Low Battery

[Gopipco]

I have a 2017 Montana 3150 RL. On occasion I have let my battery run down to the extent my hydraulic jacks will not go up or down. I have it hooked up to my tow vehicle and there is still not enough power to lower jacks. Have to hook booster pack up. Is this normal or should truck batteries “loan” enough power to let jacks down?

[mhs4771]

That pump motor can draw in excess of 80 amps, the charge line from your TV is enough to put a trickle charge when running, but usually not much help if your house batteries are dead or just about dead.

[Gopipco]

I only have 1 RV battery so am going to add a second battery and a battery cut off at the battery compartment. Believe it should have been equipped with two from factory because of the amp pull from the jacks.

[Daryles]

Their is also a bulletin out from Lippert to put the hydraulics on their own 80A circuit breaker. I believe there is a copy of it in the files section.
If you have lead acid battery, check your fluids, take it in to an auto parts store and have them test it.
If you do decide to add another battery it is recommended that they are very close in age and capacity. If not replace the current one and buy two that are the same (deep cycle).

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by Gopipco

....Believe it should have been equipped with two from factory because of the amp pull from the jacks....

The number of batteries installed is up to the dealer so they are the ones to blame. The Montana ships without batteries or propane tanks. One healthy battery is adequate to run the slides, but as you have found two are better.

I take it you leave the rig parked without power for periods of time. If you don't totally disconnect the battery(s) the parasitic draws will drain them.

[Montana Man]

Originally Posted by Gopipco

I only have 1 RV battery so am going to add a second battery and a battery cut off at the battery compartment. Believe it should have been equipped with two from factory because of the amp pull from the jacks.

I agree with a properly installed cutoff switch. My experience is using one good AGM battery is sufficient. They hold a charge for a long time when stored and have plenty of power. You may find one is enough with proper use.

More batteries are killed than die from old age.

[Rollinspo]

I would say even if one battery is enough a second battery will give you piece of mind knowing you are covered as the battery gets old or if for some reason you use more than normal. I have also found in our past RV that an inexpensive solar charge in a window when not being used will keep things charge. I went from new batteries every other year to where I couldn't remember when I put the last set in.

[DebNJim B]

My dealer let my battery die three times while in for service. Each time they had to use a booster to run landing gear to hook up when I picked it up. Then when I was having trouble with the GFI in the inverter the dealer told me it should have come with two batteries because of the residential refrigerator. Oh course he was the one that put in one marine battery. I could not make it through the night if I did a boondock overnight while traveling.
So last summer I replace it with a 200ah true deep cycle AGM battery that is the size of two normal batteries. I eliminated the vented battery box because it is AGM and wouldn't fit anyway and now I have more compartment room than I did before and can easily go the night and not lose the inverter.
ps: as you can see I also added a true disconnect on the negative cable.

[AZ Traveler]

Bob,

Welcome to the forum!

Batteries should always be replaced as pairs vice adding a new battery to an old battery. Make sure you get deep cycle vice starting batteries.

[Gopipco]

Just replaced battery so I will get equivalent

[DQDick]

One thing to remember, when you run your conventional batteries down too far they will probably be damaged and not able to maintain the charge they originally could.

[jimcol]

If you are not boondocking you probably don't need two batteries. You need to quit letting your battery get in a discharge state. Need to try and figure out why battery is discharging. A common issue is unhooking from commercial A/C for more than a couple of days. If this is the case remove the negative cable from your battery to prevent a discharge. Your battery disconnect switch will not prevent parasitic drains.

[Leonard R.]

Originally Posted by jimcol

If you are not boondocking you probably don't need two batteries. You need to quit letting your battery get in a discharge state. Need to try and figure out why battery is discharging. A common issue is unhooking from commercial A/C for more than a couple of days. If this is the case remove the negative cable from your battery to prevent a discharge. Your battery disconnect switch will not prevent parasitic drains.

Quick question. If I shut off all the breakers and turn off the battery cut off switch, will there still be parasitic drain? This is what I have done, but left the negative battery cable attached.
Thanks so much!

[sambam]

I've learned the hard way that there are only so many discharges a deep cycle battery can survive. Roughly 30 for an RV battery. Talking wet-cell here.

[twindman]

Originally Posted by sambam

I've learned the hard way that there are only so many discharges a deep cycle battery can survive. Roughly 30 for an RV battery. Talking wet-cell here.

This not true unless you are talking a complete discharge. Everything I have read is you get 500-600 (something like this) cycles. I would assume that would be down to 40-50% then back up.
If you don't boondock, they should stay charged pretty well. I have gotten 5-7 years on mine and I am on the road 3 months a year and then it sits with battery disconnected the rest of the year.

[steiny93]

Originally Posted by Gopipco

I have a 2017 Montana 3150 RL. On occasion I have let my battery run down to the extent my hydraulic jacks will not go up or down. I have it hooked up to my tow vehicle and there is still not enough power to lower jacks. Have to hook booster pack up. Is this normal or should truck batteries “loan” enough power to let jacks down?

totally normal, mine acted the same way
add a disconnect at the battery and flip it when not in use

[mlh]

Now we are on batteries. I would like to replace my camper batteries with a lithium battery but I don’t know what I need. The price for a 100 amp hour ranges from <$600 to $900>. So what do I need? Any help would be appreciated because I haven’t got any a clue.
Lynwood

[Daryles]

Originally Posted by mlh

Now we are on batteries. I would like to replace my camper batteries with a lithium battery but I don’t know what I need. The price for a 100 amp hour ranges from <$600 to $900>. So what do I need? Any help would be appreciated because I haven’t got any a clue.
Lynwood

Maybe a new thread But here we go...
You need to figure out how much you need. They call it an energy audit. What you want to run, how many amps it draws, how long. Then you know what you need.
I bought 4 used Valence U27-12XP 12 volt 138Ah batteries. 552Ah.
First 2 bought on Amazon $500 each. Next 2 bought from private seller $350 each.
So far they have worked flawlessly. These are not for everyone. They do NOT have a built in BMS (battery monitor system). You have you build your own. Laptop with windows 10, adapter, software, configuration, etc.
Start a new thread. I'll bet you get a lot of input.

[R.S.O'Donnell]

Originally Posted by mlh

Now we are on batteries. I would like to replace my camper batteries with a lithium battery but I don’t know what I need. The price for a 100 amp hour ranges from <$600 to $900>. So what do I need? Any help would be appreciated because I haven’t got any a clue.
Lynwood

Here is a good video on the subject. I'm a big fan of Battle Born myself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fILL5XM2AvQ

[AZ Traveler]

Leonard,

There are items that are hooked direct and do not go through the disconnect switch or circuit breakers. You need to install a true disconnect or unhook one of the cables. I recommend two batteries even if you don't boondock. They should be replaced as a pair and true deep cycle vice starting or marine batteries.