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Old 07-11-2011, 04:05 PM   #1
maximo
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DEAD Batteries

Parked the trailer 13 days ago after a trip. It was not plugged into any power source. Today went to hook the trailer to the truck to move it and I could not put the slides in, no lights, batteries are dead. Backed the truck up to the trailer and plugged the power from the hitch to the truck to see if I could get power to move the slides in. Had inside lights and pushed the switch to close the slides and the first slide, bedroom, moved about half way in and stopped also the ceiling light went out. Some fuse or breaker went out. I had left the fridge doors ajar and the inside light must have run the batteries down. QUESTION: If I plug the trailer to a 110 power source will the batteries charge overnight or should I hook a batterie charge to on of the two batteries? Did I blow a breaker or a fuse?

Frank
 
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Old 07-11-2011, 04:28 PM   #2
jackel1959
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As long as the batteries will take a charge, plugging it in over night should do the trick. Keep in mind too that when you have the rig unplugged the propane detector is still running off the house battery (ies). The best thing to do is use your battery disconnect switch to remove power from things that can run the battery down. You will still be able to operate the slides and landing gear with the switch in the disconnect position.

Jack
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Old 07-12-2011, 02:21 AM   #3
kdeiss
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Slides will not work when just plugged into the truck you have to have good charged house battery.
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Old 07-12-2011, 02:25 AM   #4
H. John Kohl
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Jack answered the charge off the converter.

Ref the battery drain, I agree it sounds like a bulb and you may have found it with the fridge door left open. However, when I turn my fridge off up top everything is off including lights.

The comment about using the disconnect switch is a good one.

Ref the slides stopped half way in when hooked to truck. I would look for a blown fuse on the truck side. That one you should chase down so you can charge when towing.

Good luck, let us know what you find.
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Old 07-12-2011, 05:12 AM   #5
RickW
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by jackel1959

As long as the batteries will take a charge, plugging it in over night should do the trick. Keep in mind too that when you have the rig unplugged the propane detector is still running off the house battery (ies). The best thing to do is use your battery disconnect switch to remove power from things that can run the battery down. You will still be able to operate the slides and landing gear with the switch in the disconnect position.

Jack
As Jack pointed out the Battery Disconnect does not disconnect power to the entire trailer. Just most of it. That is why I installed a separate battery disconnect near the batteries that actually kills power to the entire trailer. I use the disconnect when I put the trailer in storage. Never had any issues with a dead battery.
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Old 07-12-2011, 05:41 AM   #6
maximo
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Checked the fuses in the truck this morning, John was right, 20 amp fuse blown in the truck. Question now, last night I turned the battery disconnect off and hooked a battery charger to one of the 2 twelve volt batteries in the trailer. This morning the charger shows about 1/3 charge on the batteries and the trailer lights on the trailer control show 3/4 charge. Am I better of leaving the charger on or connecting the trailer power line up, turning the disconnect back on and letting the trailer converter charge the batteries?

Frank
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Old 07-12-2011, 07:00 AM   #7
H. John Kohl
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I would use the internal converter. Remember when the converter has power to it your charging level "lights" will be misleading because it will also show/read the power from the converter to the batteries. The only time you get a true battery reading is when the converter is not charging (you either turned the convert off with the breaker "not recommended" or you disconnect the AC power at the pedestal) and take your reading.

You mention you have two 12VDC batteries. It takes longer to charge both of them.

You said you hooked the charger to "one" of them. I would ASSUME (I know) that those batteries are wired in parallel so you should be charging both at the same time. Or you have a PERK switch selecting which battery(s) is used like on boats.
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Old 07-12-2011, 05:47 PM   #8
maximo
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Yes the batteries are wired in parallel. After a new 20 amp fuse in the truck and the trailer being on the charger for 12 hours everything worked perfect. I will for sure use the disconnet when the trailer is parked with out power to it.

Frank
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Old 07-17-2011, 11:00 AM   #9
sreigle
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The slides and everything else 12v should work just fine when plugged into the truck. Ours do. But in most cases the truck engine needs to be running. The exception to it working is if the truck is not set up to charge the trailer battery while on the road. Many of the GM's need to have a fuse (breaker??) installed in the truck. The place to put it is there, GM just doesn't include the fuse. That's true of the older ones. Not sure about the new ones. The Ford and Dodge have them, at least those with the tow package.
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Old 07-17-2011, 06:40 PM   #10
BrokenElbow
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Wow..you learn something every day. I had no idea that the battery disconnect switch did not disconnect the battery completely. That explains the draining of my battery when I brought the unit home from the dealer in Feb. I must have had a light or something on in the 5er. I think I'll install a complete disconnect switch next to the batteries.
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Old 07-18-2011, 04:04 AM   #11
sreigle
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That is a bit curious but I've heard others say the same thing. What is it that is not turned off, anyone know? Maybe the safety items like the propane detector?
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Old 07-18-2011, 04:56 AM   #12
bncinwv
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If the rig has remote control, the board that is used to control the jacks, etc. stays powered up even when the disconnect is engaged. The remote board will eventually drain a battery, been there, done that. We are in the process of installing a second battery (Optima Blue Top_, wired separately through a Blue Seas battery isolation switch (installation scheduled for next weekend - battery is in the rig, just not wired in yet), which will cut off power to everything in the rig. Like John mentioned, it will enable the use of either one or both of the batteries, or none. It is the same set-up as in our boat, with an AGM battery for the house battery and an Interstate deep cell for the starting battery. I got tired of the battery running dead, so at least this way if I do an uh-oh and forget to turn it off, I will at least be able to use the starting battery to fire up the on-board generator and charge the other one. It may not be the best solution, but it is one that I am familiar with.
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