Battery...... - Montana Owners Club

Montana_621 · 06-24-2004, 05:41 AM

Ok, with the Wal-Mart thread and talking about opening up the slides and such with just the battery, I think there is something wrong with our battery. How long are they suppose to last? When we drop off the 5er at storage on Sunday and come back to pick 'er up on Friday the battery is dead. We are even plugged in with electric on for 5-8 hours a day.

Shouldn't the battery keep working longer than what it is? I think we need a new one, where do you get that?

Montana_657 · 06-24-2004, 06:42 AM

Kind of hard to say from your post. What do you mean by plugged in with electric for 5-8 hours??

If you store the 5er unplugged, you should open your battery disconnect switch so that it doesn't discharge in storage. The 5er has lots of phantom loads that add up to a flat battery.

If your battery is full, both charge and electrolyte, it should provide you with lights, water pump and furnace for anywhere from 8 hours in real cold temperatures when the furnace runs a lot, to a day or two of lights only. It all depends. The more you use it the quicker it will discharge.

Sue · 06-24-2004, 08:00 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Gruffy

If you store the 5er unplugged, you should open your battery disconnect switch so that it doesn't discharge in storage.

How does one do that????? Are all our units the same??????

Thanks

Montana_655 · 06-24-2004, 08:08 AM

Melissa, Although new to this this year we've been out 7 times so far, 6 of which were boon-docking, which is going to be 95% of our use. So this topic is of great interest to us. An electric hook-up is considered a great luxury for us

The one thing that really chews our battery up seems to be the TV power booster if I forget and leave it on.. Don't know what's behind that little button but it appears to be very hungry. The other 2 things I've heard mentioned are the LP gas leak detector and the refigurator light/electric panel, neither you'd want to disconnect when using the trailer. If you have the trailer on shore power for 5-8 hours daily when stored and your battery is near dead something seems really wrong.

Montana_1235 · 06-24-2004, 08:32 AM

I see from your signature that you have an 02 Montana. Assuming the battery has never been changed and if you have never checked the fluid level, chances are you are low on electralite. It's been my experience that once the battery starts discharging in such a short timeframe from lack of electralite it will need to be replaced. Most Wal-Marts sell the replacement batteries. The personnel at the automotive counter will be very helpful in finding the correct replacement.

Bill

nkwist · 06-24-2004, 09:07 AM

I agree. If you're plugged in for a few hours each day, the battery should not give out. My local Wal Mart has the "Marine Trolling" battery for $40 for the 75 ah and $60 for the 115 ah. Auto Zone also has good prices on the trolling (deep cycle) batteries.

skyguy · 06-24-2004, 09:55 AM

Well, you didn't mention what size your battery is. But if it is three years old, it might be losing it's capability to hold a decent charge. If it is not sealed, you chould check the water level in each cell - should be just below the "rim" visible in each cell. You should use distilled water if necessary, not just ordinary tap water. (Although some folks will swear they have never used distilled water!)

I use two(2) six volt golf cart type batteries, wired in series to yield 12 volts. I can't tell you how long they last, but we just got back from a 5 day dry-camp. We didn't use lights much (it doesn't get dark until 9:30), but we did use a 17 inch LCD TV (not the big 25 inch guy) for as many as 6 hours each day, and the battery "meter" still said 2/3 charge!! I did not officially measure the voltage - but folks who have gone the dual 6 volt route will swear by the amount of amp hours we have at our disposal!!!!

Montana_621 · 06-24-2004, 10:43 AM

Thank you GUYS, you are going way over my head here with asking what kind of battery we have and all that.

I know where the battery is and I'll bet my wonderful husband doesn't even know what kind of battery it is either. So ha! LOL

I will have to check it out this weekend. We have been leaving the fridge on but that run on propane with nothing else on. So plugging it in for 5-8 hours a day should be enough to keep the battery charged but it's not.

Come to think of it at my husbands parents house our circuit breaker blew because we weren't even using the 30 amp, I think it was only 110 and it blew leaving the batter to take care of a couple lights. They were so dim, it was like they were night lights. I will have to take a look at the batter and probably spring for a new one.

I will cehck out Wal-Mart.

Still_waters · 06-24-2004, 11:23 AM

When I first got my Montana my battery would go dead within just a couple of days just parked in my yard. I installed a battery disconnect switch (from CW) nad now disconnect the battery when Montana is not in use. No more dead battery.

ken · 06-24-2004, 11:46 AM

I think everyone has said it all. If sthe battery is over 3 years old and no maintainance, its on its last leg. I use Walmart marine batteries in my Montana, and boats. We have a duel battery hookup with a marine switch that I can change batteries when I want. That way I always have a fresh one to close the slides. When parked, I rotate the main battery so both will be charged with the onboard trickle charger in the inverter. But when three years come, i start changing one of the batteries.
Ken and Velda
2003 3655FL Montana/Ford F350 Diesel

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Melissa and Mike S

Ok, with the Wal-Mart thread and talking about opening up the slides and such with just the battery, I think there is something wrong with our battery. How long are they suppose to last? When we drop off the 5er at storage on Sunday and come back to pick 'er up on Friday the battery is dead. We are even plugged in with electric on for 5-8 hours a day.

Shouldn't the battery keep working longer than what it is? I think we need a new one, where do you get that?

Montana_883 · 06-24-2004, 12:46 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by Melissa and Mike S

Thank you GUYS, you are going way over my head here with asking what kind of battery we have and all that.

I know where the battery is and I'll bet my wonderful husband doesn't even know what kind of battery it is either. So ha! LOL

I will have to check it out this weekend. We have been leaving the fridge on but that run on propane with nothing else on. So plugging it in for 5-8 hours a day should be enough to keep the battery charged but it's not.

Come to think of it at my husbands parents house our circuit breaker blew because we weren't even using the 30 amp, I think it was only 110 and it blew leaving the batter to take care of a couple lights. They were so dim, it was like they were night lights. I will have to take a look at the batter and probably spring for a new one.

I will cehck out Wal-Mart.

lightningjack11 · 06-24-2004, 02:09 PM

Mellisa,

My unit came with two 12 volt batteries. I installed quick disconnects on each terminal so I can quickly change or disconnect batteries. It does not take long to the batteries to discharge in storage unless you get some disconnects.

Make sure the water level is above the plates in each battery cell (6).

After charging, check each cell with a battery cell checker (hydrometer)and make sure all cells are good. You can get one for a buck at the auto section of Wally World. Checking the specific gravity in each cell will tell you if the battery is good or bad. If one cell is bad, you need a new battery.

If possible, make the following checks on your charging system.

(1) With shore power connected there should be about 13.5 volts accross the battery. If not, your converter charger is not working.

(2) Disconnect shore power and connect the truck wiring to the camper. Start Engine and again measure the voltage. It should be 13.5 volts. If not, you probably have a fuse blown in your truck. For an F250 it is under the hood. Happened once to me.

I make these checks before each trip.

Montana_657 · 06-25-2004, 01:23 AM

Whoops... your fridge uses 12 volts. Not much, but the propane is ignighted and controlled by the 12 volts, so there is some draw on the battery.

lights go dim??? If you leave 12 volt lights on, they will drain the battery.

Make sure you check the electrolyte. Parallax says the battery should float at 13.8 volts when plugged in to AC, with the Magnatek 7400 converter. Yours may be slightly different.

Costco has good deals on deep cycle batteries and an excellent return policy should you have any problems.

Montana_621 · 06-25-2004, 05:23 AM

Thank you again to all of you. We are off to Wal-Mart to get another battery(s) or whatever it needs. I think the battery wasn't taken care of before so it needs to be replaced.

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