ENGINE BATTERY


H2H1

Senior Member
When I cover the MH and put her for the winter months I thought all well. So when I went out today and open her up just see if everything was OK. I HAD THE AWFUL SMELL IN THE MH. I thought I had left something in the black holding tank and since it was covered all that smell went into the MH.
icon_smile_disapprove.gif
I have been airing out all day today. Then I found out that the engine battery was cooking. the plates inside was destroyed (NO WATER IN 3 CELLS) I just went and got a new battery and put it in.Looklike it something all the time. THE MORAL OF MY STORY IS always check all your batteries and see it you need to add some distill water.


Hollis
 
G

Guest

Guest
RE: ENGINE BATTERY

Agreed .. and also ck u'r coach battery... :) :)
 

Kirk

Senior Member
Re: ENGINE BATTERY

I suggest that you also look for the reason that your battery boiled out the water, assuming that you were keeping it full when it was in use. Unless it was dry when you stored the coach there is some other problem that had to happen to cause that battery to boil dry. It takes current flow to do that.
 

H2H1

Senior Member
Re: ENGINE BATTERY

it's the original battery. I never ck the water level, it's just like my car battery I never ck it.If it fail I replace it. Kirk very good point, however nothing has/ had changed. I think it was old and low on water that caused it fused the plates. But from now on I will ck them on a schedule like every 6 months. thanks for your input
 

H2H1

Senior Member
Re: ENGINE BATTERY

Kirk and all the other smart RV guys, the DW has suggested that I take them out or disconnect a cable to the batteries. Do you know of any other RVer's do this when storing their MH for the winter? We are looking for about another 90 + days of winter. by mid March it's all gone. If I DISCONNECT the batteries would that create a problem, it is on shore power 24/7, does keeping it on shore power 24/7 a bad / good or just ok to do?
thanks
Hollis
 

C Nash

Senior Member
Re: ENGINE BATTERY

Hollis does yours have a battery minder, miser or whatever they call that device that monitors batter charge to keep them from overcharging? You should have a batter disconnect. I would switch the engine battery off but it should be fully charged as they will freeze if discharged. I leave mine on shore power all the time but ck on water level at least monthly. Never had a problem with the MH we have now which has a battery wizard. Very seldom add water. I catch the ac condensation water and save to add to battery.
 

benwd

New Member
Re: ENGINE BATTERY

Discharging won't cook the battery. Is the rv plugged in to 120 volts? If so, the battery could have been getting a charge and cooked it.

It sounds as if it's one battery, ie, not in parallel with another. If it were in parallel I could see where a shorted cell in one could cause it to cook out from the other.

A single partially shorted cell in a single battery could cause some heat while that cell discharges but shouldn't bother the other cells.
 

TexasClodhopper

Senior Member
Re: ENGINE BATTERY

Hollis said it was the ENGINE battery that cooked. That wouldn't normally be getting much charge while on shore power. On mine you can barely tell there is some trickle charge to the engine battery.
 

ARCHER

Senior Member
Re: ENGINE BATTERY

I disconnect the engine battery while at the RV park, if I am gonna be there for any length of time. Always make sure the water level is right and I have a full charge before disconnecting. I think my battery last longer by doing this.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Re: ENGINE BATTERY

I installed a battery minder on my engine battery ans hardwired it into the shore line ,, that way when u'r plugged in u charge all batteries ,, it was one of those ,, "there has to be a better way" type of thoughts ,, and so far it's worked ,, i have been trying to sell this point to a few customers ,, but as of yet they still aren't sure about it ,,,, :approve:
 
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