Battery question

Taurus2415 · 11-27-2013, 09:05 PM

We just finished our first camping trip with our new (to us) camper and spent the entire time on shore power. After we got home I parked the camper (still connected to the truck) for a few hours while I went to a meeting. I forgot to turn off the lights and while I was gone the battery ran down to almost nothing. I had enough charge to raise and lower the hitch a couple of times before it was done.

I have an RV deep cycle group 27 battery that was put in service in Feb of 2012. Should a few lights discharge the battery this quickly?

Heady · 11-27-2013, 09:33 PM

Depends on how many lights you left on. Any other 12volt load such as the fridge, furnace or fan get left on as well? Sorry for the question, but we have all done it.

Rustic Eagle · 11-27-2013, 09:34 PM

You stated that the TT was "still connected" to the TV, are you referring to the 7-pin connector?

RoyBraddy · 11-28-2013, 04:55 AM

If you still have the standard incandescant bulbs in your trailer each bulb will pull 1 AMP of current... A headlight draws around 4-5 amps for comparison and you probably know how long a battery holds up when leaving the headlights on...

You always a few parasitic loads going all the time as well....

The bad thing is once you drawn down the battery below 10.5 VDC it starts doing harm to the battery. Some of the older batteries will not come back and may need replaced...

We watch our batteries like a hawk here...

Roy Ken

OnTheGo · 11-28-2013, 04:58 AM

The short answer is "yes, it could", but there are to many variables to give you a good answer. A battery that's been in service for almost two years could be in excellent condition, or worn out depending on use and maintenance. It's more likely to be in good condition. A few hours (how many?) is a long time to leave multiple lights on, on battery only. Also, the hitch jack would have used a lot of the battery's remaining charge.

Most auto parts stores will test your battery free. If you are a DIYer, battery maintenance is easy and inexpensive.

lx22f/c · 11-28-2013, 05:44 AM

First fully charge the battery then have it tested.
Also you need to make sure your trucks 7 pin connector is supplying battery voltage to your camper when plugged in.
When you are plugged into your truck the trucks charging system should keep the battery fully charged during transit. I have helped friends move their campers before that the batteries where dead and when plugged into the truck would get enough voltage to operate the tongue jack after about 30 minutes of charging.
Wuth that in mind i don't know how long from the time you disconnected from shore power till your batteries where dead but if your truck is supplying voltage to the camper then a few hours would not make a difference on a group 27 battery unless you had a bad cell in the battery and not accepting a charge. So get the battery tested by a trained professional and check to make sure your getting battery feed to camper when plugged into truck.
Hope this helps
Robert

Taurus2415 · 11-28-2013, 09:34 AM

Thanks for the replies. I need to check to see if the 7-pin is providing power to the battery. It was only 1.5 hours from the camp site to home. I had several lights on for about 4 hours and I also forgot about the mini fridge drawing current. I have the battery off the camper and will fully charge it and then take it to Autozone for a load test to see its condition.

Jagiven · 11-28-2013, 07:50 PM

It is a used trailer, so you really do not know how the battery was maintained. As mentioned above running them way down is hard on them. But also not checking the fluid levels. You can open the covers to each cell and look down into the cells. The water level needs to be above the plates at all times, and below the bottom of the plastic rim. When adding water NEVER use tap water, only use distilled water.

When you are connected to shore power, the battery should be charging. So when you left the CG you should have had a fully charged battery. To test if it is charging, use a volt meter and measure the voltage while both connected to shore power and not. There will be a significant difference in voltage. I believe, but probably wrong, when connected to shore power there should be about 13.5 volts across the battery terminals. When not connected to shore power you should measure about 12.6 volts. I have been told, but I have never looked for it, a fuse for charging the battery, in the power converter. This fuse is to protect the system in case the battery was connected backwards. If it was connected backwards the fuse would pop. I do not believe this is your problem thou as you stated you could run a few lights and the power jack. How I understand this fuse it totally isolates the battery from the TT’s power system.

Taurus2415 · 11-30-2013, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lx22f/c

First fully charge the battery then have it tested.
Also you need to make sure your trucks 7 pin connector is supplying battery voltage to your camper when plugged in.

Robert

Well, as it turns out I have no power to the battery from the truck. I put a meter on that pin today and got zero volts. So I checked and discovered I have a fuse and relay missing for "trailer tow connector - battery charge". Hopefully the guys at Ford owners forum can shed some light on this predicament. Anybody here have a fuse and relay missing when the tow package was factory installed?

clubhouse · 11-30-2013, 08:10 PM

Generally the connection to supply power on the 7pin isn't made at the factory. On my 1/2 Silverado and a Tahoe we owned the fuse/relay came in the glove compartment along with the brake controller cable. I connected them myself. On my Duramax, it isn't a fuse/relay, but rather a couple ring terminals that needed to be connected. Either way, very common what you have experienced with your expy.

**Mustang65** · 12-01-2013, 06:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taurus2415

Well, as it turns out I have no power to the battery from the truck. I put a meter on that pin today and got zero volts. So I checked and discovered I have a fuse and relay missing for "trailer tow connector - battery charge". Hopefully the guys at Ford owners forum can shed some light on this predicament. Anybody here have a fuse and relay missing when the tow package was factory installed?

Yes, in my 2012 the breaker was in the glove box also. Discovered it when I did not have a voltage on the 7pin connector and I looked in the trucks hand book where it was listed. Plugged it in and I then had 12volts. One other item, I only get 12volts on the 7pin connector when the ignition is on..
Don

Taurus2415 · 12-04-2013, 03:58 PM

After a little research I ordered a relay online and picked up a 30A fuse and now I have 12V at the hitch connector. I am a bit disappointed that I had to finish the dealer's work but for $7 it was worth doing it myself rather doing battle with Ford. Now I can have confidence that my trailer battery will be charging as we head to the campsite.

lx22f/c · 12-04-2013, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taurus2415

After a little research I ordered a relay online and picked up a 30A fuse and now I have 12V at the hitch connector. I am a bit disappointed that I had to finish the dealer's work but for $7 it was worth doing it myself rather doing battle with Ford. Now I can have confidence that my trailer battery will be charging as we head to the campsite.

Sweet glad you got it figured out. Use a volt meter to check the battery with the truck running to make sure you are charging the trailer battery while under way. When hooked up to shore power check again to make sure your converter is working properly.

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