New 6 volt golf cart batteries seem not to be charging

[smsinville]

I have a Heartland Edge trailer...21 ft...year 2010. I've had no issues with the single 12V house battery. We're planning a trip that will involve lots of boondocking, and so I've put in two 6V golf cart batteries; the gel kind. AFter that install, the battery status showed "full". As a "test", I turned on some lights and a 12V fan to see how long I could power them. AFter 3 days the simple battery status gauge (stock one, with tank status lights) showed about 2/3. So I plugged back into shore power to check recharging. Even after 5 days the battery status is still at 2/3. It appears the power center is is not recharging those batteries. Any idea what could be wrong? I do plan to use a multimeter to see what the 12V wire leads show, what the two batteries show. Maybe I just need a more sophisticated battery status indicator?

[wa8yxm]

For a GC-2 6.3 Volts is normal resting FULL CHARGE so clearly they are charged.

As others have suggested make sure you have them properly installed. I'm a tad confused if you have two 6 volt in series or 2 pair. You should show 12.6 volts from chassis cable to HOT cable (Ignore the connecting jumper)

Check switches and circuit breakers.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

BFL13 wrote:
Mex, in the OP he said he has two 6s.

Thanks BFL 13

And he claims the batteries are not charging? But the perverter works to maintain hotel loads? Still wired wrong. Do the basics. Verify voltage interior reading at another spot. Preferably at the load center120/12.

I have my doubts because the OPs confusion with gelled electrolyte batteries. Incorrect descriptions can make a bloodhound wanna go home.

[BFL13]

Mex, in the OP he said he has two 6s.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

IT

IS

CONNECTED

WRONG

One PAIR is in series

The OTHER PAIR is in series

Pair ONE is connected to the gauge

Pair TWO is connected to the charger

Read THEY ARE NOT CONNECTED IN PARALLEL 2+2

Follow a connection diagram. I mean to say does ANYONE out there have a clear connection diagram? My internet connection is too slow.

The OP made a CLASSIC MISTAKE by not by not marking each wire by where is WAS connected at the batteries.

Then reading CLASSIC novice diagnostics advice and posting it for the OP.

Start with the basics not with advice about dilithium crystals phase shifting.

[BFL13]

You need to put the voltmeter at the converter's output terminals, or at least at the DC fuse panel lugs where the converter is connected, and look for 13.6 volts. (BTW not "current" it's "volts")

You appear to have a huge voltage drop from the converter to the battery wires by only seeing 12.5 volts or else the converter has an internal fault. If you find 13.6 at the converter, then you know it is ok and now the task is to find the mystery load (loose wire connection, loose fuse in its holder, rusted frame connection, whatever)

The fridge needs "12v" to run on 120v, so the converter is supplying that, even if only 12.5v.

The batteries run the 12v things ok, so the path from them to the DC fuse panel is ok. If the converter does 13.6 then it seems the fault is between the converter and the DC fuse panel. Tighten the set screw lugs where the converter's wires go on the DC fuse panel (might be on the back of the panel for one of them)

[Boon_Docker]

If your reading of 12 1/2 volts (converter output) is accurate then converter is not working properly, should be 13+

[opnspaces]

smsinville wrote:
CURRENT CHECKS: With the two batteries disconnected, the DC volt reading is 6.3 on each, so that's OK. With the batteries wired back together, the reading is 12.6, so I think that's OK. With the trailer plugged back into shore power, the output current to the wires at the battery (tho' not yet connected to battery) is about 12 1/2 volts, so that seems normal.

Actually I think that's your problem. With no batteries the charger should be putting out at least 13.6 volts. Hook up the batteries and plug in the shore power. You should see at least 13.6 volts at the battery. As far as the output, when you say 12 1/2 volts what is the actual output? Are you seeing 12.5, 12.6 etc? It may not seem like it, but it makes a big difference.

[smsinville]

OK ... here's what I've been able to check today, and the results:
CONNECTIONS: The two batteries (which are actually "valve-regulated lead acid", not "gel") are connected properly.

CURRENT CHECKS: With the two batteries disconnected, the DC volt reading is 6.3 on each, so that's OK. With the batteries wired back together, the reading is 12.6, so I think that's OK. With the trailer plugged back into shore power, the output current to the wires at the battery (tho' not yet connected to battery) is about 12 1/2 volts, so that seems normal.

So, maybe my display panel showing battery status is bad. One other thing that has always been the case, and may or may not be related to all of this is this: When I plug the trailer into a GFI protected outlet it trips the GFI breaker...every time. Tried some time ago to troubleshoot that with no success. It always works find at the pedistal at RV parks.

One other thing I "discovered" this morning, quite by accident: The fridge has not worked on propane for some time--no sparking or ignition. Today while I had the batteries disconnected from the trailer, I plugged in the shore power to 120V and heard the fridge sparking, and apparently firing up on propane. But later when I reconnected the batteries and plugged into shore power, no sparking. The fridge problem is not a big deal as it works on 120 and 12V, and we rarely boondock. But this behavior may be related to the electric issues...

Thanks again for the feedback.

[camperdave]

The batteries are obviously wired correctly, since the 12v systems work. You've got something wrong in the converter/charger area.

Start troubleshooting it. Make sure it has 120v. Make sure it outputs 13v. If you have 13v at the charger, check at the battery. Still have 13v?

You just need to isolate the problem, then you can find the issue.

[Boon_Docker]

"They don't make GEL in the sizes we use in fact they don't much make GEL any more."

Trojan is one of the various brands of gel batteries that are the same size as flooded (24's, 27's, 31's etc).

[wa8yxm]

Wired wrong. Breaker tripped.. bad battery and where did you find "GEL" 12 volt RV size batteries.. They don't make GEL in the sizes we use in fact they don't much make GEL any more.. AGM yes but not GEL

And if you bought OPTIMA (which is sometimes marketed as GEL even though they are AGM) you got ripped off only 2/3 the capacity of standard AGM batteries at 4/3 the price or more.

NOTE: Gel are very finicky eaters You charge them as fast as I do my Flooded wet's and they die and die fast.. AGM's on the other hand are the opposite. you can charge them same as Flooded. Some makes even faster.

[opnspaces]

Your wiring gauge is not the problem, especially not the short wire connecting the two batteries together. My trailer has 6 gauge wire between the batteries and from the charge to the battery about 20 feet away and it charges fine.

You mentioned you have a multimeter. Unplug the trailer and run the furnace blower for 3 minutes, then turn it off. Take a reading at your batteries, if you have the ability also take a reading at the circuit board for the converter charger. Then plug the trailer back in and take readings at both the charge controller and the batteries, and let us know what you find.

I'm betting you have a loose ground or a blown reverse polarity fuse. but you won't know anything until you take some readings.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

A good way to start is with an excellent diagram showing cable connections to 4 golf car batteries. For things like connecting the battery condition meter to one pair of batteries and connecting the charger to the other pair.

Start off simple where most mistakes are made, please.

[smsinville]

I certainly appreciate all the quick responses. I am certain it is wired correctly as that is a simple pattern to follow. However, I used a four gauge wire for the interconnect and I am seeing today in some comments and research that I should have used a two gauge wire. I have not yet checked the circuit breakers and fuses and I will do that. But I’m thinking maybe the gauge of the interconnect wire might be a factor. Anyone have an opinion on that?