If the battery goes bad ...............

[BB_TX]

I think I know the answer, but I want to throw it out there for the experts.
If the battery goes bad, but I am hooked to electric, will the slides and front jacks still work?
I am thinking no, but want to hear from the ones who know.
My battery is 5 years old. Wondering whether to replace it before it goes bad. Or wait.

[DQDick]

I wouldn't trust a 5 year old battery.

[racerjoe]

as long as you are hooked to power and there is not a dead short in the battery they will work.even if the battery won't hold a charge the connection is complete,just won't work on it's own.

[BB_TX]

I guess I did not expect the converter to be able to supply 50 amps or more to the slide pump.

[EagleRunner]

BB_TX,

The converter alone will do the job, but the slides will move very slowly and there may be a problem with them seating fully closed or open. You will be surprised how much current it really takes to move those slides.

Tom

[stiles watson]

Seems to me that if the battery goes bad, you go to Walmart or whatever and buy a new one. If you don't trust the battery, go buy a new one anyway.

[EagleRunner]

What Styles says!

[Art-n-Marge]

One of my batteries died at about 5 1/2 years, the other is still working fine, approaching six years. If you are full-timing you can also have the batter(ies) checked by autoparts stores. Just make sure you are close to replacements.

But if the battery does fail, you can either hook up the truck to supply 12v (leave the truck running), or if on shore power the 12v is provided by the converter. If your slides are in good shape (regularly lubed, reservoir full, stabilizers down) then there should be enough juice to extend or retract without any problems. I have done this at the stickhouse when the batteries are quick-disconnected. I only do this when I'm in a hurry and it's very rare, but it's supposed to work.

I would also make sure most, if not all, the 12v stuff in the rig is off (lights, furnace, etc.) This way the converter can provide more juice to the slideouts.

[kdeiss]

Slides will not go in with out batery that has been my experience
Will if hooked to the TV Motor running

[BB_TX]

There has been no reason to believe the battery is going bad other than it is 5 yrs old.
Knowing that the 50 amp auto reset circuit breakers are often a problem burning out, I was not sure if the converter or the TV could supply enough amps to run the slides. The wire from the battery to the pump is large (4 ga ?) and short. It is much farther to the converter. And the wire to the TV is certainly no where near that large.
Guess will just replace the battery to be safe.

[mhs4771]

Probably cheap insurance, other wise it might die and leave you stranded. In Oct the CG we were at lost power the day we were to leave, so if we had been counting on the converter, we would have been out of luck. Now you have time to check prices and compare for the best deal.

[1retired06]

Our slides inoperable without battery power. Have never tried bypassing and using truck.

[ronstan]

We just had this problem. I didn't check the battery often enough and the slides would not come in. I thought it was something in the pump. I would bring in the bedroom and kitchen but not the big slide. Took it to dealer in Ocala,Fl and they tried to get them out and they would not move. Checked the Batt. 3 volt. Teck told me that you need that batt to move them. Converter will not work by itself. He also told me that you can use jumpers to the batt in trailer to get the rooms in. Also check the acid in the batt. You can get acid at Napa and other to replace . I learned a lot at this dealer Tran_am in Ocala,Fl New battery did the job

[DQDick]

I carry one of those jump start batteries in my truck and have had to use it several times in an emergency while camping. Most recently I used it to bring the slides in when my battery failed. Just jumped the battery in the rig with it like you would a car, slides came right in. I've also used it on my previous TT to power a 12v air pump (it has a 12v plug in) when I had a campground flat. That part has gone out the window with the G614's I want to air them up the same day I start so I use a 110 compressor and one of my Honda 2000i's.

[southern thunder]

New battery time. Cheap insurance.