Coach batteries

[pheasant16]

The one thing the previous owner didn't show me, figured how hard can it be to check the electrolyte level
on the batteries.
Brought it home today, checked the vehicle battery, added water and threw the charger on.
Opened the generator door, checked the oil, then figured the camper batteries frame would slide
out, pop the covers and away I go.

Everything is very secure. No rattling, (or sliding). LOL Have to be missing something here.
Picture probably isn't good.
Was told in grade school many years ago not to get into anything that I had to try and solve by looking at it. Boy were they right.
Please help.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Is there an access panel/hatch above the house batteries? Make/model of the RV might scare up specific information from another owner.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Kirk]

Your picture appears to be from under the batteries.

On the top there should be caps that are just like what the chassis battery has and electrolyte is checked and added in the same way. It should look like this or similar.

It is possible that you have gel cell (AGM) that have no need to check electrolyte.

 

[pheasant16]

Is there an access panel/hatch above the house batteries? Make/model of the RV might scare up specific information from another owner.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

Yeah guess that would help LOL
97 Travelmaster 29ft class C on a
Ford Super Duty.

 

[pheasant16]

Your picture appears to be from under the batteries.

On the top there should be caps that are just like what the chassis battery has and electrolyte is checked and added in the same way. It should look like this or similar.

It is possible that you have gel cell (AGM) that have no need to check electrolyte.

Your top picture is what I expected to find when I opened the panel cover; a slide out tray.
What I have is a rigid frame with 2 batteries, I think strapped to the frame.
I have maybe an inch on top, 2" to the right, the generator frame on the left. No access other than external panel.
All I think I can do is remove the straps, and remove each battery by lifting over the frame and
toward the outside. Awkward at best.
Pretty sure they will be lead acid when I get them out, but even if I was lucky enough to have gels, still have to get them out somehow to find out, service or replace.
Bad hips don't lend themselves to sitting on ground trying to lift 25+ pounds a couple inches, pulling them forward, removing cables then pulling it out.
Have to be missing something here.

 

[Kirk]

Does it look something like this? Where is the battery access?

 

[pheasant16]

Real close in appearance. water heater, furnace and stove on driver side. The generator and battery are directly behind the driver on ours.

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

My guess would be that is a pretty common setup, whether an older C, today's model, or less expensive A's such as mine. My rig has four golf cart batteries and they don't slide out either.

What the OP could do is take a picture of the top of the batteries with his cell phone, if he can get his hand in the space above the batteries. I did that with my rig for the two chassis batteries to see the battery group number (group 31P). I bought two new batteries and had the shop that does the repairs on my DP change them out for me.

 

[BinaryStar]

I used to have a 1990 Coachmen 24' class C and it had one house battery. There was access to the top of the battery via the generator access panel to check fluids, but not enough room to remove it from there. When I replaced it I had to do that from underneath. I used a floor jack and maneuvered the battery out sideways to the jack. It was a real PIA.

 

[John From Detroit]

There is also a battery watering system Here is the google search term
rv battery watering syste

I found prices from under $50.00 to about 150. NOTE There are both hand pump and power pump systems 6 cell and 12 cell systems (2 and 4 six volt batteries)

RV Battery Watering System

An RV battery watering system from Water My Battery keeps vehicles in prime condition. Click here to learn more about the benefits.

watermybattery.com

and

Flow-Rite BG-U24V-1A-WS Pro-Fill Battery Watering System For (4) 6V Batteries, 2.7'' Cell Spacing, With Hand Pump

Pro-Fill battery watering system designed for (4) standard 6V batteries with 2.7 inches of cell spacing. Includes hand pump.

www.rvupgradestore.com

Links are offered as EXAMPLE only Not recommending for or against.
But once installed it makes watering 'em easy I'm told.

Never got around to buying one of these systems.

 

[Larry N.]

The Flow-Rite system worked well for me for years. Maybe five minutes to fill 8 huge 6V batteries.

 

[Adventurous Traveler]

Flow-Rite looks great for when I would need to change out my batteries. I could never get them in as they sit now. Perhaps the OP would be able to use one of the two systems John provided links to, and Thanks for that!

 

[pheasant16]

Thanks for the ideas guys. No way I can take pictures as the batteries have plastic covers over them, and with 1" clearance, they have to come out to even take the cover off, much less look into the cells. Like the watering system idea. More things to read up on.
For now, think I'll talk to a friend that happens to be service manager for an RV dealership. Pretty sure he can find a kid that will do it for a 6 pack or two.

 

[John From Detroit]

Given the clearance I got to think there is SOME kind of access panel above those things..
Sometimes it can be hard to find.

 

[pheasant16]

First question RV guys asked: Was previous owner a farmer? Yep!
Battery setup isn't factory. My first impression was correct. Remove
straps, lift up, then slide an inch to the right then pull forward and out.
Huge PITA. Oh well, question answered. Maybe time to invent a slide out
tray this summer.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

What's the status of the factory battery location? Repurposed?

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[CharlesinGA]

That battery rack is narrower than the battery boxes are. Someone put wood in the rack to space everything up and added an angle and the battery boxes over hang the original rack on the right side in the pic. It may have been a slide out setup originally, and that is why the batteries are so close to the floor or whatever is above them.

Charles

 

[pheasant16]

What's the status of the factory battery location? Repurposed?

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

The spot is still the same. Charles' above post nailed it. Will never know the reasoning why it was changed. When I talked to the RV guys yesterday, they agreed going back to a slide shouldn't be
terribly difficult. Generator needs an oil change, buddy gives me crap because I do most of my own maintenance, let them do this too and make a couple bucks. (mebbe they got a retired farmer that likes to weld). LOL

 

[John From Detroit]

Generator needs an oil change, buddy gives me crap because I do most of my own maintenance

Why pay when you can do it? In my case I often don't care to get dirty so I pay to stay clean.
But why pay when you can do it (I have another reason for paying now too. Service records)

 

[pheasant16]

LOL!! I've known him for 40 years, I'm getting lazy in my older age, have the money, and he gives lots of free advice when I fix stuff myself. Want to give him a little scratch now and then. Also, they might not want to mess with the battery mess unless they have something else on the order.

Hey all you long timers: How many batteries is normal for the house? Today at coffee, one of my buddies said the entire setup looks like a redo.
He said why not take it all down, and put up a battery holder a bit lower so you could access it , and use only 1 battery not two? His thinking is if one fails, it'll take the other along within a couple months, so if you only have 1, replace it and off you go. Said I do not know.... I will ask.