New 5th Wheel Questions

[Michaelunderway]

Hello I just bought a 5th wheel and have a couple questions. I actually have a million questions but i will start with the most important. I have 2 Trojan T-106 6 volt Batteries and i have some concerns. When i removed the vent caps, the lead plates were exposed alot. I covered them with distilled water as that is what i have read i should do. They are fully charged and get around 13+ Volts when measured at the panel underneath my fridge. How can i tell if the batteries are ruined? The other question is, i went up on the roof and noticed a solar panel ( around 13"X 13")and followed the cable down to the same connection under the fridge. It is some sort of control panel with fuses and a few breakers. Is there a problem with the solar panel overcharging the battery. My last question would be about a small inverter. By our door there is a lighter type receptacle and i was wondering if i could plug a 1000w inverter in there to run a laptop and charge cell phones when we are not plugged in? How long would the bettery last or would the solar panel keep it charged? Thanks in advance and i apoligize for so many questions.
Mike

Sorry about the extra posts, my internet didnt seem to work.

[Michaelunderway]

Thanks for the replies. I unplugged the trailer and ran some lights to get the battery down and then let the solar panel charge the batteries. I got 12.6 volts when they were charged. Plugged in i got 13.4 on the batteries. The newest thing i m dealing with is the water heater. I have a 6 gallon suburban gas/electric DSI. The switch for the electric is really hard to push in and i think it may be bad. If i force it on the water wont heat up. I was going to replace the switch then drain the tank and check the anode? Once i am done figuring things out maybe i can go camping. Thanks again.

[n7bsn]

Normally yes, a solar panel should have a controller to limit the voltage and ensure that the battery is not being over-charged. Bringing the solar lead in via the refer vent is very common (I did that on three different rigs)

[donn0128]

Michaelunderway wrote:
Hello I just bought a 5th wheel and have a couple questions. I actually have a million questions but i will start with the most important. I have 2 Trojan T-106 6 volt Batteries and i have some concerns. When i removed the vent caps, the lead plates were exposed alot. I covered them with distilled water as that is what i have read i should do. They are fully charged and get around 13+ Volts when measured at the panel underneath my fridge. How can i tell if the batteries are ruined?Take them out and have them load tested at a battery shop or an auto parts store The other question is, i went up on the roof and noticed a solar panel ( around 13"X 13")and followed the cable down to the same connection under the fridge. It is some sort of control panel with fuses and a few breakers. Is there a problem with the solar panel overcharging the battery.[COLOR=]Without a charge controller yes, there is a chance. But a panel that small is basically useless so dont worry about it My last question would be about a small inverter. By our door there is a lighter type receptacle and i was wondering if i could plug a 1000w inverter in there to run a laptop and charge cell phones when we are not plugged in? No it is not suitable for that large inverter. For an inverter that size you need to run 4ga cables from the battery to the inverter using as short a run of cable as possibleHow long would the bettery last or would the solar panel keep it charged? One 12volt battery will not last a long time trying to run a TV. Remember for each 1 amp of 120VACower your batteries will have to supply approx 10 amps of 12VDC power. So, for instance if your battery bank was capable of 100 amps before completely dead, and since you should not discharge a battery below 50% means about 50 amps of useable power or about 5 amps of 120VAC power. Get the idea?Thanks in advance and i apoligize for so many questions.
Mike

Sorry about the extra posts, my internet didnt seem to work.