Batteries Won't Charge

[ROOFTOP SPECIAL]

I'm at the end of my rope   I know it's something simple and I can't figure it out

I took the battery out and tried to charge it on the home charger I have (It's a pretty good one).  The charger said it was charged?  I thought that's weird the control panel in my 5th wheel shows low.  So to make sure it was not my charger I took the battery to Autozone to have it tested.  They also showed it to be charged and good.  I go home and put the battery in my trailer, hook it up and hit the status button on the control panel, and again low charge.  I wait a couple minutes, press the button again and this time it shows nothing., no light on anything....nothing.  What is going on?  I'm starting to think I have some wiring issues?

Again when I'm plugged into shore power the status panel works and shows a full charge on the battery but I know it's just reading the converter.  So if it where just a bad control panel why do no 12v functions work either?

Help me before I start breaking things,

Thanks

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Since the battery tests OK, the best bet is that you have a poor connection to the battery when it is installed in the trailer. I'd also check the battery ground connection where it attaches to the trailer frame.  The converter may be separately grounded and you have a ground problem only with the battery. Disconnect the battery ground cable, clean the conector and the frame well (wire brush) and re-atach.

As you say, the monitor panel must be working OK since it shows the converter output properly.  It's hard to guess where the monitor takes the reading - could be most any 12V circuit in the traler.

 

[ROOFTOP SPECIAL]

THANKS......

I cleaned all the grounds and mounting points to the frame last night and presto!  I left the trailer unplugged all night and checked it in the morning.  Battery was still full according to the control panel and all 12v functions seemed to work.

Thanks again!!!!

Casey

 

[Lou Schneider]

Congratulations on solving your problem!  While you have that ground connection nice and clean, coat it with something to keep it that way.  Auto parts stores have a spray on coating that works well, or you can use something like petroleum jelly or even plain old chassis grease.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Glad to hear the ground cleaning solved the problem. I knew we would get to the bottom of this sooner or later!  8)