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  1. #1
    Fireside Member
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    Battery - Overcharging Battery with a dead cell

    I wanted to pass on what happened to me this past week. I came home to the stick built house last week. I let the dog out on the back deck and noticed a sulfur smell much like leaking gas. It was late and dark outside so I grabbed a flashlight to start looking for a possible source. The smell was strongest by the my 5th wheel. At first I thought it was natural gas or propane from the grill. I checked the propane tanks on the camper and they were shut off and the smell was not coming from there. I thought to myself to check the battery. I opened the hatch and you could hear the battery cooking. I unplugged the 5th wheel and let the hatch area air out.

    I took the battery out the next day and found 5 of the six cells low on water. One cell was still full. I measure the voltage at 10.2 volts. I then refill the battery to see if it would recover. The battery did not take a charge and it started to cook again. I unplugged the 5th wheel. It was only a month before when I filled the battery it is something I regularly checked. I did check the converter/ charger on the 5th wheel and it was charging at 13.6 volts which is what it should put out.

    I called the dealer. They agreed with my diagnosis. I brought the battery in and they swapped it out no questions asked. It was an Interstate Group 24 battery.

    This was my first battery issue in 20 some years of owning campers. I suspect the problem was caused when the battery was allowed to go into deep discharge when it was in for a few minor repairs last winter. They had to hook up portable battery unit to allow my jacks to work when I picked up it up from repair. I know there is a lot of people who invest in Solar chargers and better batteries. I have always used the standard battery since my first Popup camper. I never had an issue till now. I plan to monitor the charger and water levels to make sure I don't still have an issue. So I have a couple of take aways for everyone:

    1) Regularly check your battery cells for water levels.
    2) Unhook your battery at the terminals when you take your camper in for repair or store it. Take the battery home so you can keep it charged.
    3) If you have not, invest in a multimeter so you can measure voltages of your different electrical systems. Sometimes you can get a free coupon for one at Harbor Freight. So cost should not be an issue.
    4) Check your converter output. It should go into trickle mode once it has charged up. Download the instructions if you do not have them for you camper.
    5) I am considering a panel mount battery monitor to monitor my 12 volt system. The cost of these are only about $20 on Amazon.
    5) Lastly- that vented battery box is important. This event showed me the importance of having a vented battery box. The gases that were coming out were toxic and potentially flammable. So it is important to air out everything before you start working on it.

    I hope this helps someone who comes across the same problem.
    Dan

  2. #2
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Dan @manofslip
    Your post is good information and good advice . . . from start to finish .
    Thanks for posting the details!
    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  3. #3
    Seasoned Camper Coheeba's Avatar
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    Get AGM (absorbed glass mat) batteries. You don’t have to check water. Not saying you won’t have a problem but you don’t have to worry about filling.
    2019 GMC 2500 HD Denali
    2021 Reflection 337RLS / EMS HW50C
    Reece 20K Goosebox
    Solid Step

  4. #4
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    The AGM Battery will be my next battery most likely. The battery that failed was what the dealer provided and replaced for free. In the future I will ask for an AGM battery when I buy a new rig from the dealer. For now I will live with what I have.

  5. #5
    Long Hauler Canyonlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by manofslip View Post
    The AGM Battery will be my next battery most likely. The battery that failed was what the dealer provided and replaced for free. In the future I will ask for an AGM battery when I buy a new rig from the dealer. For now I will live with what I have.
    Yes, Dan - great detailed post as Rob shared. Thank you, for doing this.

    I am looking at replacing my 7+ year old truck batteries and possibly the 5 1/2 year old battery in our 303. Have been tossing around old school wet v.s. AGM and this helps me to make my decision to go with AGM as Coheeba also mentioned.

    Dan
    Dan & Carol
    2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
    2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD
    2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

  6. #6
    Rolling Along kevinpo's Avatar
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    Have been tossing around old school wet v.s. AGM and this helps me to make my decision to go with AGM as Coheeba also mentioned
    Dan,
    Get the group 27 or 31's for your trailer if you have room (they are slightly larger but not by much) for the price difference it's worth it (for me at least ) to get the extra capacity.

    Regards,
    Kevin
    2015 Ram Laramie 3500 4x4 LB Dually Crew Cab
    6.7L I6 Cummins Turbo Diesel Engine 5th wheel Prep
    68RFE Transmission Auto Level Rear Air Suspension 3.73 gears


  7. #7
    Long Hauler Canyonlight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by kevinpo View Post
    Dan,
    Get the group 27 or 31's for your trailer if you have room (they are slightly larger but not by much) for the price difference it's worth it (for me at least ) to get the extra capacity.

    Regards,
    Kevin
    No question about this......have always used 27s in our prior RVs and boats. 303 box is large enough for 27 but will need to check if a 31 will fit.

    Thanks, Kevin

    Dan
    Dan & Carol
    2014 303RLS Reflection #185 (10/2013 build)
    2012 Silverado LTZ Crew Duramax 2500HD
    2700/16K Pullrite Superglide

  8. #8
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Hi Dan @manofslip

    Now that I think about it . . . the battery that our dealer supplied with our Reflection was an Interstate Group 24 . . . and it failed early on . . . hmmm? Probably the only Interstate battery that I have ever owned.

    The debate between regular lead/acid and AGM is like which is the best truck/hitch/tire/etc .

    My logic (primarily on my boat where I have 6 of them) is that an AGM costs 3 times as much as a Walmart deep cycle lead/acid and lasts maybe 3 times as long. So, I can have a new battery every three years or push an AGM out to maybe 9 years old. I have always gone with the "new batteries every three years" and this works best for me.

    This whole new lithium battery thing is turning my "battery knowledge" upside down. They have an incredible amount of power storage in a really lightweight package . . . but, of course, they are again 3 times more expensive than the AGMs .

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

  9. #9
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    There are only three companies that make car batteries. Johnson Controls, Exide and East Penn. They put a lot of different names on them for all the companies that sell them but only three that actually build them. Johnson Controls build about half of them.
    Marcy & Gary
    2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
    2022 GMC 3500 Denali Duramax Longbed SRW
    2015 GMC Denali 3500 - Retired
    2003 F350 - retired
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  10. #10
    Site Sponsor orbiker's Avatar
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    If you want the batteries to last even longer, replace the converter with a better one. A 4 stage converter will not over charge your batteries and will de-sulfate them also.

    AGM for me. I hate the mess batteries can make. I found a good deal, be leave it or not at Battery/ Plus Bulbs.
    Ask for the vet discount too. KEN
    Backpacker and tent camper all my life, including BSA as a kid and adult.
    Motorcycle trips across the USA with a tent - 1978 to Present.
    02-10-2005 - 2002 F350 SWD PSD and 2003 Citation 10'8S mostly for Crater Lake Ski Patrol.
    10-29-2015 - 2016 Grand Design 380TH. It's HUGE compared to a camper.
    10-19-2018 - traded truck for a 2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie CC 4 X 4 Long Box.
    03-16-2019 - Traded Momentum for a New 2018 374TH-R Solitude
    FULL TIME RV'er Nov 2021

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