New Battery or Battery Charger

[thebig05]

I have my Gateway 5th wheel plugged in at my home. My battery seems to be dead. Do I need to get a new one, or does it just need to be re-charged?
I'm ultimately trying to get a 50amp AC installed. When doing that it seemed to just wipe out the battery.
My camper is about 2 1/2 years old. Any suggestions?

[thebig05]

Battery is fully charged. If I plug the camper into my installed pole plug, do I need to have the battery switch on green? Do I need to have the remote led for the inverter on green?

[enblethen]

OP is planning to install a fifty amp 120/240 circuit to feed the rig.

[theoldwizard1]

thebig05 wrote:
I have my Gateway 5th wheel plugged in at my home. My battery seems to be dead. Do I need to get a new one, or does it just need to be re-charged?

If the voltage at the disconnected battery is less than 10V, it is not likely to be recharged and worth anything.

thebig05 wrote:
I'm ultimately trying to get a 50amp AC installed. When doing that it seemed to just wipe out the battery.

What ? What is a "50A AC" ?

[time2roll]

Get the battery charger on the battery asap. The battery charger should keep things operating for a week or more while you sort out the rest. I assume the charger is at least 10 amps rated.

Post the make and model of the device connected to the battery.

[enblethen]

I am guessing that you are using an adapter to connect the rig to some kind of shore power.
Test 120/240 panel to insure you are connecting both busses as some adapters only connect one leg. Shut off main breaker and test the input. If you have an inverter/charger, some have a small reset button on the housing.

[thebig05]

Well, I'm trying to at this point. My oldest daughter is wanting to stay in it indefinitely and I want to make sure everything is working.

[2oldman]

thebig05 wrote:
Guys, I'm not sure that I even have a converter. I have an inverter that's attached to the battery and resides right by it.

Then that must be an inverter/charger.

thebig05 wrote:
I'm ultimately trying to get a 50amp AC installed. When doing that it seemed to just wipe out the battery.

These sentences confuse me. You mean you're trying, or you did?

[thebig05]

Guys, I'm not sure that I even have a converter. I have an inverter that's attached to the battery and resides right by it. Does that make a difference?

[enblethen]

Check for converter power first at converter input, then converter output. Check to see if converter has reverse polarity fuses. (post make and model of converter)
Locate 12 volt DC distribution panel adjacent to the 120 volt circuit breakers (normally)
Look adjacent to the batteries for a resettable circuit breaker or fuse that may have blown.

[time2roll]

May as well remove the converter for a bench test. Assuming it is a WFCO I would replace it either way. But post the model number for best suggestions.

Do you ever camp off-grid and expect a fast charge from a generator?

YES charge the battery immediately. At less than 11 volts it is over discharged and sulfating. If there is a recondition or equalize mode use that too after charging. Battery plates can warp and cause a short when over discharged so good luck. At 6 volts you may need to jump start the charging to get the battery charger to even start working.

[thebig05]

Lights don't work unless I have it plugged into the truck. Battery switch is always on in my case. Feel like I may be doing something wrong. What would you suggest I do? My next step was to charge the battery as it's only registering about 6 1/2 on the multimeter.

[time2roll]

Converter should put about 13.5 volts on the battery continuously.
Did you turn the battery switch off? Do the lights work?

[enblethen]

As noted earlier, you need to get a multi-meter and test at the battery. You should while plugged in, see a healthy 13 volts. Disconnected, your battery level should show. Should be around 12.5 volts.
No 13+ volts then the converter or converter circuit may have issues.

[Artum_Snowbird]

Had exactly the same thing happen. Measure the voltage at the converter terminals themselves, then at the battery terminals. It should be the same, over 13 volts.

If it's not, then there is a loose main feed from the converter to the battery. In my case I had to tighten the screw holding the negative wire right on the negative terminal strip.