Battery Not charging

[jayteehike]

I picked up my Parkliner a month or so ago, used it the past two weekends without using much electricity, and the battery is dead. does anyone know how the battery charges? while plugged in and you are pulling it? while it is plugged into electric? As per the garage the problem isn't the Rav4.

Where is the fuse box?

I left Chandler a message today, and did email Chandler, Tom and Cameron - hopefully I'll hear from them, but will check with you all too.

And has anyone attached nets by the bed to store books, glasses etc at night (or during the day) I'd rather do nets than a shelf, but would like to know the best way to do it.

Jane

[LaurelMS]

No advice on the battery as we just got our park liner two months ago but I see you are in maryland. What part are you in? We are in Frederick.

[Eddie Longest]

Nets work great in boats with slow rocking movement. But books swinging in nets going down the road may be an issue. I use Ikea Net tubes to hold stuff in the sleeping area (Bedside table stuff.) but only keep lite stuff in it and it works great. A net Hammock would be great for soft light stuff but books, I would only store them in the net while in the campsite.
Eddie

[steve dunham]

And has anyone attached nets by the bed to store books, glasses etc at night (or during the day) I'd rather do nets than a shelf, but would like to know the best way to do it.

Jane[/QUOTE]

We took a small nylon bag and put two grommets in the bag near the bag opening . We then installed two 3M stick on hooks(Removable)on the wall next to the bed and hung the bag off the hooks .We use it to store our glasses at night ,the TV remote and magazines for reading in bed. Everything in the bag stays in place while traveling but I have not tried traveling with a heavy book in the bag .

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by jayteehike

I picked up my Parkliner a month or so ago, used it the past two weekends without using much electricity, and the battery is dead. does anyone know how the battery charges? while plugged in and you are pulling it? while it is plugged into electric? As per the garage the problem isn't the Rav4.

Where is the fuse box?

Jane

First of all, any possibility it could be the TV? I keep a tester with me at all times, got if cheap from Amazon, and it does not lie! That would allow you to eliminate the TV. Amazon.com: Curt Manufacturing 58270 12V 7-Way Rv Round Circuit Tester: Automotive

It is my belief that the battery charges when towing and when plugged into shore power. I really am not sure as we have not really towed our ParkLiner anywhere for camping yet. I just moved a deep cycle battery to the tongue, and can only tell you it works in my driveway!

The fuse box is just ahead of the battery compartment. I'm not home, so can't take a pic for you, but it's easy to find down low on the dinette side of the trailer. I would get a tester and check the TV first if it was me, otherwise you're chasing a problem.

Best of luck to you!

Frank

[deryk]

Jane, your fuse panel is on the street side of the ParkLiner, near the water tank. The black plastic door below the rear dinette...hard to miss. Check your fuses.

Do you have the batteries on the tongue, or are they below the rear dinette? Mine were dying, so I got 2 new batteries when they did the upgrade to move the 2 batteries up front behind the propane tank. Don't count on your tow vehicle for pumping in a ton of juice to your batteries. Depends on the gauge wire that runs from your battery to the 7 pin socket on your vehicle, and what gauge wire is in the umbilical cord coming off the ParkLiner and the distance it runs.

Have you tried plugging your ParkLiner in at home and check the voltage?

Do you have a voltmeter to check the voltage? I installed a voltmeter in mine but you can buy one that you can pop into a 12 volt cigarette style socket to check the batteries voltage.

[Bob Miller]

To answer the original question(s):

The battery should be charging BOTH when it is plugged in to shore power OR when connected to your tow vehicle, the latter being true only if the TV has a 7 pin connector that was properly wired.

To check, with both disconnected, measure battery voltage, it will be something below about 12.8 volts. Then connect either to shore power or the TV, battery voltage should go up to above 13.5 volts indicating that it is charging. (Be sure to have the TV running when you check.)

[jayteehike]

I'm on the east side of Sugarloaf.

[jayteehike]

Thanks Eddie, I'll check IKEA. I see another response with other ideas. And I agree, this would not be for storing items during travel. A place for watch, glasses, book, etc for the night.

Jane

[jayteehike]

I wanted to let you all know that both Tom and Chandler replied to me today via email and a phone call with good information! I am so pleased since they are hard to contact. Jane

[jayteehike]

Using the 3M sticky hooks is a good idea, thanks! And just getting mesh bags - or making them - should work fine. I will look at IKEA to see what the tube netting is. it would be nice to have something to hold books, that will be a bigger project later. Last weekend I saw a Casita that was set up nicely. Hopefully i'll see this couple some more to get more ideas from them.

Jane

[Carol H]

Originally Posted by jayteehike

I wanted to let you all know that both Tom and Chandler replied to me today via email and a phone call with good information! I am so pleased since they are hard to contact. Jane

in case another party with the same trailer has the same issue perhaps you could share how they told you to fix the charging problem.

[jayteehike]

Thanks to Frank, Deryk, and Bob! It looks like I do need to get a volt meter. I don't have a TV at home, so won't be getting one for the camper, and tend to use very little lights. There shouldn't be a lot of draw. This afternoon when I picked it up from the garage (they added a second battery, they are both on the tongue and charged them both) I did let them know it should be charging from the car - so they did one more test to make sure the battery was getting the power and it is. It seems the only draw in the camper was the light for the propane detector.

Since the lights don't always work, they told me I should tweak the prongs on the camper end to get a better connection - since that works for the lights, that might be what was happening with the battery charge. (One of the mechanics does not like the type of plug on the Parkliner, the other one says its fine.)

I do have the 7 pin socket.

I dont' want to get a generator this year, so I'll need to monitor the batteries when traveling, especially since I'm off grid most of the time.

I'll look for the fuse box tomorrow.

I'm learning more than I ever dreamed of learning....hopefully things will start working smoothly and/or it will be issues I know how to deal with!

Jane

[Carol H]

Jane are you running your fridge off the battery? If so that would be a big drain. To reduce you power consumption you could also change the light over to LED if they are not already.

[Ian-Vicki]

Jane
I believe the TV Frank was referring to is the Tow Vehicle, not a television.
cheers
Ian

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by jayteehike

I don't have a TV at home, so won't be getting one for the camper, and tend to use very little lights.

Jane

By TV, I meant "tow vehicle." It can be confusing, but context rules the definition of this acronym!

For instance, in this quote, if you're not getting a TV for the camper, we all know you mean a television. I think...

Frank

[LaurelMS]

Jane- did you take the park liner to someone local to look at it? If so, what company? We are looking for someone local to look at our.

[LaurelMS]

Also, how do you use the voltmeter to check the battery? Sorry for so many questions.

[Darwin Maring]

Check this site for expert battery information:
Battery Maintenance | Trojan Battery Company

[frank_a]

Originally Posted by Darwin Maring

Check this site for expert battery information:
Battery Maintenance | Trojan Battery Company

That is a great link, thanks! I need to learn more about this stuff, and that link is very helpful.

Frank