12v Battery Charging...

[CobraGT40]

Hey all,
This post is kind of related to my previous battery advice post.
I think I'm going to go the 6v in a series route.
However, I could use some input on charging the batteries. When I bought my Jayco Eagle 293-RKS 6 years ago it always charged the batteries when I had it plugged into a power source (i.e. electric hookup/generator).
Last year, while dry camping, I noticed that the batteries/connectors got extremely hot...like LAVA hot. Now, I have to remove the fuse to the batteries whenever I plug into an electric connection and proceed to use a manual charger to top off the batteries.
Any idea what might be causing this and how can I go abouts fixing it ?

Thanks !

Scott

[SCVJeff]

If it's just the terminals it's likely loose connections, lousy crimps on the lugs, dirty, or all of the above. If you are using a conventional starting battery for deep cycle, it's likely you killed them long ago and are bringing them back from the dead each time with max. charge current.

My guess is that the terminal heat problem is there when charging on shore or gen. You just haven't noticed it.

[2oldman]

CobraGT40 wrote:
When running off those batteries, everything works just fine...lights, bathroom fan, refrigerator controls, etc. Just don't last very long. .. I'm willing to bet one (or both) of the batteries have had it.

Me too.

[CobraGT40]

2oldman wrote:

CobraGT40 wrote:
When I use my generator at these sites, that's when I get the heat at the batteries... It's actually the wires that get pretty hot, more than the batteries.

Ok, you left that part out 🙂

Ok. As said, check those wires and stuff. BTW, how are your batteries? There's a chance there's a short in one, drawing a LOT of current.

Is everything OK when drawing off the battery?

The batteries are about 5 years old... They are actually the old batteries from my F250 when I switched out for new ones in the truck. They worked ok, but they're definitely not deep-cycle.
When running off those batteries, everything works just fine...lights, bathroom fan, refrigerator controls, etc. Just don't last very long. I'm willing to bet one (or both) of the batteries have had it. I'm going to upgrade to a 6v in a series...probably this weekend. I just want to make sure it's not another issue before I leave the batteries hooked up when switching to generator power.

[Me_Again]

Dup

Chris

[Me_Again]

Converter has gone TU or your batteries are TU, or maybe both! Do you have a multi-meter, was is the battery voltage when the converter is charging them?

Chris

[2oldman]

CobraGT40 wrote:
When I use my generator at these sites, that's when I get the heat at the batteries... It's actually the wires that get pretty hot, more than the batteries.

Ok, you left that part out 🙂

Ok. As said, check those wires and stuff. BTW, how are your batteries? There's a chance there's a short in one, drawing a LOT of current.

Is everything OK when drawing off the battery?

[CobraGT40]

2oldman wrote:

CobraGT40 wrote:
while dry camping, I noticed that the batteries/connectors got extremely hot...like LAVA hot. Now, I have to remove the fuse to the batteries whenever I plug into an electric connection and proceed to use a manual charger to top off the batteries.

I'm not sure I understand.

If you're dry camping, you're not using shore to charge, so I would presume the heat is coming from either too small wire, poor connections, and too much draw from the trailer.

I'm not following how that relates to heat from charging.

Dry camping I thought was when you don't have electric or water hook-ups at the site. When I use my generator at these sites, that's when I get the heat at the batteries... It's actually the wires that get pretty hot, more than the batteries.

[popeyemth]

My money's on poor connection at the batteries
Take the cables off one at a time(negative first)clean till shiney(cables and battery posts)reinstall
Free and needs to be done once in a while anyway
Good Luck, Mike

[2oldman]

CobraGT40 wrote:
while dry camping, I noticed that the batteries/connectors got extremely hot...like LAVA hot. Now, I have to remove the fuse to the batteries whenever I plug into an electric connection and proceed to use a manual charger to top off the batteries.

I'm not sure I understand.

If you're dry camping, you're not using shore to charge, so I would presume the heat is coming from either too small wire, poor connections, and too much draw from the trailer.

I'm not following how that relates to heat from charging.