Dead Batteries

[KA4EBU]

We left the RV and was gone for 5 days. It was plugged in to AC, nothing on on the dc side. The house batteries were completely dead. Turned the freedom 458 to charge and they appeared to be taking a charge. Going back in a few more days. Where do I need to start when I get back. Batteries are about 4 years old.

[wa8yxm]

KG7DKF.. When my Interstate U-2200's were new and I did not camp over winter (Though I do admit to using the rig a bit, IT's where the TS-2000 lives after all) I kept it plugged in full time save for when Detroit Edison failed us and I had to reverse the neutron flow or something like that (Actually the house was properly wired with a generator transfer switch and the motor home wired to feed it)

I watered the batteries every Mothers day, Weather they needed it or not as the saying goes (They could always use it but it took like 14 months to "need" not the 12 between mother's days) Today it's a bit more often but they are getting a bit long in the tooth as i were (going on 9 years).

[nbounder]

I must concur with 8yxm. the batts should not be 'off line' unless the rig is in long term storage. His comment about letting the Progressive Dyamics being left alone to do their job is most appropriate.

[wa8yxm]

You said "nothing on the 12 volt side" fact is that this is nearly never true, There are loads on the 12 volt side even with the system in "Store", "off" or "Disconnected" mode (All the same thing) the only way to be SURE of no load is to lift the NEGATIVE lead(s) off the battery.

And even then they self discharge... Slowly.

My preference is to keep it pluggeed in and let my Progressive Dynamics Charge Wizard do its thing.

[KA4EBU]

Thanks for all the info. Going back in a few days and will start looking at all these suggestion.

[Shadow_Catcher]

Do you know what the voltage was before you started charging, that will tell you if they were damaged beyond hope, there is a table most of the way down http://www.solar-electric.com/deep-cycle-battery-faq.html

[MNtundraRet]

KA4EBU wrote:
We left the RV and was gone for 5 days. It was plugged in to AC, nothing on on the dc side. The house batteries were completely dead. Turned the freedom 458 to charge and they appeared to be taking a charge. Going back in a few more days. Where do I need to start when I get back. Batteries are about 4 years old.

Your batteries are shot from turning off the charger. If you are plugged in, the charger should be left on to charge the house-batteries.

Some detectors are connected to h-batteries even if on disconnect. Also; if you have 12v batteries they are still connected to each other even on "disconnect". They prey on each other. Four year old batteries connected in parallel with a detector or two can easily go flat such as your case.

If you are in the habit of turning off the charger while plugged in the batteries are slowly discharging if not being maintained by the converter/charger.

The house-battery "disconnect" is only to be used while in storage without access to shore-power.

[MrWizard]

you have '12v loads'
why was the inverter charger 'OFF' if you left it plugged into shore power

[tenbear]

Was the refrigerator on? With only the CO and propane detectors on the batteries should last more than 4 days. Unless it was turned off the converter should have kept the battery charged.

[nelson]

After you make sure everything was turned off I would start with checking the batteries, Even 4 year old ones can fail. Then I would start checking connection at the battery, ground Fuses in the charging circuit.