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Old 06-19-2017, 10:31 AM   #1
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Batteries drained

Help!! I checked our battery level 10 days ago and had 4 lights after sitting for a week. Went on vacay for 10 days and now register dead. Only had my trailer for 7 months. Are they dead dead amd in need of replacement? How do I determine that? What are my next steps?


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Old 06-19-2017, 10:37 AM   #2
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Check the water level and then plug in the trailer so the converter can do its work.
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Old 06-19-2017, 10:42 AM   #3
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Unless you're maintaining the battery during storage through solar or plugging it in, flip the battery disconnect switch to OFF. There seems to be enough constant drain to discharge a battery otherwise.
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Old 06-19-2017, 10:45 AM   #4
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On mine. Four lights indicates that the trailer is plugged in and charging.
Three lights would be a full charge, or at least a rough indicator.
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Old 06-19-2017, 11:09 AM   #5
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On my classic 21, the battery disconnect switch is in "trailer in storage/battery isolated" mode with the switch 'down'. The switch 'up' is "batteries are contributing to the charging/trailer system". It's easy for a leg to knock the switch to the 'down' position.


What do you mean by "dead"? Have you got a voltage reading from a multimeter you can tell us?
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Old 06-19-2017, 11:14 AM   #6
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You say you went on vacation for 10 days. Did you take the trailer? Did you plug it in during those 10 days? Do you have solar?
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Old 06-19-2017, 06:06 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
You say you went on vacation for 10 days. Did you take the trailer? Did you plug it in during those 10 days? Do you have solar?


No solar. No trailer on this vacation. The in wall meter is not registering any charge. It was not plugged in during that time.



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Old 06-19-2017, 06:12 PM   #8
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No solar. No trailer on this vacation. The in wall meter is not registering any charge. It was not plugged in during that time.



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If you go to an auto parts store, you may be able to order an Innova battery tester that is used in 12V sockets. That will give you an actual reading. Don't know of places that stock them but you can also buy online and have it sent in the mail. I received one at an auto store the same day, however, that store stopped supplying them.
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Old 06-19-2017, 06:24 PM   #9
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Batteries

Quote:
Originally Posted by cpaharley2008 View Post
Check the water level and then plug in the trailer so the converter can do its work.
Once you have charged the batteries, you will need to thoroughly check for possible power drains. Lights left on, ignition switches trying to send power to the refrigerator or water heater, max fan or bathroom vent fan left on etc. While you might have shortened the overall life of your batteries, the only time I've seen truly serious damage is when they are dead and freeze in cold weather. Hope this helps
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Old 06-19-2017, 06:36 PM   #10
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The propane detector alone seems to drain a lot of power off the battery if that's all it has to draw from. If I leave our storage switch "ON", and we have a couple heavy cloudy days in a row, my solar can't keep up with the propane detector drain. With the storage switch "OFF", solar keeps the battery topped off nicely even with extended cloudiness.
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Old 06-19-2017, 07:55 PM   #11
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Quote:
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The propane detector alone seems to drain a lot of power off the battery if that's all it has to draw from. If I leave our storage switch "ON", and we have a couple heavy cloudy days in a row, my solar can't keep up with the propane detector drain. With the storage switch "OFF", solar keeps the battery topped off nicely even with extended cloudiness.
Maybe there is something else drawing.
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Old 06-19-2017, 08:11 PM   #12
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First things I would do is check the water levels in the battery cells and clean the terminals. After a full charge, you may have to start looking elsewhere for the problem.
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Old 06-19-2017, 10:36 PM   #13
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Batteries, I understand, are to be charged first. Then add needed water.
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Old 06-19-2017, 10:46 PM   #14
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From Trojan battery maintenance:

When should I water my batteries?
Water is lost during charging. Therefore, the best time to water your batteries is always at the end of the charge cycle. However, if the electrolyte level is extremely low or the plates are exposed to air, add some water to cover the plates before starting the charge cycle.

Google Trojan batteries for everything you need to know.
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Old 06-19-2017, 10:48 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gbaglo View Post
From Trojan battery maintenance:

When should I water my batteries?
Water is lost during charging. Therefore, the best time to water your batteries is always at the end of the charge cycle. However, if the electrolyte level is extremely low or the plates are exposed to air, add some water to cover the plates before starting the charge cycle.

Google Trojan batteries for everything you need to know.
Thanks for confirming. If extremely low, you add before charging. Most people should not need to add first if they attend to their batteries at all.
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Old 06-20-2017, 07:27 AM   #16
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A lesson I learned a long time ago is to not overfill the battery water level. If you have clear access to the battery, I like a regular battery filler "jug" you can tip it horizontal without it leaking, insert the nozzle in the cell top after removing the cap and push down. Water will quit flowing when proper level is reached. When done, it's good to wipe the battery off so no corrosion occurs on terminals and hold down due to acid/water. Tip number two. Do not ever sit on a battery , the ambient greasy top juice will destroy the rear end of your pants. And your mom will get real mad.
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Old 06-20-2017, 07:56 AM   #17
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... Tip number two. Do not ever sit on a battery , the ambient greasy top juice will destroy the rear end of your pants. And your mom will get real mad.
Dave
Well I hope you got a charge outta that....
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Old 06-20-2017, 08:08 AM   #18
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Charging

Eric
I have gotten a charge off of a battery a number of times. In the case of the seat of the pants battery I don't remember any tingles. Must not have been too bad at any rate, I still fathered three children all of them smarter than me. The prairie is in bloom and the dancing ladies are waltzing in the light breeze this morning.
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Old 06-20-2017, 10:07 AM   #19
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They appear to be completely discharged. I've done some research on recharging and am not hopeful at this point. Completely a rookie mistake on our part. Anyone have any experience with AGM vs the flooded batteries with an ESCAPE 21?
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Old 06-20-2017, 10:10 AM   #20
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Before giving up, see post #2, check the liquid level and plug in the trailer for a couple of days to allow the solar and converter run through their cycles, then check again in a week. Is that possible, otherwise remove the batteries, take home and do the same, check the electrolyte levels and then plug in a battery charger.
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