Dead Batteries Again

kgeorge

I have had a consistant problem with batteries going dead in two days when not hooked up to power. I thought I had it figured out that the frig and hot water tank were running on the inverter during the day when traveling. I turn the frig on propane and shut off hot water manually but after sitting two days at home I have three dead batteries again. Should I have to turn the inverter to off to stop this. Any ideas what could be drawing that much in 48 hrs?

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Posted: 9:41 PM – Apr 12, 2017

JohnD222

K George,

The hot water heater should never be hooked into the inverter circuit. This was wired wrong. You need to fix that.

If you run new batteries dead, dead, dead a half dozen times, they are likely close to worthless. That said, any chance they are low in water? Add distilled water, charge up, and maybe you get lucky.

A 2015 that was built in Aug 2014 may simply have dead batteries anyway, especially if stored over winter without trickke charge in fall 2014, 2015, and 2016.

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Posted: 6:20 PM – Apr 13, 2017

kgeorge

I am at the thought also that something is wired wrong. I had them put in new batteries on delivery. I don’t know how they can go dead with everything shut off and the main battery disconnect turned off. It sounds like I could use some help from somebody with way more electrical knowledge then I have.

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Posted: 6:51 PM – Apr 13, 2017

JohnD222

Kgeorge,

The inverter needs short heavy gauge wires to deliver good solid 110 volts DC. It is probably wired directly to the battery with a massive in line fuse. The Bigfoot are similarly direct wired for the pumps; not sure about Lippert system. Inverter and 110 volt appliances/outlets powered by it should not be impacted by battery disconnect switch. That is for low draw 12 volt items.

Does your inverter have a readout of amp draw or on battery status? If so, turn all 110 volt circuit breakers off. Then turn on your inverter. Look at bolts and amps. Turn on one 110 volt breaker at a time and see if the inverter is powering that circuit. The hot water heater should definately not be powered by he inverter –even if the wall switch is on and the breaker is also on.

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Posted: 9:19 PM – Apr 13, 2017

kgeorge

Thanks John. My inverter is in the nose compartment, hard to get at to see the readout. I was wondering about it not being programed right. Ill try you advise and see if I can really be an electrician. I want to see if I can get the inverter in a position that you can see the readout without having to just about crawl into the compartment. Thanks again

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Posted: 9:48 PM – Apr 13, 2017

JohnD222

Be sure to disconnect the batteries before touching the inverter cables. Those direct 12 volt leads can kill you if shorted out.

Most inverters have remote readout screens with cabling to the base unit as an extra cost option that can be added at any time. Sometimes those can control on/off/auto function depending upon mfg and unit. Cable is usually long enough to route into living space. You will want this option long after you solve this problem.

The inverter is not usually “programmed,” but it’s 110 vac output is usually connected by electrical wire to a circut breaker subpanel that feeds only a few of the circuits in the camper. Microwaves can go either way depending upon the size of the inverter and number/size of batteries, but hot water heaters and air conditioners are strictly excluded unless you have a monster inverter and a battery bank the size of a pickup bed. ((Also excluded are circuits feeding your battery charger/converter. No sense in using battery to feed inverter to feed charger to feed batteries.)). The subpanel is fed from the main circuit breaker panel when on shore power- thus everything works (gets 110 vac) when on shore power. Some expensive inverters have integrated converters/chargers. Otherwise the converter/charger is also in the forward storage compartment plugged into a 110 volt outlet and connected to the battery it charges.

kgeorge wrote:Thanks John. My inverter is in the nose compartment, hard to get at to see the readout. I was wondering about it not being programed right. Ill try you advise and see if I can really be an electrician. I want to see if I can get the inverter in a position that you can see the readout without having to just about crawl into the compartment. Thanks again

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Posted: 10:00 PM – Apr 13, 2017

Itinerant1

kgeorge wrote:I am at the thought also that something is wired wrong. I had them put in new batteries on delivery. I don’t know how they can go dead with everything shut off and the main battery disconnect turned off. It sounds like I could use some help from somebody with way more electrical knowledge then I have.

You say that everything is off and the main BATTERY DISCONECT is OFF. Just so where all on the same page the batteries are wired to the main swtch? Have you actually tested the switch while in the off position to make sure it has killed the power the 5th wheel? A simple hand held tester set on 12 volts test the back of switch where positive/ negative are connected. This should be your starting point then go from there.

B.W.Gentry
Owner/Admin
2007 Carri-Lite XTRM5
Breckenridge, TX

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