Battery Not Charging |
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podsuperior
Newbie Joined: 13 Oct 2011 Location: Northern MN Online Status: Offline Posts: 28 |
Topic: Battery Not Charging Posted: 18 Jul 2013 at 8:15pm |
We noticed on our last trip that the battery did not seem to be charging on the camper when were towing it.
A friend loaned me his volt meter and told me to stick it on the battery terminals of the camper, when the TV was not plugged in it read about 13 volts, when I plugged the TV in and turned it on the battery still read about 13 volts - the same reading - so my understanding is the TV is not charging the battery on the camper?? I checked the inline fuse on the hot wire coming off the TV, and it looked fine. Any recommendations where to start as far as solving this?? Thanks much. |
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2011 RPOD 177 - 2017 Tacoma
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CharlieM
Senior Member Joined: 23 Nov 2012 Location: N. Colorado Online Status: Offline Posts: 1797 |
Posted: 18 Jul 2013 at 8:51pm |
The first question I would ask is: Did it ever work? Was there ever a time when you knew it was charging? That would indicate whether something has changed or it never was right. Your test with the voltmeter seems to confirm the TV is not charging the battery, although I would have expected a slightly lower reading with the TV not running. Assuming you are not connected to shore power and the TT has been sitting for a half hour or so the TT battery should be 12-12.5 volts. When the TV is running and charging the voltage should be 13.5 or higher. It might take a digital voltmeter to see these differences. If you know it was charging sometime in the past I'd check the 7-pin connector on the TV when disconnected from the TT to verify 13.5+ on the charge line when running. If good, make sure the connectors themselves are clean and undamaged. Also check that the on-board power converter charges the battery when plugged in by running the same voltmeter checks on the battery with the TV disconnected.
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Charlie
Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
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podsuperior
Newbie Joined: 13 Oct 2011 Location: Northern MN Online Status: Offline Posts: 28 |
Posted: 19 Jul 2013 at 9:21am |
Thanks Charlie - Yes I believe it has been working fine prior to this point. When we travel we run the fridge off battery power typically -I will run it for a few hours, then turn it off for a few hours. Typically when we get to our destination our battery reads full - on our last trip it read 1/3 full. I realize that the fridge sucks a lot of juice, but when I turned the fridge off it didn't appear that the battery recovered at all. When on shore power the converter and everything else seems to be working fine. I will try checking out the connector - Thanks
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2011 RPOD 177 - 2017 Tacoma
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 20 Jul 2013 at 11:46pm |
Look up the wiring diagram for the Bargeman connection online, then verify that the pin that supplies 12 volts shows 12 volts. On some vehicles that is only true when the TV is on. Then make sure the wire that runs to the Bargeman connection is at least 10 gauge wire, not 12 or 14.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Outbound
podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: Oshawa, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 767 |
Posted: 21 Jul 2013 at 8:35pm |
If the voltage on your vehicle's Bargman connector checks out, you should probably clean the connections (with emery paper) and put some dielectric grease on them for protection from the elements. It may be that you have power, but insufficient amperage to power your fridge (and the fridge is therefore drawing power from your battery). -edit- To avoid confusion when looking at your vehicle's connector and then the r-pod's connector, remember: the pin for the left turn signal is on the driver's (street) side of the vehicle; the pin for the right turn signal is on the passenger's (curb) side of the vehicle. |
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Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150
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Sleepless
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jun 2013 Location: Titusville, FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 556 |
Posted: 22 Jul 2013 at 9:26am |
Great diagrams and they should herlp many on the forum. In years past when I had much larger travel trailers, I would often check various items with the trailer unhitched and a 12 volt battery with short wires attached to the battery terminals. With the battery ground attached to the Bargman connector, I would check the various lighting circuits by attaching the positive battery wire to the appropriate pin on the connector. Very easy check and simplifies finding burned out bulbs. I have also used the auxiliary socket to power back-up lights on trailers. This requires running another wire from the TV and the back of the trailer, both terminating in the Bargman connectors.
Thanks again for posting the diagrams. Bob |
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2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD)
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
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podsuperior
Newbie Joined: 13 Oct 2011 Location: Northern MN Online Status: Offline Posts: 28 |
Posted: 23 Jul 2013 at 9:01am |
We found a nick in the wire from the battery to the 7 pin connector - so we were not getting power due to that. UHaul did not route the wires very carefully and the last three or four feet were pretty exposed. Fixed the issue.
Thanks for the various suggestions. |
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2011 RPOD 177 - 2017 Tacoma
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Bill-GA
Senior Member Joined: 13 Jan 2012 Location: Cumming, GA Online Status: Offline Posts: 214 |
Posted: 23 Jul 2013 at 9:36pm |
I've been reading this topic, and wondered about my battery. I took it out of the Pod this winter, put it on a charger I bought -all the little green lights were showing OK ... Thinking all is well. Put it back in the Pod early June. I run on the TV or on shore power so battery is not a big deal except for break-away brakes if needed.
Yesterday I left it overnight on its own (no shore power or TV) went out this AM and it's pretty much a DEAD battery. Tonight I plugged into shore power and checked with volt meter and got 15 volts across battery ... And then I thought, gee, I have NEVER checked the battery water level (2 years) - it looks like its a sealed battery???
Finally, I figured it out and pried off the two small covers ... Behold! Six dry cells and i could see the DRY plates down each hole. About 2 1/2 quarts of distilled water later, using my wife's turkey baster, I pushed the two covers back on. Still on shore power. Did I fry the battery? Did I boil off the water this last winter? Was it dry all along? Is it reasonable to think it will recover? Do I probably need a new deep cycle battery? Any opinions are welcome. |
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Bill & Bev
13 yr old dachshund 'Elsa' 2010 RP-176T (tent & slide-out) 2011 Toyota Tundra 2WD TV |
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techntrek
Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9059 |
Posted: 24 Jul 2013 at 1:16am |
Sounds like the charger boiled it dry, and unfortunately once the plates are exposed to air that part of them is no good. Time for a new battery, just check it more often if you are going to leave it on a trickle charger until you learn how often you'll really need to check it and top it off.
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Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual
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Sleepless
Senior Member Joined: 07 Jun 2013 Location: Titusville, FL Online Status: Offline Posts: 556 |
Posted: 24 Jul 2013 at 7:31am |
techntrek is probably correct. However, I have sometimes salvaged marine batteries that have been very low on water. Fill the cells with distilled water and put the battery on a charger. It may come back to life although it may not have the capacity it once had. It is probably ruined, but it is worth a try.
Also, if you charge the battery, use a float type charger such as the Battery Tender or Battery Minder. These will turn off automatically once the battery is fully charged, but will turn back on if your battery becomes somewhat discharged. We use these on our 12 volt shrimp lights after a night of shrimping and never have to worry about over-charging or forgetting to turn off the charger. A trickle charger can and will over-charge a battery if left unattended. One last thought. If you checked the battery voltage while connected to shore power, the 15 volt reading is more than likely the output being received from the trailer charging system. To find the battery voltage, isolate the battery first, then check its voltage. That voltage will give you an indication if one or more cells are dead. As techntrek said, you more than likely will need a new battery. Bob |
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2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD)
2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
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