battery level

[mish1100]

We have a class C sun seeker forest river motorhome (new to us).  When we're plugged in to our house 30amp hook up the gage will read 1/3 if a light is on.  It never seems to get fully charged. It's been plugged in for a week almost.  If the lights are off it'll go up to 2/3.  Is there a reason we can't get it to full? Battery looks new.  Bought used from a dealership.  Looks to be in really good condition.  Had it safetied and everything etc... 

We're newbs. Thanks for any help! 

[Yarome]

Welcome to the forum.

Stock led battery indicators in RV's are notoriously inaccurate and read voltage only. A poor or corroded connection may reduce the voltage reaching the indicator and produce inaccurate readings. With a healthy battery, a single light should have very little impact on overall voltage so a reading change so dramatic would likely indicate a bad indicator, possibly a failing battery or converter/charger failing to charge your battery.

To rule out a converter issue, when plugged in to shore power the led battery indicator should read "full" while charging is taking place. That does not indicate that the battery/ies are fully charged... simply that the converter is supplying "full" voltage (to the battery) which the led indicator detects. It doesn't distinguish "where" the voltage is coming from (converter "or" battery)... simply that "full" voltage is detected.

With a new to you rig, the best bet would be to take your battery in for a load test to get a clear picture of it's overall "health". Many battery stores offer that as a free service or very minimal fee.

Even a new battery can be "killed" in a very short amount of time if not cared for properly.

If a battery replacement is warranted, a "true" deep cycle battery (as opposed to the typical marine/rv hybrid deep cycle battery) would be your best bet.

[oldjohnt]

Similar to Yarome the first thing I would (maybe AFTER first insuring the electrolyte level is above the plates???, if NOT fill to correct level  with distilled water then let her charge up a long time n see what happens???) do is take the battery to a shop for a true load test. FYI If you have access to a volt meter, a good full charged lead acid battery stabilized at rest (IE no chargers or loads for say 30 minutes) should read around 12.6 volts subject to temperature. Then when plugged in a good working Converter/Charger should raise it to at least 13 and up to near 14 or so subject to battery and charger. A single light turned on shouldn't  cause much if any battery voltage drop at all. if it does, the battery is shot or not charged or there's a bad/loose/corroded/resistive connection or connections. Check the battery and terminals and cables for loose or corroded or ratty looking connections and remove clean n wire brush n re attach may help.

 

 Check electrolyte levels, have battery load tested, check battery voltage at rest and stabilized (12.6??) then check battery voltage when converter/charger is operating (13 to 14), check alllllllllllll connections and battery post and cables etc

PS FWIW I agree with Yarome, those factory, especially older, LED indicators are practically useless, stick a volt meter right on the battery

 

John T

[Kirk W]

First of all, welcome to the Escapee forums!

If you just took delivery, the first place I suggest you go is back to the dealer who sold it to you. While you didn't mention how old the RV is, many dealers will give at least 30 days of warranty service on used RVs that are fairly recent models. I would at least check there first. If they won't do anything then do as Yarome has suggested as well as checking the electrolyte levels first. You may want to be sure that your coach battery is of the proper type as well since the chassis battery is an engine starting battery but the coach battery should be a deep cycle battery and better not the marine battery type. Best available most places are golf cart style batteries. 

[Dale P]

With a class C, I bet all you have is a Converter and not a 3 stage battery charger. Read up on both and you will see why a Converter is not a good battery charger. 

After every trip, you will need to remove and use a 3 stage charger on it.

[Kirk W]

It doesn't appear that he has been back since he made the original post, or at least he has not signed in. Wish that we knew if we were able to help him at all.....

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[Yarome]

1 hour ago, Dale P said:

With a class C, I bet all you have is a Converter and not a 3 stage battery charger.

Just to clarify... converters "are" chargers. Called converters because their primary function is to convert 120vac current to 12vdc, however, that 12vdc current is then used to power the 12v components in an RV... to include supplying 12vdc back into the battery bank.

While older rigs may still have a single stage "dumb" charger installed, nearly all newer/modern RV's have 3 stage converter/chargers. What varies is the quality, how "smart" they are and how customizeable they might be to optimize charge levels for different sizes and types of battery banks.

[Dale P]

On 9/13/2018 at 7:56 AM, Yarome said:

Just to clarify... converters "are" chargers. Called converters because their primary function is to convert 120vac current to 12vdc, however, that 12vdc current is then used to power the 12v components in an RV... to include supplying 12vdc back into the battery bank.

While older rigs may still have a single stage "dumb" charger installed, nearly all newer/modern RV's have 3 stage converter/chargers. What varies is the quality, how "smart" they are and how customizeable they might be to optimize charge levels for different sizes and types of battery banks.

Let's set converters,, they put out 13.3 volts. this is a float stage for deep cell batteries. What is needed is 3 stages, Bulk rebuild battery back to 90%, (voltage low, high current) as the battery is charging the current drops and the voltage increases.When Voltage reaches the cutoff stage, usually around 14.3, it then transition to a absorption. This is a time event, based on the capacity of the deep cycles. After this tie event, it will then go into float stage. 

 

There is many posts on this subject:

https://www.gonewiththewynns.com/RV-Smart-Converter-Charger

search bar " converter Vs 3 stage charger "

https://www.batterystuff.com/blog/3-stages-of-smart-chargers.html

But we all have our opinion 

[Yarome]

On 9/15/2018 at 4:08 AM, Dale P said:

Let's set converters,, they put out 13.3 volts. this is a float stage for deep cell batteries. What is needed is 3 stages, Bulk rebuild battery back to 90%, (voltage low, high current) as the battery is charging the current drops and the voltage increases.When Voltage reaches the cutoff stage, usually around 14.3, it then transition to a absorption. This is a time event, based on the capacity of the deep cycles. After this tie event, it will then go into float stage. 

But we all have our opinion 

I don't even know where to begin with that. It's not particularly germaine to the OP's issue, who doesn't appear to have logged back in to read their thread anwyay, so don't think I'll even try to sort through it.

You will note that the Wynn's page you linked to is titled, "Best Converter Charger for an RV". Or visit a highly popular converter/charger company that is factory installed in many newer RV's... and is capable of providing a better than adequate charge to a battery bank. You'll note that they refer to their products as "converters" or "converter/chargers".

Statements like, "...all you have is a Converter and not a 3 stage battery charger", "Read up on both" (as if they are different animals?), "...This is a time event.." (as a blanket statement for all products)... among others... are misleading, incomplete, doesn't always apply or flat out incorrect.

"But we all have our opinion": There isn't a whole lot of "opinion" in what a converter/charger is, and it's function, in an RV. 😁

Just to keep it "light"... and not picking on you so much as clarifying an issue... what you're saying is kind of similar to saying, "You have a car. What you really want is an automobile. All automobiles can do this, that, the other that cars can't."

We know that all cars/automobiles come in different flavors with different capabilities and features. So do converters... sorry... chargers. 😉

I encourage you to continue your research.

[Dale P]

11 hours ago, Yarome said:

I don't even know where to begin with that. It's not particularly germaine to the OP's issue, who doesn't appear to have logged back in to read their thread anwyay, so don't think I'll even try to sort through it.

You will note that the Wynn's page you linked to is titled, "Best Converter Charger for an RV". Or visit a highly popular converter/charger company that is factory installed in many newer RV's... and is capable of providing a better than adequate charge to a battery bank. You'll note that they refer to their products as "converters" or "converter/chargers".

Statements like, "...all you have is a Converter and not a 3 stage battery charger", "Read up on both" (as if they are different animals?), "...This is a time event.." (as a blanket statement for all products)... among others... are misleading, incomplete, doesn't always apply or flat out incorrect.

"But we all have our opinion": There isn't a whole lot of "opinion" in what a converter/charger is, and it's function, in an RV. 😁

Just to keep it "light"... and not picking on you so much as clarifying an issue... what you're saying is kind of similar to saying, "You have a car. What you really want is an automobile. All automobiles can do this, that, the other that cars can't."

We know that all cars/automobiles come in different flavors with different capabilities and features. So do converters... sorry... chargers. 😉

I encourage you to continue your research.

Hum, to each his own -