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RV-Dreams.com Home -> RV-Dreams Community Forum -> Boondocking, Solar Power, and Related Items -> 12 volt puzzle
Post Info TOPIC: 12 volt puzzle
Judy L


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12 volt puzzle
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This a.m. we were preparing to take our trailer over to Bushnell to be weighed but when we tried to use Bigfoot we kept hearing the LP detector chirp like it does when the batteries are low.   We plugged back into shore power and then Bigfoot worked as it normally does but we decided to postpone our weighing trip since we wanted to be sure that the jacks would work properly so that the truck and trailer could be weighed separately.  This is the first time we’ve had this sort of problem but we’ve only had the trailer a couple of months so we’re still learning about it.  

 We think the batteries (4 6 volt AGM) are probably original to the trailer so that makes them about 7 years old.   I sent a note to the original owner to find out if they are original but haven’t heard anything back from them yet.    

 The trailer has two solar panels, a Xantrex Link 1000 battery monitor and the HPV-22 charge controller.   The charge controller has been set on shore power most of the two months we’ve owned the trailer and the Link 1000 has been set on charge.   If I turn off the charge controller, the Link 1000 shows that the batteries register 13.55 V.  I don’t understand how the batteries could be so low this a.m. that the LP detector was chirping but now register 13.55 V.   Since the Link 1000 battery monitor was set on “charge” and not “inverter” and the charge controller for the solar panels was turned off, it should have been testing only the charge in the batteries.   Right?  Is there something wrong in the way we’ve been using the system that allowed the batteries to get so low?    We obviously have a lot to learn.



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Judy LeMosy

2007 New Horizons Summit 38' / 2001 Volvo 610 w/ Smart Car on bed

 
bjoyce


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13.55 is high for no charger, so something is charging the batteries. With no charger they would be 12.6 to 12.8 volts. There is no reason to turn the HPV-22 off. The Link 1000 only has those settings if it is wired into a Xantrex inverter/charger and set up right. If you do not have a Xantrex inverter/charger, which has its own invert and charge switches, the Link 1000 ones are not doing anything.

Somewhere you have a charger for when on shore power, probably a converter. It could be a cheap converter and in that case the HPV-22 should do a better job of finishing the battery charge, if it has sunlight and enough panels. Look around your bays, close to the batteries and find what you really have.

Edit: If you are going to the Escapees park in Bushnell, there should be people there who will be glad to help you with the puzzle.  



-- Edited by bjoyce on Monday 13th of October 2014 03:55:27 PM

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Bill Joyce,
40' 2004 Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
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Judy L


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Thanks Bill.  It's getting dark out now but I did see that we have a Xantrex Freedom 458 Inverter/Charger in the basement.  We did some rearranging in the basement in preparation for our trip to Bushnell so wonder if maybe we bumped a switch or something.  We'll investigate further tomorrow. Thanks again!



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Judy LeMosy

2007 New Horizons Summit 38' / 2001 Volvo 610 w/ Smart Car on bed

 
bjoyce


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I looked up the Link 1000 and found it will work as a full remote for your inverter/charger, which I did not know.  Here is the manual - http://www.xantrex.com/documents/Discontinued-Products/Link1000_OwnerGuide(975-0084-01-01_Rev-A).pdf.  You can use the manual to make sure it is set up correctly for your battery bank.  It often is not, which will reduce their life.  If it ever gets reset, the settings will be wrong.

If the batteries are Lifeline 6 volt golf cart batteries (GPL-4CT), which are around the same size as car batteries, you have 440 amp-hours of battery and should make sure the settings are for that and AGM batteries.  Hopefully you have a temperature compensation cable and it is enabled in the settings.  The 458 is a 2000 watt modified sinewave inverter/charger and should have a 100 amp charger.   



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Bill Joyce,
40' 2004 Dutch Star DP towing an AWD 2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
Journal at http://www.sacnoth.com
Full-timing since July 2003
Judy L


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Well, it's definite that we need new batteries.  The battery monitor registered 11.6 when we disconnected shore power and shut down the solar panels.  We'll probably order four of the Lifeline GPL-4CT since we want to be able to do at least little boon docking.  We don't have a generator at this point so it would definitely be for short periods.  We're planning to attend the boon docking rally in February so hope to learn exactly what we're able to do.

If anyone has suggestions on a good source for batteries, I'm open to ideas.  

Bill, Thanks again for your help!  



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Judy LeMosy

2007 New Horizons Summit 38' / 2001 Volvo 610 w/ Smart Car on bed

 
Trikester


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Judy ordered the batteries this afternoon. We'll pick them up in Orlando on Friday. To echo Judy, Bill, thanks for your help. We're learning to appreciate RV Dreams folk as an immensely valuable community of resource.



-- Edited by Trikester on Tuesday 14th of October 2014 01:41:46 PM

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Bill LeMosy

2001 Volvo VNL 610 with Smart car bed

2013 Smart for Two Passion

2007 New Horizons Summit 38, MorRyde IS and pin, Dexter disks

 

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A-S Travelers


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Once you get your new batteries installed, be sure to monitor their charging and discharging closely to be sure something in your systems doesn't damage the expensive batteries.

If you will not be doing a lot of boondocking you could use inexpensive golf cart batteries from Costco or Sam's Club for under $100 each. Your battery compartment must be vented to use the flooded cell batteries though. You will have to change the charging settings in your solar controller and inverter to "flooded cell". The AGM batteries are great, but an overkill if you won't be doing a lot of boondocking.

Do you know how many total watts of solar panels you have?

Below are links to some great info about batteries and solar. Some of this may be more technical than you want/need, if so skip over the really technical stuff and go for the general info you may need.

http://www.rv-dreams.com/rv-electrical.html
http://www.jackdanmayer.com/rv_electrical_and_solar.htm
http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volt.htm
http://www.marxrv.com/12volt/12volta.htm
http://www.wholesalesolar.com/deep-cycle-battery-info.html



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Judy L


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Thanks Al and Sharon for the info.  I'm going to spend some time trying to familiarize myself with the solar set up to see if there's anything that might have caused the batteries to fail.  I'm hoping that they're the original batteries and given that the trailer is a good 7 years old maybe it was just time for them to fail.  I'll be curious to see if they have a manufacture date on them when we replace them.



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Judy LeMosy

2007 New Horizons Summit 38' / 2001 Volvo 610 w/ Smart Car on bed

 
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