Battery Question - Montana Owners Club

JFranklin · 01-04-2010, 05:57 PM

I just replaced both batteries in my Montana. They don't seem to be charging much when I am driving. Am I correct in believing that it is just a trickle charge.

Bill-N-Donna · 01-04-2010, 08:51 PM

I believe you are correct. That is what I’ve always thought. Someone may come along that is more knowledgeable on the subject with a detailed answer. Welcome aboard the greatest forum on the web with all of the information on your Montana.

Tom S. · 01-04-2010, 10:30 PM

Do yourself and us a favor by filling out your signature with your tow vehicle and Montana information. It can help tremendously when answering questions. For example, if you have a GMC/Chevy tow vehicle and didn't install the fuse in the charge line, your trailer's batteries are not being charged at all by the truck.

bncinwv · 01-05-2010, 01:19 AM

As Tom stated it is helpful to list the items he discussed in your signature. Your signature can be updated by using the Profile tab at the top right of every screen. Enter your Login and Password and your information can then be added and edited later. You are correct in the batteries only getting a trickle charge from the tow vehicle.
Bingo

**Rondo** · 01-05-2010, 06:15 AM

Tom beat me to it! If you are driving a GMC/Chevy for a tow vehicle there has to be a fuse put in so you send a charge back to the Monte through the umbilical cord, as I call it! I'm not familiar with what Ford or Dodge have for a set up on their but the Chevy I drive had to have a fuse up in for it to work while driving down the road. Then, as Bingo said, you will only get a trickle charge to the batteries. The real charge gets done when you hook up to shore power!!

Art-n-Marge · 01-05-2010, 07:49 AM

For the Fords, if you purchase the trailer towing option, then the wiring is in place and you are good to go. Plugging in the trailer tow cord and the trickle charging will occur.

I don't know the case if you purchase without the option, that you have to install fuses are anything like that. Like Tom S. and Rondo and from other MOCers posts, a GMC/Chevy definitely needs a fuse to get started with trickle charging any trailer.

Shore power also provides trickle charging but the best thing to do is keep your batteries charged as much as possible whether it's via a correctly wired TV, shore plug, solar panels, or other means. THEN you must also watch for overcharging, but that's a whole other long subject. Let's get you charged up first.

For example, if you store your trailer for a long time without keeping it charged, you will need to drive for a long time before getting your rig's batteries to a decent charge. When I stored my rig I always had battery trouble. Then I started removing the batteries, and brought them home to keep them charged. Now, I can keep the trailer at home and I use a battery quick disconnect and then keep them charged with a "Battery Minder" device. I have had NO problems when doing this. I mention this because even if you use the TV or shore power to trickle charge you batteries they might still be too dead to be effective.

Keep those new batteries charged up. Then make sure your TV is providing the trickle charge to keep them there.

JimF · 01-05-2010, 08:25 AM

I know that on my Dodge it is more than a trickle charge, I can run the slide and landing gear off of my truck without the battery in the Montana, so I guess it all depends, doesn't it.

8e3k0 · 01-05-2010, 10:12 AM

Have no problem with two 27 Rec/Marine series batteries in the Monty will charge from low to full charge in a half hour off our TV. we have to remember that the new vehicles are running a 100 plus amp alternators to support the high electrical demands of todays vehicles.
I can see that if batteries are pulled down to a very low state there may be a problem for the charging from the TV, but has always worked well for us.

trlrboy · 01-05-2010, 10:19 AM

I have a 2004 Chevy HD and a 2010 Montana 3400RL. What fuse do I need to install? Where?

**Rondo** · 01-05-2010, 01:56 PM

The fuse in under the hood in the fuse box infront of the drivers side. I can't remember which fuse it is exactly but if you go to any dealer or auto parts store most of them know which one it is. If I'm not mistaken it is a 30 fuse but don't quote me on that!!

2 for Him · 01-05-2010, 04:06 PM

On the Chevy it is labeled under the cover of the under hood fuse box. On my 2004 Silverado it was a 40 amp labeled Trailer Battery Charge. On my 2004 Dodge it was only a 20 amp fuse and corresponding wire size, so I ran a 8 gauge wire in parallel to the old one with a 40 amp auto reset breaker inline. Puts 14.2 volts to trailer batts when engine is running. Both vehicles needed the fuse even though they both came with factory towing packages.

JFranklin · 01-05-2010, 04:44 PM

I want to thank all of the great responses. This really is a great website and I really have been learning a lot about using my, new to me, Montana. I guess I should explain more about my issue. I just got back from my first real 8 day road trip with my Montana. I woke up on the second morning with dead batteries. I had the batteries tested and they were bad so I put new batteries in St. George, UT. While in Zion I was on shore power with no problems. Latter on, while we were staying in a parking lot for one night, we had temps in the single digits during the night. The heater pretty much ran most of the night. Needless to say dead batteries in the AM. I was barely able to get in the slides even with my truck hooked up. My Honda 2000 was able to move in the bed slide but was overloaded with the kitchen slide. I know I need to companion up another Honda and it is on my list. My real question is that while driving home across the desert for 6 hours we stopped for lunch and my batteries were still barely able to move in the slides. I have checked and I do have power coming from my Ford. I guess I need to know how much and am not sure how to go about checking it. Also, does it make sense that my batteries would not have be recharged after 6 hrs of driving?

Tom S. · 01-06-2010, 12:13 AM

OK, having a Ford rules out the GM fuse thing. You need to check the power output from the truck. The charge line on my truck uses a 40 amp fuse, and will pump up a flat battery fairly quickly.

berridge · 01-07-2010, 08:47 AM

I have a 2004 Ford and discovered that the charge line was not working. I used the wiring diagram on the cap which covers the truck plug to determine which of the contacts runs the charge line. The Ford has a fuse and a relay in the fuse panel under the steering wheel. (The relay turns off the power to the plug when the engine is turned off so when checking output run the engine.) The 20A fuse was blown and I replaced it with a 30A one. The 20A seemed a little low for a charge line. Fuses are available at any auto parts store.

7.3Ford · 02-17-2010, 04:17 PM

JFranklin,

When I went to pick up my Monty after spending 3 weeks at Camping World for warranty work, the battery was dead. They didn't turn the battery disconnect off, and left it out in the snow. Since the battery was so far gone, the fuse on the truck blew because it exceeded the amps. There is a Maxie fuse (fuse box behind air filter). They are not label so you need to get the Owners manual out to find the correct one. I went to Autozone, and they were all out of 30A Maxie fuses, so I had to buy combo box which had the fuse in it. The box also had a fuse puller and tested (neat little tool), which will tell you if the fuse is good without removing it.

As someone else said on the Ford, there is a relay and relay fuse under and to left of steering wheel. But the Maxie fuse protects the wire, and it sounds like to me you have a blown Maxie fuse. A dead or really low battery, will blow that fuse pretty quick, which is what happened to me. I carry an extra now. With the engine running, and no lights or brakes on, you should have only one pin that is hot on the plug (about 1pm if key is up)

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