2006 Coachmen house batteries

[Your_Pal]

First time post. I have a 2006 Coachmen Cross Country. Bought it a little over one week ago. Previous owner said he had the batteries replaced in January. Prior to that the originals lasted seven yrs.
He delivered it to our house for us. We set it up with slides out and used a heavy duty extension cord to plug it in. Watched some TV and used the interior lights while the kids did homework. No AC or heavy draw used.
Yesterday I went to pull the slides in and the batteries didn't have enough power to pull in the living room slide. RV was still plugged in and I turned the key to the right for aux. The generator didn't have enough battery to crank as well. I ended up having to turn on the RV. After several minutes I was able to turn on the generator and had enough power to pull in the slide.
The inverter was left on auto while it was parked and the key was out of the ignition. What is the correct position for the inverter. I have the remote panel that is over the door.

Any help would be great.

Thank You,
Rico

[dsisemore1]

I know on my coach the manufacturer says to make sure the engine is running when you put the slides in or out. Learned this after I was showing my new rig off and after putting the slides in and out twice without the engine on batteries died.

[MyakkaTT]

Our slides operate off the Engine Battery and not the house batteries. Our engine battery does not charge while plugged in. It only charges when engine is running or we have a small solar charger system as well. But we park under a canopy so it does not charge at home. I can hit my jump start switch and the slides will function if engine battery is drained though.

[happy-2]

I DO BELIEVE THE RV SHOULD BE RUNNING WHEN THE SLIDES ARE OPERATED,MY BATTERIES ALWAYS SHOW 14.6 AMPS,WHEN PLUGGED IN,AND I HAVE A 50 AMP SERVICE BUT LIKE USING A 30 AMP CORD BECAUSE IF THE WEIGHT DIFF,I WENT TO ALL LED LIGHTS IN THE COACH,WHAT A DIFFERENCE ,NO HEAT, LESS DRAW, PS DONT FORGET TO ALWAYS USE A SURGE PROTECTOR.

[Preacher_Man]

67Cutlass wrote:
On the 03 Cross Country we used to have, if the 12v disconnect switch was off (disconnected) the batteries coach batteries would not charge when connected to shore power. Is your 12v disconnect switch in the on position?

Turning the inverter on had nothing to do with charging the coach batteries. We had a separate converter and inverter.

Our 2004 is the same way.

[67Cutlass]

On the 03 Cross Country we used to have, if the 12v disconnect switch was off (disconnected) the batteries coach batteries would not charge when connected to shore power. Is your 12v disconnect switch in the on position?

Turning the inverter on had nothing to do with charging the coach batteries. We had a separate converter and inverter.

[GTMADNS]

I flip the switch to the left when running the generator or traveling and not hooked up to shore power. When hooked up to outside power i flip switch to the right for line charge.
The coupling is for air for like bike tires or even rig tires however it is very hard to fill our tires with using the motorhome air supply.

[Your_Pal]

Do I need the inverter on when the gunny is running.
Also since you have a cross country.
Do you know if the quick connect in the passenger outside front compartment is for air or LP?

Thanks
Rico

[GTMADNS]

I have a 2006 Cross country. When I am hooked to shore power I always have my switch to line charge only. When I am driving or generator going then I flip it over to the inverter. Hope this helps to know when to have in which mode.

[Your_Pal]

Tested batteries at NAPA. They said they were good so I brought them home. Cleaned all connections and left off one rusty washer that was on one of the connections.
It is now working as it should. I don't know if it was the rusty water someone had placed on the post before connecting the ground or the minor corrosion on the positive cable but it's working.
Thank you everyone for the help.
Rico

[jerseyjim]

Keep the INVERTER "off". No need for it unless you make coffee when not hooked up to shore power. Drains the batteries real fast. Keep it off. You might also check your CON-verter. My coach, two different units. Recently, found my CON-verter (13 years old) was putting out 12.4 amps.
Usable, but wearing out. (13 years old) bought a new one (Parallax 55 amp) for $209 on-line. 2 wires (+ and -) plus a copper chassis ground. Heck...even I could do that....
My generator starts with the 2 6V coach batteries. Shore power charges the coach batteries but not the 12V starter battery. The starter battery gets charged by the engine alternator...and when running, the engine alternator ALSO charges the 2 -V coach/house batteries. Go figure.
My slide-out (Powergear) works off the 2 - 6V house batteries. No matter what brand batteries I use, I seem to always need to change them around the 3 year mark. Right now, I'm using DEKA for all 3. 2nd year. So, for me, with batteries, I go for the buck when buying them...seeing any brand I buy simply lasts the same amount of time.

FWIW, my Powergear hydraulic jacks, the control panel works off the 2 - 6V batteries but the pump/motor works off the 12V battery.

[Your_Pal]

Volts on house batteries at 6.7 I took them out and will be taking them to NAPA to have them tested.
It seems that the slide and generator works off the house batteries.
I will update the battery condition later.

Thanks
Rico

Getting closer.

[Your_Pal]

If the chassis batteries are almost dead then wouldn't the RV not start? The RV cranked right up.
Does anyone know if the house batteries power the slides or the chassis batteries?

I have been working but will have time tomorrow for further investigation.

Thanks for the assistance so far.

Rico

[DrewE]

If the two house batteries are 6V batteries (typically golf cart batteries), they should be connected in series, the positive of one to the negative of the other, and the remaining terminals to the RV (- to ground, + to the positive system). If two twelve volt batteries, they should be in parallel—the two positives together (to the + system of the motorhome), and the two negatives together (to ground). In neither case should a battery have its positive terminal shorted directly to its negative terminal.

I think your chassis battery was dead or nearly so. On my '98 Coachmen class C motorhome, the generator starter is powered from the chassis battery, not the house battery, which was not what I expected initially. I don't have any slides, but they might also reasonably be connected to it. The chassis battery is often not charged by the converter.

If it was dead or discharged, it could be because of age (if it wasn't replaced with the house batteries) or because something was left on that should not have been—maybe mirror heaters or a cab area dome light, for instance.

[Dale_Traveling]

Probable a good starting point is at 12 Volt Side Of Life which should answer you questions and those you haven't thought of yet.