Wondering if anyone can help me out with this problem. We have a 2003 Coachmen Leprechaun, our reserve battery doesn't seem to hold a charge. There is room under the stairs for two batteries, and when we bought the coach it only had one battery, and the manual doesn't give much info on that topic at all. We took the coach cross country last summer, and put two batteries under the stairs, they ended up boiling up and smelling like sulfur. Since then we only have one battery in there. Any info on this would be appreciated!
reserve battery
- Thread starter amynj33
- Start date
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taoshum
Well-known member
How did you wired it to the existing battery?
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
What type and size batteries are you using. You want a good quality deep cycle battery(s) for the house batteries, and a good automotive battery for the engine. Does your Leprechaun have one battery for each, or are the two under the stairs strictly for house power?
You also need to check the water level in the cells periodically and refill as needed (unless you buy expensive, sealed AGM batteries). Failure to do so can result in the problems you cited.
Last, chances are the battery charging system in the coach is rudimentary and it may be overcharging batteries. Overcharging means you need to check the water more often, and it also shortens battery life. Upgrading it to a three stage charging system would be a good move, if the budget can handle it.
You also need to check the water level in the cells periodically and refill as needed (unless you buy expensive, sealed AGM batteries). Failure to do so can result in the problems you cited.
Last, chances are the battery charging system in the coach is rudimentary and it may be overcharging batteries. Overcharging means you need to check the water more often, and it also shortens battery life. Upgrading it to a three stage charging system would be a good move, if the budget can handle it.
We have a deep cycle interstate battery under the stairs. It is strictly for the coach, there is a separate battery under the hood for the engine. When we wired the two batteries together, I think the RV place who installed them put + to+ and - to -. We always check the water level to make sure they are full. Also, what is supposed to "recharge" this battery under the stairs? Does it recharge when you run the engine or the generator or something else entirely? Whatever is supposed to be recharging the battery doesn't seem to be doing the job.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
There is a charger built into the RV electrical system and the house battery gets charged whenever you are plugged into shore power or if the generator is running. It should also be charged by the engine alternator while driving down the road.
Assuming it has 12v batteries, + to + is correct. I suspect you have Interstate RV/Marine batteries, which aren't the greatest deep cycles but surely ought to last a couple of years in normal RV use.
Two batteries aren't any more likely to boil than one, unless one of the two is defective. Yet you say two boiled both batteries, while one works ok? Can you or somebody you know check the voltage at the battery terminals while the coach is plugged to shore power? It ought to be in the range 13.3-13.7v.
Assuming it has 12v batteries, + to + is correct. I suspect you have Interstate RV/Marine batteries, which aren't the greatest deep cycles but surely ought to last a couple of years in normal RV use.
Two batteries aren't any more likely to boil than one, unless one of the two is defective. Yet you say two boiled both batteries, while one works ok? Can you or somebody you know check the voltage at the battery terminals while the coach is plugged to shore power? It ought to be in the range 13.3-13.7v.
Alfa38User
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2007
- Posts
- 6,678
What is supposed to recharge the house battery when you are plugged in to 120V or running the generator is called a CONVERTER. Where it is located in your coach is another question, but from the sound of your boiling problem it may be a rudimentary system as Gary mentioned. It may be located behind (and part of) the power panel containing the 120V circuit breakers and perhaps some 12 Volt fuses and located in the 'house' area. Finding the make and model of that panel may be helpful in further diagnosis. It did seem to be working though as you said you smell acid boiling at one point. It also sounds like the additional battery was wired correctly!! You can test the output of this system by following Gary's instructions
Whether your house batteries are charged by the truck alternator while rolling down the road is another question. Some RV do have that feature but others may not (or it could be defective). With NO 120V shore power connected, you can test this by putting a voltmeter across the house battery and then start and run the engine. If the reading goes up to 13.5 volts or more, it would seem that your truck engine would be charging this battery while underway. If the voltage does not change much from the initial reading, they you likely don't have that feature or it is defective.
HTH
Whether your house batteries are charged by the truck alternator while rolling down the road is another question. Some RV do have that feature but others may not (or it could be defective). With NO 120V shore power connected, you can test this by putting a voltmeter across the house battery and then start and run the engine. If the reading goes up to 13.5 volts or more, it would seem that your truck engine would be charging this battery while underway. If the voltage does not change much from the initial reading, they you likely don't have that feature or it is defective.
HTH
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