Hoping someone can give me some ideas. We dry camped for a day, when I went to pull the slides in the next morning, the first one came (though a bit slow) but the next 2 the motors would not turn at all. I started my truck and plugged in the trailer and then I was able to get them in normally.I have 2 6volt batteries (only 4 months old). The battery meter said I had 3/4 power left. I measured the voltage today on each bat and it is 6.7 volts. I also checked all the battery and breaker connections and everything is tight. I have dry camped for days and have run the batteries down much lower with no problems, so I am a bit stumped as to what is causing this.Any ideas?

sheltieRV wrote: The battery meter said I had 3/4 power left. I measured the voltage today on each bat and it is 6.7 volts. Is that virtually the same reading you would have gotten at 3/4?

I suppose you were using the original 4 light meter for checking the capacity. You can't really tell much truth with that.Sounds like all the slide equipment was working okay, since it worked when you connected truck power.Question is, why was your power level so low after only one day of dry camping. Did you consume a lot of power? Is your converter doing a good job of charging? When had you last connected to power for the charger to work?An inexpensive voltage meter tacked on the wall can really help diagnose these things. The factory battery gauge, not so good.We dry camp a lot, and as a matter of practice I do my landing gear adjusting, and sometimes even my slide operation, while my truck is still connected to the trailer cord. Those motors draw a lot, so if I want to conserve power for dry camping I might as well let my truck share the load as much as possible. It is better for the motors too if they get plenty of juice. Low juice means they get hotter.

bpounds wrote:I suppose you were using the original 4 light meter for checking the capacity. You can't really tell much truth with that.Sounds like all the slide equipment was working okay, since it worked when you connected truck power.Question is, why was your power level so low after only one day of dry camping. Did you consume a lot of power? Is your converter doing a good job of charging? When had you last connected to power for the charger to work?We dry camp a lot and have never run into this before. Since we were out in the middle of nowhere, I was more concerned about getting the slides in than diagnosing, so I did not put a volt meter on it. But now the batts are fully charged, so I know the converter is charging just fine. And yes, I know the dummy lights are just that, but they have worked well for me to gauge things in the past, so I know they are not the problem.If I had a bad cell in one of the batteries, would that cause something like this?

sheltieRV wrote:If I had a bad cell in one of the batteries, would that cause something like this?It could. Load testing the batteries would be the test for that.Didn't mean to sound simplistic, but I have no way of knowing your experience level.

sheltieRV wrote:if I had a bad cell in one of the batteries, would that cause something like this?Yeah, but your voltage reading wouldn't likely be 6.7.It's highly unlikely batteries that young would not perform, unless a)they're undercharged b)they're dry c) your slide motors draw a whole lot more than mine do.

Batteries not pulling slides in after day of dry camping

13 Replies

eHoefler
Explorer II
Jun 19, 2014
What all was used or in use while dry camping?? Had you run the furnace any?? That alone will suck a battery done over night.
2yung2rtire
Explorer
Jun 19, 2014
rjxj has a point. A battery load test doesn't always show a bad or weak cell.A hydrometer in conjunction with the load tester is the ticket
sheltieRV
Explorer
Jun 19, 2014
rjxj wrote:
As said above check the water level. It has to always be over the plates. Also use a hydrometer to check the specific gravity. Fully charged 1.275 or so

Water level is fine, again these are only 4 months old.
azrving
Explorer
Jun 19, 2014
As said above check the water level. It has to always be over the plates. Also use a hydrometer to check the specific gravity. Fully charged 1.275 or so
PA12DRVR
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
Had the same thing happen to me a couple of times and found that there was a real impact of whether or not the slides/gear/etc was adequately lubed.

A well lubed slide (my 5th wheel had a big-a** superslide) would come in even with a very low battery...a needing-lube slide would not come in if the battery was at all low.
ReneeG
Explorer
Jun 18, 2014
We had a similar issue on another trailer with two 6V's and it turned out we had a bad battery. We replaced and all was well after that. We mostly dry/boondock in our current rig with 2 12V's and can bring in the slides (three on hydraulics) without hooking up to the truck, after a week of dry camping. During the course of our camping we recharge intermittently with a generator.
2oldman
Explorer II
Jun 18, 2014
bpounds wrote:
2oldman wrote:
sheltieRV wrote:
if I had a bad cell in one of the batteries, would that cause something like this?
Yeah, but your voltage reading wouldn't likely be 6.7.

On the contrary, it very well could. It takes a load on each battery to prove capacity.
Good thing I said 'likely'.
bpounds
Nomad
Jun 18, 2014
2oldman wrote:
sheltieRV wrote:
if I had a bad cell in one of the batteries, would that cause something like this?
Yeah, but your voltage reading wouldn't likely be 6.7.

On the contrary, it very well could. It takes a load on each battery to prove capacity.
2oldman
Explorer II
Jun 18, 2014
sheltieRV wrote:
if I had a bad cell in one of the batteries, would that cause something like this?
Yeah, but your voltage reading wouldn't likely be 6.7.

It's highly unlikely batteries that young would not perform, unless a)they're undercharged b)they're dry c) your slide motors draw a whole lot more than mine do.
bpounds
Nomad
Jun 18, 2014
sheltieRV wrote:

If I had a bad cell in one of the batteries, would that cause something like this?

It could. Load testing the batteries would be the test for that.

Didn't mean to sound simplistic, but I have no way of knowing your experience level.