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JFitzgerald

Batteries Showing Low Voltage

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Our 2012 Monaco has the batteries replaced last season and I have been charging during the winter one a month using the generator and shore power (per the advice of the dealer). Two weeks ago I bring home the unit and the power jacks stop mid deployment and indicate low power. I plug the unit into shore power overnite and the next day check the voltage with a volt meter and it shows 12.75.

I brought the unit home today and the entire unit is dead with no voltage showing from the house batteries (even plugged into shore power). I am not sure what the issue is or what I am doing wrong. The water level is fine but they are not holding a charge and I have been diligent on running the generator or shore power since the November storage.

Any suggestions?

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JFitzgerald,

Welcome to the FMCA Forum!

More questions then answers at this time.

The coach starts OK with the Chassis batteries maintaining a good charge- Correct?

The coach batteries charge was low when you first drove it home from storage- Correct? Then you charged them when connected to shore power and the jacks worked fine and battery voltage was12.75, Correct?

You mentioned a second trip ! Did you need to raise the jacks before driving the coach?

How far did your drive?

When you returned did you lower or try to lower the jacks?

You mention the entire unit was dead. Chassis and coach or just the coach / house batteries? And the coach starts fine?

What is the alternator voltage reading with the engine running? Normal reading?

When you now connect to shore power, what is the voltage reading as measured with a meter at the coach / house batteries?

What was the reading at the batteries before connection to shore power?

Rich

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JFitzgerald,

Welcome to the FMCA Forum!

More questions then answers at this time.

The coach starts OK with the Chassis batteries maintaining a good charge- Correct? Yes, no problem

The coach batteries charge was low when you first drove it home from storage- Correct? Then you charged them when connected to shore power and the jacks worked fine and battery voltage was12.75, Correct? Yes, jacks got 1/2 way down and that was it, showed low voltage.

You mentioned a second trip ! Did you need to raise the jacks before driving the coach? Needed to start engine and run generator off that to get the jacks up

How far did your drive? 2 miles back to storage

When you returned did you lower or try to lower the jacks? No, was not taking a chance on not getting them up again

You mention the entire unit was dead. Chassis and coach or just the coach / house batteries? And the coach starts fine? The engine turns over it is just the house batteries.

What is the alternator voltage reading with the engine running? Normal reading? I did not check this.

When you now connect to shore power, what is the voltage reading as measured with a meter at the coach / house batteries? I have left it connected overnight, need to recheck today.

What was the reading at the batteries before connection to shore power? Yesterday when I connected there was no reading.

Rich

Thanks for the help with this. I am thinking of pulling them, make sure they are fully charged (or dead) and putting them on a tender. I am not sure if there is another issue that I just cant see.

Joe

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Totally different system here, but some considerations.

Some systems require that the battery disconnect switches be left on in order for the trickle charger to perform it's task. Also, some systems requrire the steps be turned off. When left on there is an electric current limiter that constantly provides some current to the steps and when left on it is more than the trickle charger can handle.

Just some thoughts.

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