson learned the hard way...on an older coach you may have a converter/charger that can quickly cook your batteries. Newer models have the multi-stage charging technology rather than completely on or completely off cycling of the older ones. I nearly ruined two new batteries even being mindful of the old style charger and trying to let it charge just one day per month. Or perhaps the damage occurred when actually using the coach over a two week vacation where it was plugged in at a campground for days at a time. If you don't have a "smart" converter/charger...get one.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #16 – June 17, 2011, 05:50:56 am

Quote from: Kent Speers – June 16, 2011, 12:15:38 pm

I always find the voltage at the battery terminal is higher than the Audit voltage, even when everything is working correctly.

Same here.

Steve

Re: Another battery question

Reply #17 – June 17, 2011, 04:29:10 pm

Dealer told me this morning that Excide warranty on the battery is one year from the day they sold to the dealer, not one year from the day dealer sold them to the customer. I dont much like the taste of that, I cant control the time ispent in a dealers shop. He says if the battery is bad he and I will work out something. 175 bucks isn't going to make or break either of us, all I ask in any deal is for a man to be reasonable..... Still can't make that Exide policy taste good to me.... I just want the battery issue squared away, I do not like anything being half ready to use.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #18 – June 17, 2011, 04:59:58 pm

Do they have Batteries Plus in your parts of the world?

Re: Another battery question

Reply #19 – June 17, 2011, 05:03:23 pm

I've never heard the name Bill.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #20 – June 17, 2011, 05:26:21 pm

Remember the 60 day ( 2 Month) rule on batteries, older than that should be returned to plant for recycle. This is how the better dealers do it, if not, they are wiggling around, not caring about your battery, just their short term profit.
That is the rule used by our battery supplier. We very seldom have a bad battery issue with the numbers we handle, average 175 year.
Learn to read the date code on the battery your looking at, no date code, forget it, keep looking.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #21 – June 17, 2011, 05:57:08 pm

Quote from: dub – June 17, 2011, 04:29:10 pm

Dealer told me this morning that Excide warranty on the battery is one year from the day they sold to the dealer, not one year from the day dealer sold them to the customer. I dont much like the taste of that, I cant control the time ispent in a dealers shop. He says if the battery is bad he and I will work out something. 175 bucks isn't going to make or break either of us, all I ask in any deal is for a man to be reasonable..... Still can't make that Exide policy taste good to me.... I just want the battery issue squared away, I do not like anything being half ready to use.

OK, I Googled: "Exide warranty on the battery".

Got this: Exide Warranty Information

It states: EXIDE® LIMITED WARRANTY (FREE REPLACEMENT)
If a battery is returned within the Free Replacement Period (calculated from the date of sale) for failure to perform due to defects in materials or workmanship, the customer should be provided a new replacement Exide Battery of the same type at no charge.

Maybe your dealer needs to reed the Exide Website!

Brett

Re: Another battery question

Reply #22 – June 18, 2011, 12:58:32 pm

Above is the reason I buy batteries at Autozone or O'Reilly. Autozone's Duralasts have 7 year warranty with 3 year free replacement. Since the two stores compete, they bend over backward to keep customers happy, especially with the slow economy. They have been great for me in the past with no questions asked. $250 plus tax, recycle for three engine batteries and stores everywhere in the US make them hard to beat. They will even come out to your car in the parking lot to test your battery.

Have always heard good things about Exide. Wonder what's up?

Re: Another battery question

Reply #23 – June 20, 2011, 11:59:25 am

I printed the warranty from the site Brett posted. The dealer is coming by today, he seems to be a reaonable man. Will see how it goes............. I do dread running my head up in the battery bay and and taking six cable connections loose. It's 102 today. I would request the salesman do it but he is close to 80 and not in best of health.

Re: Another battery question

Reply #24 – June 20, 2011, 02:48:04 pm

Batteries all tested good. Good of you folks to rehash issues for people. I bought a digital volt meter , should have long before now. I'm going to take the rig out for a few days and use the batteries some. Pull them down a tad and charge back up. If anything is going on it appears audit is showing a tad less volts than are actual, just like Kent and Dave said.

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