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Topic ClosedBattery low after camping

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Olddawgsrule View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Battery low after camping
    Posted: 20 Aug 2018 at 1:52pm
Originally posted by MWFlyboy

My wife and I purchased a 180 last year. We’ve noticed an issue with our battery charging and I’m not sure why this is occurring.

When the trailer is parked at our storage facility we have it plugged into a standard 110V volt household outlet to keep the battery charged. Whenever we start a trip the battery indicator shows “Good.” We tow to our campsite running the fridge off battery, then connect to 30 AMP shore power. We are usually connected to shore power for two to three days. When we break down camp and disconnect the shore power the battery indicator always shows “Low.”

My question is, why would the battery successfully charge at the storage facility over a few days, but not charge while hooked up to 30 AMP shore power at a campsite?

Any input would be very much appreciated!

Thanks,

Matt

Question one: When at the campground have you switched the frig over to shore power?
When I Boon-dock, frig goes over to propane. Frig draws far too much DC power to run on battery.

Question two: Is your TV setup with a large enough alternator to run the Frig and charge the battery?
Many are not..

And lastly (for now): What else are you running that is drawing power?
Everything has to be considered here. Running the AC, Micro, Blender, Electric Heater, etc, etc...
How much power are you drawing and what is left to charge the battery ('s)..

To the balance of this thread: I run my frig on battery while traveling. Why? It works and my batteries get a charge as well. At 17mpg average towing (46 days), I'm happy with my setup.

Rubert & Lily have been very good to me!
Byways no Highways
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Aug 2018 at 6:49pm
Originally posted by mcarter

I'm not saying anything pro or con, but the FR newsletter this week published pics and stories on RV fires at gas stations, first I had ever seen, won't comment on every cause but they attributed to propane and gas issues.

What FR newsletter?  Is it accessable online?

TT
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mcarter View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Aug 2018 at 7:02pm
T2,

I have not seen it on line. I think it is something I clicked on to receive when I signed up on the FR Forum. I get it once a week in email, a summation of posts on their forum, covers all RVs not just Pods. Pretty interesting as far as info.
Mike Carter
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Tars Tarkas View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Aug 2018 at 7:07pm
Originally posted by mjlrpod

I can understand the people that don't have a choice of using battery, or propane, choosing to travel with propane. I've done it once or twice when i forgot to switch over before getting on the road. But IF you have a choice, and you don't use battery, I would call that a poor choice. Most safety rules don't come about because something bad happens every time you do something.

This is an interesting topic.  By all means, to each is own.  I've looked pretty hard though and more or less, at least, invited other people to point to a rule about not using propane fridges while traveling or at gas stations.  An official rule, issued by a state or federal agency or a law.  I haven't found it and no one has pointed me to it. 

My opinion: there's risk to getting out of bed in the morning.  It's all about risk assessment, which, barring clear statistical data, is pretty much a matter of personal judgement.  Sure, there are stories about fires and deaths but there is also documented evidence of meteors striking the earth and destroying thousands of square miles and even wiping out a lot of the life on the planet.  I still go outside and I run the fridge on propane while traveling.  That's just me though.

At this point I'm not sure I'd change my mind about the fridge even if someone uncovers a law somewhere...

TT
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CharlieM View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Aug 2018 at 7:17pm
It's been pointed out before but there are almost no three way fridges over 5 cu.ft. in size. Hence most larger trailers and all class C and class A rigs do not even have a battery option while traveling. They run an propane and I can guarantee they are not turned off at gas stations.  
Charlie
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MWFlyboy View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Aug 2018 at 11:29am
Thanks for all the replies concerning our issue and for the spirited debate about propane use while in motion.

As is often the case, Occam's razor has proven that the simplest solution fixes the problem. It turns out that the battery cables were not tightened down enough at the battery. This resulted in actual battery voltage being about a volt higher than what was being registered by the trailer.

On our trip this past weekend everything performed as it should! We returned home with a full battery. Again, thanks for all the input!

Cheers,

Matt
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