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Batteries want to die down real fast

Yahoo Message Number: 12760
Hello, We just purchased our 2003 36' Allure #30856 about a month ago. I have noticed that when disconnected from shore power with the engine off, the batteries want to die down to 80% pretty quick.
Like about as long as it takes to fill up with diesel. Once I connect to shore power, or start the engine, it will charge back to 100%, but will take longer (~2X)than it took to discharge to 80%. I have the AGM house batteries and lead acid engine batteries. It looks like everything is off, but there must be some phantom drainage i can't locate. When we were picking the coach up, the dealer left it unplugged all night and the TRACE inverter LCD showed that the batteries were down to 24%. When I pointed this out to the dealer, they stated that the cleaning crew must have left something on, but I could find nothing on accept the inverter. After we plugged back into shore power, the batteries eventually came back to 100%.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is there something that should be turned off that I'm missing? I assume that the inverter LCD is showing me the state of charge of the house batteries only. Not the engine battery. Turning the inverter off doesn't seem to help much.
Thanks for any input

Larry, Debbie, Tiki and Tomi (Pugs) 2003 36' Allure #30856 w/370 ISL

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12766
Larry,

You should have them tested. I, and many others have had our AGMs replaced because they had problems with some around that time.
Mine would not hold a charge long either, and they just get much worse.

Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave 30912 (For Sale)
www.usaharris.com/coach

Quote from: Larry Feather
Hello, We just purchased our 2003 36' Allure #30856 about a month
ago. I have noticed that when disconnected from shore power with
the engine off, the batteries want to die down to 80% pretty

quick.

Quote
Like about as long as it takes to fill up with diesel. Once I > connect to shore power, or start the engine, it will charge back

to

Quote
100%, but will take longer (~2X)than it took to discharge to 80%.

I

Quote
have the AGM house batteries and lead acid engine batteries. It > looks like everything is off, but there must be some phantom > drainage i can't locate. When we were picking the coach up, the > dealer left it unplugged all night and the TRACE inverter LCD

showed

Quote
that the batteries were down to 24%. When I pointed this out to

the

Quote
dealer, they stated that the cleaning crew must have left

something

Quote
on, but I could find nothing on accept the inverter. After we > plugged back into shore power, the batteries eventually came back

to

Quote
100%.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is there something that should

be

Quote
turned off that I'm missing? I assume that the inverter LCD is > showing me the state of charge of the house batteries only. Not

the

Quote
engine battery. Turning the inverter off doesn't seem to help

much.

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12771
As previously mentioned....get the batteries tested. Sounds like you have some dead cells in the batteries. A load test will show the condition. A specific gravity test on the wet cell will also show any bad cells in that battery. A bad cell in a bank of batteries can bring down the entire bank.

I had a very similar problem when I purchase my coach as the second owner. Coach was three years old and 23k miles. All the batteries (three 8D wet cells) had to be replaced. I replace the engine battery with another 8D and the house batteries with Trojan golf cart batteries. All are wet cell batteries. I like to be able to maintain the batteries and test them to monitor there condition. So far two years and 15k miles, the batteries are doing great.

Jim

2000 Allure #30511

Quote from: Larry Feather

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12777
Thanks Bill.

I guess I need to get that checked out I wonder what kind of warrantee those AGMs are supposed to have. I thought they were the latest and greatest. Thanks again.

Larry, Debbie, Tiki and Tomi (Pugs) 2003 36' Allure #30856 w/370 ISL

Quote from: Bill Harris
Larry,

You should have them tested. I, and many others have had our AGMs > replaced because they had problems with some around that time.
Mine would not hold a charge long either, and they just get much > worse.

Bill Harris

03 Allure 1st Ave 30912 (For Sale) > www.usaharris.com/coach

[quote author=Larry Feather"

>

> Hello, We just purchased our 2003 36' Allure #30856 about a

month

Quote
ago. I have noticed that when disconnected from shore power

with

Quote
the engine off, the batteries want to die down to 80% pretty > quick.

> Like about as long as it takes to fill up with diesel. Once I > > connect to shore power, or start the engine, it will charge back > to

> 100%, but will take longer (~2X)than it took to discharge to

80%.

Quote
I

> have the AGM house batteries and lead acid engine batteries. It > > looks like everything is off, but there must be some phantom > > drainage i can't locate. When we were picking the coach up, the > > dealer left it unplugged all night and the TRACE inverter LCD > showed

> that the batteries were down to 24%. When I pointed this out to > the

> dealer, they stated that the cleaning crew must have left > something

> on, but I could find nothing on accept the inverter. After we > > plugged back into shore power, the batteries eventually came

back

Quote
to
> 100%.
>

> Has anyone else had this problem? Is there something that

should

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12778
Thanks Jim

As I mentioned to Bill, I need to check the warantee on those AGMs.
I thought they were supposed to last forever. I can easliy check the wet cells with a hydrometer (I think thats what they call it), but not sure how I can test the AGMS. I need to read up on that.
I've heard about the Trojans, and may go that route. Thanks for the feedback.

Larry, Debbie, Tiki and Tomi (Pugs) 2003 36' Allure #30856 w/370 ISL

Quote
>

As previously mentioned....get the batteries tested. Sounds like > you have some dead cells in the batteries. A load test will show > the condition. A specific gravity test on the wet cell will also > show any bad cells in that battery. A bad cell in a bank of > batteries can bring down the entire bank.

I had a very similar problem when I purchase my coach as the

second

Quote
owner. Coach was three years old and 23k miles. All the

batteries

Quote
(three 8D wet cells) had to be replaced. I replace the engine > battery with another 8D and the house batteries with Trojan golf > cart batteries. All are wet cell batteries. I like to be able to > maintain the batteries and test them to monitor there condition.

So

Quote
far two years and 15k miles, the batteries are doing great.

Jim

2000 Allure #30511

[quote author=Larry Feather"

>

> Hello, We just purchased our 2003 36' Allure #30856 about a

month

Quote
ago. I have noticed that when disconnected from shore power

with

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12779
IMHO, I would think that the dealer should give you new AGMS. You said you brought up this issue at the time of delivery, that is a good thing. Hold their feet to the fire. If the AGMs went bad this fast (coach only a couple years) have the charging system checked so you dont toast the new ones. Dale Hollick Affinity 6370

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12780
Thanks, Dale. I have been thinking about how to approach the dealer.

Quote from: Candace and Dale\[br\
Hollick]

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12785
Larry, what brand of AGM batteries do you have in the coach?

Egon

'99 Allure #30321
'02 Tahoe Z71

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12789
Egon

I will check the brand. Called the dealer (Lazy Days) today and the service tech team leader said that he needs to check with the manager on Monday, to see if they will replace my batteries.

Larry

Quote from: cctravelingman

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12790
Dale

Dealer is Lazy Days, salesman is Rob Boston, service manager is Bob Delorto (sp?)

Larry

Quote from: Candace and Dale\[br\
Hollick]

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12802
Egon, the AGMs in my coach are Concordes. Why do you ask? Thanks

Larry, Debbie, Tiki, Tomi (Pugs)
2003 36' Allure #30856 w/370 ISL

Quote from: cctravelingman

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #12 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12808
Hello Larry,

Just wondering if they were Lifeline batteries. They have like a five year prorated warranty. After having my '99 Allure for two years the coach wet cells went dead in 2000 and I bought two Lifeline Batteries. Have been very pleased with them and just replaced the coach wet cell (lasted for almost 6 years which is almost unheard of for the wet cells) with another Lifeline. I went with the Lifeline because in my other coache I was replacing the wet cells about every two and half years.

Egon

'99 Allure #30321
'02 Tahoe Z71

Quote from: Larry Feather
 

Re: Batteries want to die down real fast

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 12809
Hi Egon

Hmmm. Yes I saw the Lifline batteries on my internet search for AGM batteries. I think I saw that Concorde has a model called "Lifline" too. Hope the dealer will replace my batteries. I'll find out Monday. Thanks for the info.

Larry, Debbie, Tiki, Tomi (Pugs)
2003 36' Allure #30856 w/370 ISL

Quote from: Egon
Hello Larry,

Just wondering if they were Lifeline batteries. They have like a > five year prorated warranty. After having my '99 Allure for two > years the coach wet cells went dead in 2000 and I bought two > Lifeline Batteries. Have been very pleased with them and just > replaced the coach wet cell (lasted for almost 6 years which is > almost unheard of for the wet cells) with another Lifeline. I went > with the Lifeline because in my other coache I was replacing the

wet

Quote
cells about every two and half years.

Egon

'99 Allure #30321
'02 Tahoe Z71

[quote author=Larry Feather"

>

> Egon, the AGMs in my coach are Concordes. Why do you ask? Thanks > >

> Larry, Debbie, Tiki, Tomi (Pugs) > > 2003 36' Allure #30856 w/370 ISL > >
>
>
>

[quote author=cctravelingman"
>]
> >
> >

> > Larry, what brand of AGM batteries do you have in the coach? > > >

> > Egon

> > '99 Allure #30321
> > '02 Tahoe Z71
> >
> >
> >

> >