Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Jayco RV Owners Forum
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 03-06-2017, 11:01 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Tonawanda
Posts: 10
2017 Redhawk - Battery Issues

Well, I picked up my brand new Redhawk on Saturday from the dealer. I live in the Northeast and the temperature was 20 degrees that day. Here is what happened:

- While driving home the check engine light came on, so this was concerning, but did not turn around and continued my 40 minute drive home.
- Once I got home, I tried starting the MH and click click click, nothing, so I used the AUX button (check engine light still on) to start the MH. This Must be how the salesman started the MH and didn't' tell me.
- So, while showing family and friend the MH, I was able to run the genny and all the coach power worked fine.
- After I shut off the genny, the lights went dim pretty quick - 15-20 min after the genny was powered off. I could not get the slides back in at this point.
- I plugged the MH into my house (15 amp) to charge the house battery.
- Sunday morning, tried starting the MH with the key ignition and still getting the click click click. I was able to start the MH (check engine light still on) with the AUX button and was able to close the slides.
- I let the MH run for 15-20 minutes to see if the alternator would charge the the Ford engine battery.

This seemed to work, the check engine light was off and everything seems to be working fine. I can start the MH with the ignition and the batteries seem to be charging fine.

My questions - Why did the alternator not charge the Ford engine battery during my 40 min. drive home? Why did the coach battery die so quickly after the genny was running? Is this due to cold weather and being in storage a few months? Are my batteries damaged and will not last as long now?

As you can imagine, a brand new MH with less than 500 miles having these issues raises a lot of questions.

Thank you in advance for your input.
sizzle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2017, 11:46 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: --
Posts: 2,392
If the coach was sitting awhile the alternator would need more then 40 mins to charge the battery. I got a 5amp Battery Tender for the coach battery for JUST this reason. My coach battery took 36 hours or so to fully charge on the battery tender after I had driven the rig from storage back to my house. It was sitting in storage for 4 weeks prior.
__________________
2023 Ford F-150 XLT SCREW 3.5EB (Max Tow Pkg., Black Appearance Pkg., Bed Utility Pkg.)
1727 Payload / 4150 RAWR

On the sidelines taking it all in.


Jopopsy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2017, 11:48 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: --
Posts: 2,392
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one, btw. I installed the O-ring quick connect to the battery so I wouldn't have to deal w/ the clamps. Now, charging the chassis battery is part of my monthly maintenance.
__________________
2023 Ford F-150 XLT SCREW 3.5EB (Max Tow Pkg., Black Appearance Pkg., Bed Utility Pkg.)
1727 Payload / 4150 RAWR

On the sidelines taking it all in.


Jopopsy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-06-2017, 12:47 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Denver
Posts: 4,217
Quote:
Originally Posted by sizzle View Post
My questions - Why did the alternator not charge the Ford engine battery during my 40 min. drive home?

Why did the coach battery die so quickly after the genny was running? Is this due to cold weather and being in storage a few months? Are my batteries damaged and will not last as long now?
I'd get both batteries tested.
And I'd make sure the shop did a proper load test on them, not a once over.
pconroy is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2017, 12:42 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
GrayHawk51's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Surprise, Arizona
Posts: 464
Quote:
Originally Posted by pconroy View Post
I'd get both batteries tested.
And I'd make sure the shop did a proper load test on them, not a once over.
When your battery is fully charged it should read 12.7/12.8 volts. And once you start using it it drops down from there. When you disconnect from shore power the house battery continues to drain as you have equipment like the "TV booster" button (green) that continue to drain the battery even when you disconnect shore power.

And that's my 2 cents worth!
__________________
2015 GrayHawk 29MV/Toad - 2018 Equinox (automatic)
-------

Any man can treat a lady right for one night, but it takes a great man to treat her right for the rest of her life.
GrayHawk51 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2017, 07:02 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: lothisn
Posts: 106
I have a 2017 Redhawk and I'd replaced the coach battery with an AGM type. I have been using the AGM for more than 10 years and find them to be absolutely superior in every way to the standard cheap lead acid battery. They are more robust, longer life and be be used without failure for up to 8-10 years. I use and AGM on my boat as well. I keep a low voltage tender on all the time but if there was no parasitic drain on the battery the AGM would lose less than 10% charge if just sitting for 3 months or more even in the winter. I have three of the units and firmly believe the industry should provide a good AGM instead of the cheap lead acid type. But of course cheap is key for the manufacturer. The AGM will cost you perhaps twice as much or a little more but they are worth it and can be depended on. These battery can be drawn down near completion and still be recharged hundreds of times. The motion and the drawn downs of current eventually consumes of the life a lead acid battery.
xmtraveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2017, 07:43 AM   #7
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Tonawanda
Posts: 10
Thank you all.....Update - The past couple days the Ford battery will not hold a charge as I have to start the engine using the AUX button. I let the engine run for 15-20 min and all seems fine. The next day nothing, start the process over. I find this hard to believe being this is a brand new coach, but I think that battery is damaged. I have a call into service.
sizzle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2017, 09:56 AM   #8
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Tonawanda
Posts: 10
Quote:
Originally Posted by xmtraveler View Post
I have a 2017 Redhawk and I'd replaced the coach battery with an AGM type. I have been using the AGM for more than 10 years and find them to be absolutely superior in every way to the standard cheap lead acid battery. They are more robust, longer life and be be used without failure for up to 8-10 years. I use and AGM on my boat as well. I keep a low voltage tender on all the time but if there was no parasitic drain on the battery the AGM would lose less than 10% charge if just sitting for 3 months or more even in the winter. I have three of the units and firmly believe the industry should provide a good AGM instead of the cheap lead acid type. But of course cheap is key for the manufacturer. The AGM will cost you perhaps twice as much or a little more but they are worth it and can be depended on. These battery can be drawn down near completion and still be recharged hundreds of times. The motion and the drawn downs of current eventually consumes of the life a lead acid battery.
What mfg. of AGM battery you use? I am going to buy one. Thank you
sizzle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-08-2017, 05:00 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Denver
Posts: 4,217
Quote:
Originally Posted by sizzle View Post
Thank you all.....Update - The past couple days the Ford battery will not hold a charge as I have to start the engine using the AUX button. I let the engine run for 15-20 min and all seems fine. The next day nothing, start the process over. I find this hard to believe being this is a brand new coach, but I think that battery is damaged. I have a call into service.
Yeah - that does sound like a dead chassis battery.

But, it would probably take a few hours of driving for the alternator to get a full charge in there. If you really mean just "15-20 minutes" and then it's off for a day, I think that's not enough.

I'd yank the battery and put it on a charger (like a $50 Schumaker from Walmart) and leave it on overnight.

Anyway - good luck!
pconroy is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 03-10-2017, 06:53 AM   #10
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Tonawanda
Posts: 10
Update - It was the chassis battery and Ford replaced it under warranty. Thank you all for your help.
sizzle is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-14-2017, 10:22 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
thecampingcat's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Ringwood
Posts: 280
I changed house battery to interstate ( don't know if that's agm) after storage my engine battery click click... no electricity at storage so I ran house generator and while running it started truck fine..never thought of that Aug button... I don't check water levels cause I get scared of opening with acid etc..i just buy new ones...and yes they grab older batteries off shelf when building coaches... 2014 Greyhawk
thecampingcat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-16-2017, 05:13 PM   #12
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: lothisn
Posts: 106
I am using the VMAX battery in the motor home MR96 60AH deep cycle. You can buy directly on line from VMAX, Amazon or many other vendors. I am using a Cabelas version in my boat. I think the VMAX folks are the supplier of many AGM deep cycles batteries to other vendors under different names. It is a really good battery. Never needs water or maintenance done. I keep a 1.5 volt tender connected all the time to compensate for the small drainage that takes place all the time on the motorhome. The one on my boat I have been using for some 7-8 years and it has never failed me.
They cost about double what you pay for the typical lead acid type but they are more than worth it.
xmtraveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-17-2017, 10:54 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: lothisn
Posts: 106
Good you have your solution to the immediate battery problem. Of course it's always possible to get a bad battery right from the vendor. As stated earlier I replaced the house battery something from harrisbattery.com because after some three months of use and actually taking only 3-4 short trips I noticed the battery was constantly in need of water. Until buying the Redhawk we had been towing more than 35 yrs travel trailers and over the last 15 or more we owned two large 5th wheels. In both 5th wheels I replaced the house battery with the AGM type and had excellent performance from them. As a matter of fact prior to receiving the AGM I had on order for the Jayco while waiting I took my AGM (Cabelas version) from my boat which already had 5-6 years use and installed it in the Jayco. No brand new deep cycle, lead acid type should be loosing so much water after driving a few hundred miles. That is why I simply replaced it. That particular battery (harrisbattery) was a piece of cheap junk. Maybe others have had better luck with theirs but an AGM battery is superior to the lead acid type hand down.
xmtraveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 03-17-2017, 01:07 PM   #14
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Calgary
Posts: 885
Quote:
Originally Posted by xmtraveler View Post
I am using the VMAX battery in the motor home MR96 60AH deep cycle. You can buy directly on line from VMAX, Amazon or many other vendors. I am using a Cabelas version in my boat. I think the VMAX folks are the supplier of many AGM deep cycles batteries to other vendors under different names. It is a really good battery. Never needs water or maintenance done. I keep a 1.5 amp tender connected all the time to compensate for the small drainage that takes place all the time on the motorhome. The one on my boat I have been using for some 7-8 years and it has never failed me.
They cost about double what you pay for the typical lead acid type but they are more than worth it.
Small correction in case someone wants to purchase one as well.
__________________
2014 Jayco Swift 281BHS, 300W Solar!
2015 F250 XLT 4x4 Crew Cab, Short box, 6.2 gas
Subaru297 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Jayco, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 09:47 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Copyright 2002-2016 Social Knowledge, LLC All Rights Reserved.