Battery / Newbie Help!!!

Ranger Rick · 12-23-2019, 07:49 AM

Hello Everyone!
So I purchased a NEW Jayco 24RL last month! It was going to be at a storage yard when not in use. I haven't had a chance to take her out yet due work and the holiday's! I went there and come to find out my batteries are dead and I'm sure fully discharged! The are brand new Interstate's and my TT has two batteries. Going to bring the trailer home and get them charged right away!
So my question is this being brand new and the first time ever to be drawn down that low I'm going to need new batteries? will they recover after getting charged? thoughts on a battery disconnect?

thanks in advance from they Newbie
p.s.
I did do a search on this topic!! Sorry for asking again....

DonaandDon · 12-23-2019, 07:57 AM

A slow overnight 12hr minimum charge will tell you. RV batteries are deep cell type so they should be able to take it. Some say several times. Good Luck.

Stingray75 · 12-23-2019, 08:02 AM

The batteries will drain over time due to things like co2 & propane detectors inside the trailer. The batteries may not have been fully charged if you went from dealer to storage. Seems even using a the battery disconnect, here is a parasitic draw that over time, will drain a battery. Being in sunny CA, you may want to look for a solar battery maintainer if it will be stored away from home and a power source. Before going full time,e, I’d generally pull the batteries and put them on a battery tender if the trailers in storage.

CAG · 12-23-2019, 09:56 AM

The battery disconnect takes everything down including smoke detectors. If it does not, it is not hooked properly. With everything off of the batteries there should be no reason to pull them, especially if you have a small solar panel to trickle them when in storage. I had 3 12 volt AGMs on the solar while in storage and they were all fully charged any time I when to hook up.

RetiredOne · 12-23-2019, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ranger Rick

So my question is this being brand new and the first time ever to be drawn down that low I'm going to need new batteries? will they recover after getting charged? thoughts on a battery disconnect?

The question I would ask, was this truly the first time? Were these batteries installed just before you picked up the rig or were they in there from the factory? Dealers are notorious for killing batteries when the rig sits on their yard.

If these batteries have been totally discharged multiple times, this may also be why they don't stay charged. They could be permanently damaged. Some additional diagnostics may be in order (voltage tests, load tests, etc.).

Joan617 · 12-23-2019, 12:23 PM

Happened to me with the same batteries on a brand new rig one year ago. We had an Interstate dealer in town and they were very helpful. New Years Eve day and they were closed for inventory but the guy took me in to hear my tale of woe and the same concerns you have. After hearing me out he sold me a Battery Tender (charger/ conditioner). I needed one anyway. He advised me to leave the batts on it over the holiday and told me which lights coming on in the charger would indicate that I dodged a bullet. He further offered to take them in after the holiday and put them on his bench for intensive care and monitoring.
The batts made it in to the New Year OK.

I learned that no matter who says what and what disconnect switch your have, THE ONLY DISCONNECTED BATTERY IS ONE WITH NO CABLES ON IT.

I learned later that what the dealer gave us were two group 24's. I soon replaced them with true G27 (recommended) Duracell AGM's.

Now we are full time and do not have to store the rig un-attended until we drop it off for the crack repair in TX in May. At that time I will have the "battery talk" with the service manager. I know that the AGM's are much more tolerant of deep discharges but I still want to be careful.

Congrats and good luck with the new rig and enjoy the holidays.

Angus

jimp · 12-23-2019, 04:25 PM

I would probably just remove the batteries, take 'em home and charge 'em up. Then see if they are good/holding a charge or not. If you will use the TT frequently year round, well, may have to come up with another workable plan. If stored for the winter, then putting new batteries in a stored TT w/o the ability to keep them charged you will be back at the same spot come spring.

Jagiven · 12-23-2019, 05:47 PM

Take the batteries home, put them home and put them on a battery tender.

I do disagree with jimp. Modern batteries when full disconnected will hold a charge for a long time. Mine sit on the floor of my garage all winter. I do put the tender on them a couple times. I have never seen them down more than 0.1 volts.

I do recommend a good battery disconnect or pull the inline fuse at the battery. Fyi if your in a storage lot, if the switch is out in the open, anyone can flip it, and you can still have dead batteries the next time you arrive. Also note, we commonly hear of batteries being stolen from storage lots.

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