pipepro
Well-known member
I don't believe they will, once you turn the batteries off they are isolated
Mine does not. Easy to see on the battery monitor.If plugged in will the house battries still charge with the power switch off ?
Yeah, though probably not much. We always left our steps out (there is a switch that defeats the automatic retract), but maybe that's not appropriate for your storage location. You should lubricate the step mechanism too - the pivot points can get corroded enough to substantially increase the motor load. I've seen more than a few steps that were gnarly enough they couldn't fully extend or retract.The steps going in and out every time we decide to put something in the rig drains the Chassis Battery.
As Mark says, the standard auto shop test is for cranking amps, so not a great measure of deep cycle capacity. In my opinion, if the battery tests poorly on the cranking amps test, it is also going to be poor on deep cycling. But even though it passes the cranking amp test, it may or may not have good sustained deep cycle performance. It's maybe OK for occasional deep cycle use, but may be well short of its original amp-hour capacity.I am going to take it to a battery dealer and have them check my batteries, because the house batteries could be old.
Boy ain't that the truth...In a perfect world we'd treat RV's like a phone and just plug it in without a second thought, but RV's don't enjoy that degree of integration.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
Your Kwikee steps should stay extended when the ignition key is off and the step switch is also off. Kwikee Product Service Training ManualThe deeper I get into this problem the more I find out. The steps going in and out every time we decide to put something in the rig drains the Chassis Battery. The chassis battery is only charged by the alternator. I checked my panel levels and it showed 100% 12 volt power. So I guess the shore power is keeping those batteries charged. I am going to take it to a battery dealer and have them check my batteries, because the house batteries could be old.
Very simple fix. Use a battery maintainer inside the RV. Plug it in to any AC outlet and on the DC side, plug it into a cigarette lighter outlet (be sure it is always hot with the key out--or change it as I had to do in my Y2K RV).Not uncommon for the converter to not charge the chassis battery.
will this do the trick or should I go with more ampsNot uncommon for the converter to not charge the chassis battery. IN my first coach, I installed a small battery tender that was plugged in to a 110v outlet in the coach and just left it. Any time I was plugged in to shore power, that tender was keeping the chassis battery up.
Thank goodness my new(er)coach charges all the batteries when I'm plugged in to shore power.
thanksI'd go with the second because of the ability to permanently connect it to the battery. But don't go above 2 amps. The purpose is to offset long term discharge, not charge the battery and possibly boil off the electrolyte.
When I get on the road the alternator does the job for me but this winter trip is almost 4 months long and the summer trips are usually 4 days max. Then the storage time is 6-7 months. Glad I'm not boondocking. Yes, it is a 2amp charger.You have what hooked up, a 2A charger? If so, and your battery was "dead" a typical group 78 battery is about 60Ah, so at 2A charge rate it would be at least 30 hours to recharge, likely a bit longer until it will actually switch to float at 100%. 48 hours would not be an unreasonable duration for a low current charger to bring up a dead starting battery. If you still have loads running it will obviously take longer and if those loads add up to near the capacity of the charger, it could take a very long time for the battery to recover. Might be worthwhile to measure what the parasitic loads are and see what your battery and charger are up against.
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
That dome light probably draws at least 1a and some need as much as 2a. Your 2a charger is only intended to maintain a battery while in storage.Yes, it is a 2amp charger.
The Dome light is only on in the early morning, the step override is on 24/7 though.That dome light probably draws at least 1a and some need as much as 2a. Your 2a charger is only intended to maintain a battery while in storage.