12V Battery questions
- Thread starter Dave A.
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
My guess is that you have two sets of batteries. One is a chassis battery that is starting your rig. The other is a set of "house" batteries -- these are usually deep cycle 12V units hooked in parallel to deliver 12V --- or "golf cart" 6 V units hooked up in series to deliver 12V. Either way, I suspect that you have a dead house battery.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
As Carl says, you have dead house battery(s). When the engine runs the alternator supplies 12v power, but when it is off you need the battery to power most things, including the circuit boards in the fridge and water heater. Lighting too.
As for why the house battery(s) are dead, they could be low on water, just plain old, or maybe the charging system in the coach is not working (you have a charger that works from shore power or generator, as well as the engine alternator).
As for why the house battery(s) are dead, they could be low on water, just plain old, or maybe the charging system in the coach is not working (you have a charger that works from shore power or generator, as well as the engine alternator).
Alfa38User
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 4, 2007
- Posts
- 6,678
Gary and Carl have given you very good information. My note is simply to say that the built-in 'battery charger' working from shore power is generally called a CONverter as opposed to an INVerter. Once you get the batteries sorted out by using, perhaps, a separate charger, new batteries etc. and you are able to plug your vehicle into 120V, then you can verify the functioning of the built-in CONverter (charger).
Just an FYI: Converter = 120V AC (Household power) to 12V DC (battery power) (also refered to as a battery charger)
Inverter = 12V DC (Batteries) to 120V AC
tanglemoose
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 14, 2013
- Posts
- 698
We are new to this RV! Have a Kodiak 200QB and I have a battery basic question. When attaching electric power to RV do I need to do anything else or will this automatically charge the battery. Have a breaker box, of course, but I am assuming that is to use the electrical items in the RV. Thanks... Donna
Carl L
Moderator Emeritus
The operation of the converter/charger, when working properly, is automatic.
