|
|
06-19-2022, 09:37 PM
|
#1
|
Junior Member
Name: G
Trailer: Casita
Georgia
Posts: 2
|
killed battery question
First time boondocking....on my in-laws land for Memorial Day. Left camper for 2 weeks and came back to a dead batt. I know that the CO detector drained the batt. My question is - Do you guys think that the battery is toast now?? Interstate RV/Marine June 2019 original battery, was well maintained until I forgot about the detector.
|
|
|
06-19-2022, 10:57 PM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Name: Kenneth
Trailer: Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 1,858
|
DO not give up
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeWales
First time boondocking....on my in-laws land for Memorial Day. Left camper for 2 weeks and came back to a dead batt. I know that the CO detector drained the batt. My question is - Do you guys think that the battery is toast now?? Interstate RV/Marine June 2019 original battery, was well maintained until I forgot about the detector.
|
Fully recharge it and try it out or go to a place that will do a load test. You did not help it any but if it is a newer battery it may be OK.
|
|
|
06-21-2022, 05:21 AM
|
#3
|
Senior Member
Name: Walter
Trailer: 2017 Escape 17B
SW Virginia
Posts: 2,254
|
And then if you don't have one already. Installing a battery disconnect switch is a worthwhile and easy mod.
Walt
__________________
Past owner of 1995 13' Casita, 1994 16' Casita, 2012 Parkliner, 2002 17' Bigfoot.
|
|
|
06-21-2022, 06:48 AM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Name: Larry
Trailer: Casita17'Spirit Deluxe (aka: Tweaker's Casita)
Southwest Ohio
Posts: 317
|
Anderson Disconnect
Quote:
Originally Posted by WaltP
And then if you don't have one already. Installing a battery disconnect switch is a worthwhile and easy mod.
|
An easier/cheaper approach might be to install an anderson disconnect on the wiring at the battery. Here is a forum entry that I made a while back with pictures and a link.
|
|
|
06-21-2022, 08:50 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Name: Terry
Trailer: 1971 Hunter compact Jr, 1979 Terry 19', 2003 Scamp 16'
California
Posts: 197
|
I have 2 chargers with recondition cycles. You might see if you know someone who has one you could borrow. They are good at bringing back dead batteries. The recondition cycle is a 24 hour cycle that is intended to desulfate the battery. I have one on my daughter's car right now. They have worked very well for me. If your battery is completely drained a modern charge may not work on it. Thier programing requires a minimum charge to start. I use an old style charger to put in a minimum charge and then change over. You would still need to charge the battery after reconditioning it. It's worth a try.
|
|
|
06-21-2022, 06:46 PM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Name: Jann
Trailer: Casita
Colorado
Posts: 1,307
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeWales
First time boondocking....on my in-laws land for Memorial Day. Left camper for 2 weeks and came back to a dead batt. I know that the CO detector drained the batt. My question is - Do you guys think that the battery is toast now?? Interstate RV/Marine June 2019 original battery, was well maintained until I forgot about the detector.
|
Your detector should not drain the battery that fast. Maybe your battery gave up from age. We've had batteries go bad after 2 years and some that lasted 8 years. Interstate is not all they are cracked up to be any more. We've actually had real good luck with batteries from O'reillys Auto Parts. It is their standard brand. Can't remember the make of them.
|
|
|
06-21-2022, 08:19 PM
|
#7
|
Junior Member
Name: G
Trailer: Casita
Georgia
Posts: 2
|
Thanks for the replies.
I have a batt disco - forgot about the CO detector and forgot about needing to disconnect.
I have had the batt on an old school charger since Sun night, the full charge indicator has not displayed.
I borrowed a newer charger with a de-sulfate mode, may try it tomorrow.
I have a cheap harbor freight load tester, not sure how well it works.
Makes sense that the CO detector alone should not kill the batt that soon, I turned the fridge off and thought I turned everything else off as well.
|
|
|
06-21-2022, 09:28 PM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Name: Kenneth
Trailer: Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 1,858
|
Other loads?
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeWales
Makes sense that the CO detector alone should not kill the batt that soon, I turned the fridge off and thought I turned everything else off as well.
|
The CO detector draws little, but other things may include the TV antenna, TV with remote, and a remote control fan. How old was/is your battery?
The book says current draw is "as much as" 0.075 amps but I think that is when sounding. I'll be packing mine in the morning, I'll check to see what it draws at rest.
|
|
|
06-21-2022, 11:01 PM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Name: Jann
Trailer: Casita
Colorado
Posts: 1,307
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeWales
Thanks for the replies.
I have a batt disco - forgot about the CO detector and forgot about needing to disconnect.
I have had the batt on an old school charger since Sun night, the full charge indicator has not displayed.
I borrowed a newer charger with a de-sulfate mode, may try it tomorrow.
I have a cheap harbor freight load tester, not sure how well it works.
Makes sense that the CO detector alone should not kill the batt that soon, I turned the fridge off and thought I turned everything else off as well.
|
Even if you get the battery to charge up some I wouldn't trust it. Once they are that bad they are gone. I wouldn't take a chance on a 3 year old battery that is a 3 year battery once it dies. Why possibly ruin a trip over around $175.
|
|
|
06-22-2022, 11:20 AM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
|
What is the charge amp setting on your old school charger?
|
|
|
06-22-2022, 11:42 AM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Name: Kenneth
Trailer: Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 1,858
|
Typical CO detector current
Quote:
Originally Posted by AC0GV
The book says current draw is "as much as" 0.075 amps but I think that is when sounding. I'll be packing mine in the morning, I'll check to see what it draws at rest.
|
This is what I got on mine. (0.0411 amp)
|
|
|
06-22-2022, 01:38 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Name: Terry
Trailer: 1971 Hunter compact Jr, 1979 Terry 19', 2003 Scamp 16'
California
Posts: 197
|
I have 1 that is 10 amps and 1 that 6 amps. I will leave 1 on for about 6 hour. If the battery does not have enough charge for the new automatic charger to work by then it's not going to take a good enough charge to depend on. With these new chargers we've been spoiled because they shut off automatically. With the old chargers if you leave it on too long they will boil out the electrolytes. Any time you are doing this type of charging with the battery in place make sure there is plenty of air circulation. The gases are explosive. I once blew the top out of the battery on my '65' Cad by forgetting to unplug the charger before disconnecting.
We have 4 suvs, 1 pickup, 2 trailer and farm equipment. We have 3 batteries that have been reconditioned this way. One of them 3 time because someone keeps forgetting to use the battery disconnect on a pop-up trailer.
The previous owner of my Scamp installed a battery disconnect for the gas detector and the water pump. This let's me run the lights when the Scamp is in storage. Having the water pump tied in makes it less likely to forget to turn the gas detector on when you go camping.
Others are right. This will not bring your battery back to new condition, but it has worked well for me. If it doesn't work well enough you can buy a battery almost anywhere to replace it when you need it.
Anyway, that's my 2 cent. Enjoy your travels now that we can get out again.
|
|
|
06-22-2022, 01:46 PM
|
#13
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
|
On a non automatic charger (Bought mine at Tractor Supply) you can charge as low as 2 Amps and that takes a really long time and is kind to the battery. On my Automatic Battery Tender the battery must have a certain percentage in it for that Automatic device to even work. When it does work it charges at 4 amps.
|
|
|
06-22-2022, 03:36 PM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Name: Alexander
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1300
New Hampshire
Posts: 1,140
|
One thing you can do if your with your old school charger is to get a plug in timer outlet and set it so it turns off after x amount of time. That was how I did it before these new-fangled computerized chargers were around.
|
|
|
06-22-2022, 05:17 PM
|
#15
|
Senior Member
Trailer: 2002 19 ft Scamp 19 ft 5th Wheel
Posts: 3,640
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alex Adams
One thing you can do if your with your old school charger is to get a plug in timer outlet and set it so it turns off after x amount of time. That was how I did it before these new-fangled computerized chargers were around.
|
Why in the heck didnt think of that. I bought a wheel around without a timer because the timers on those things seam to go bad. NOW, Thanks to the above post, I will now use one of those external timers.n
|
|
|
06-25-2022, 10:04 AM
|
#16
|
Member
Trailer: 16 ft Casita
Posts: 73
|
Yes it can drain it that fast.
|
|
|
06-25-2022, 10:42 AM
|
#17
|
Junior Member
Name: Roxanne
Trailer: In market
Virginia
Posts: 13
|
You might also consider a solar-powered trickle charger to prevent future problems once you get your battery recharged/replaced.
|
|
|
06-25-2022, 12:54 PM
|
#18
|
Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: Scamp 1995 19'
North Carolina
Posts: 403
|
Or... you could replace it with LiFePO4 and never kill it again? There's something to be said for a forever battery.
__________________
JWColby EAAT
Exalted Arbiter of Anal Tripe
|
|
|
06-25-2022, 02:07 PM
|
#19
|
Senior Member
Trailer: Bigfoot 19 ft
Posts: 716
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by JoeWales
First time boondocking....on my in-laws land for Memorial Day. Left camper for 2 weeks and came back to a dead batt. I know that the CO detector drained the batt. My question is - Do you guys think that the battery is toast now?? Interstate RV/Marine June 2019 original battery, was well maintained until I forgot about the detector.
|
Check out your converter. I went through a couple of sets of lead acid batteries when hooked up to shore power in my driveway. I eventually realized it was the converter. Once I added an extension to my Progressive dynamics converter (Progressive Dynamics PD4655V), the problem was solved.
So sorry to inform you that you need to replace the battery. To a certain extent, you are starting from scratch with new batteries. If you’re thinking of doing a lot of boon docking, consider getting two deep cell lead acid batteries or one lithium. If you’re more inclined to hook ups, stick with a single lead acid.
Good luck!
__________________
'02 Bigfoot 21’ | '07 Chevy Tahoe
|
|
|
06-26-2022, 09:04 AM
|
#20
|
Junior Member
Name: robert
Trailer: FIBER STREAM
Texas
Posts: 5
|
Terrible RV battery
The problem is your battery. Although interstate makes a great car battery, their RV batteries are well lets be honest JUNK. I had one for 8 months and took care of it and it would no longer charge past 9.2 volts. My suggestion, get yourself a lithium battery and install a battery disconnect switch. Your interstate battery is now nothing more than a paper weight. No matter how many times you try too charge it, it will never give you the power you need.
|
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Upcoming Events |
No events scheduled in the next 465 days.
|
|