Battery Removal while set up?

[RKassl]

Can I safely remove the 12 volt battery to have it checked and possibly replaced while we are fully set up without unplugging from shore power? I noticed that I can only get a 3/4 charge and just want to make sure everything is OK before we hit the road.

If I can do this, one more question. If the battery is out and the 12 volt lights, pump etc work, is this a good indication that the power converter is working OK?

Thanks!

[8.1al]

If the battery is out and your 12volt system works then your converter is certainly working. Whether or not it is properly charging your battery is another question.

[mhs4771]

Just make sure you cover the Positive terminal cable while the battery is out, as it will have 12 volts on it from the converter and if it touches ground sparks will fly and most likely blow the fuses on the converter.

[RKassl]

Problem solved. I took the negative wire off the battery and went back inside and had no 12 volt power at all. The converter was cold to the touch. I checked the outlet in the basement where the converter is plugged in and there was no power. Went to the circuit breaker panel and there it was a breaker had triggered. Reset the breaker, the Charge wizard started flashing to indicate a normal cycle and the battery went back up to full charge.

I guess I learned a little troubleshooting over the last few hours!

Happy camping!

[kdeiss]

Just a little advice purchase Volt,Ohm Amp Meter and learn how to use it!

When owning an RV it will be one of your best friends.

[Art-n-Marge]

So a few things to consider.... what caused the circuit breaker for the converter to reset? Only time will tell. If it resets all the time there might be something wrong that keeps causing this. Hopefully this is a fluke (actually that's the brand name of some real good DVMs).

Like kdeiss mentions, a VOM is a great tool to have (preference is a DVM - digital volt meter, same thing but with numbers instead of a needle). When measuring voltage just know that if everything is still connected it can impact the reading. For example, I was having fits trying to figure out why the voltage in my rig was so low and I found a bad battery. Removing the battery from the circuit and everything else is well. Things do go bad, but I've never had circuit breakers resetting.

Finally, you are covered on charging the battery correctly when on shore power. The Charge Wizard prevents overcharging which is another cause of batteries dying prematurely. You must know if you have or don't have a smart charger on the converter. My rig doesn't so I use an aftermarket Battery Minder.

Good job on the debug procedure! That's what most of us would have done first. Now I'd use a DVM and check the readings at the battery and they should be over 13 volts (means the batter(ies) is/are being charged). You might want to check the battery water levels too if yours have the removable caps.