Gun or Tears -- HELP PLZ!!!

[saffikeagan]

I'm either going to take a gun to my TH or start crying in frustration.

Bought a TH in January. It sat until now. I'm trying to get it ready to go, and was going to driveway camp tonight.

Only the batteries were completely dead and had frozen over the winter. Took them to Wallyworld and had them tested and they tested fine (disaster averted, right?), so I charged them up and plugged them back in, plugged into shore power, turned on the propane, and was ready to chill for the night.

Only my CO detector wouldn't shut the F up. I immediately disconnected the batteries and took them to the charger, and disconnected shore to shut the bloody CO detector up. They both showed 65%. I plugged the TH back into shore to see what the CO detector did. It sat and flashed a green light. I thought it might be propane venting into the TH somehow, so I turned the propane off and bled the lines.

Then I went to reconnect the batteries and **** went wrong. I connected the negs and the first positive. Then I went to connect the parallel positive to the battery and sparks everywhere (yes, I know I did this wrong, don't be a dick and harp on that). So I immediately disconnected the negs, disconnected shore power, and connected the positive parallel. All good. Well, the positive terminal on the second battery was missing a chunk of the threads, but the bolt went on. I then tried to connect the first negative, and it kept sparking...small sparks, but sparking. I tried touching it on the frame to ground it, I made sure everything inside the TH was off, I let it sit for a while to calm down, and I Googled. Google said "no worries, it happens some times." So I went ahead and bolted that neg down. I then went to connect the parallel neg and it sparked like no one's business again and ate away part of the terminal connector metal again.

I've reverse order disconnected both batteries, and all is good for now, but I'm ready to put the whole thing up for sale as "new never used." Short of hauling it into the RV dealer and telling them to fix it, I don't know what to do. HELP!!!!!!! I've been trying to get answers/help from another forum for more than 24 hours, and the assistance provided has ranged from "go search the forum" (which I did) to "is the dog farting?" I get that I'm a total Noob, but I'm trying to learn without killing myself in the process.

[Ron3rd]

To the OP, you're gonna become a pro at this stuff so don't worry about it

[TRM1]

Grit dog wrote:

saffikeagan wrote:
So, final verdict is to dump the batteries, get new ones, laugh, and move on. Okay. I think the money is, at this point, worth the headache of continuing to try and sort out these batteries (with one missing two sections of two terminals).

Thanks all!

No, the final verdict is slow down, figure out where you're at, sift through the BS and the good info and then move forward.
The way I read your posts is like you gotta leave x country tomorrow morning and can't stop or ever come back, lol.
First, are you aware your camper has a battery charger in it? Plug the camper in, batteries charge or stay charged. There's about a .01% chance I'm wrong about this, and I'm sure some rvnet expert will tell me it is physically possible to buy a camper without a battery charger, but please dont. Campers have battery chargers.

Second, did you really arc off half the battery posts or is that an exaggeration? It does not seem like there would be that big of a DC current draw when hooking your batteries back up. If it really did weld/melt stuff, was the fridge/heater fan, bunch of DC stuff "on" when you hooked them up? It shouldn't spark like that, even hooking up positive last.
3rd, how do you know you need new batteries? Have you tried to fully charge them? (Remember 2 days ago, they were froze solid like bricks....but they weren't apparently)
Do they hold a charge? They should be sitting at 12.5-12.6 volts a few days after charging, with NO draw on them.

This is not a big deal. Worst case you killed a couple batteries by leaving them set out for a couple months in the winter, not being charged.
Brand/type? Go buy some batteries (if you need them), deep cycle, any flavor and go camping for a few years and then figure out if you want to become master camper electrician battery goooroo.

Best advice in this thread. I'll go one further and say the batteries won't even need replacing.

[jake2250]

Ductape wrote:

jake2250 wrote:
Well...... First off,, If you take it back to the dealer to fix it.Play dumb, don't say a word on what you did, just tell the it doesn't work and You have no idea what to do, please fix this!
When they ask you what happened, tell them you did exactly what the salesman showed you and it didn't work!
Sounds like you figured out your mistake, and its way to late,, But,, its under warranty, so let it be what it is!

Nice. People rant about unethical practices by dealers and here's an advocate for dishonesty in claiming warranty coverage for what was clearly not a warranted defect.

How is going right back to the dealer and NOT ranting on about what you think you did wrong unethical? Or Dishonest?
Have the DEALER show You how to hook it up! And if it sparks and carries on then thats on them,Not on You!

How receptive do you think the shop is gonna be to you getting all freaked out that they screwed your trailer up?
All your doing is asking for clarity on how they hooked it up!
Let them determine if it was hooked up wrong and see what they will do for you!
Best thing to happen is that they realize your a new trailer owner and EDUCATE YOU on how to do it properly and maybe cut you a break on new or newer batteries!
Or not, your left to figure it out on your own!
But before you make that mistake again, Wear eye and hand protection! I have seen the aftermath of a battery explosion!
Last tip; Never disconnect or connect batteries with the trailer shore power plugged in.
Plugging in shore power will power the on board 12 battery charger and who knows what type amperage you will get!
Un plug shore-disconnect batteries do not plug shore in again until you have batteries hook up properly-then plug in shore power.
Your complete electrical system is designed to work with a 12 v battery inplace!
If no batteries and you plug in the shore power, your 12 Positive for the batteries will be HOT!
This was most likely the cause of the sparking when hooking the batteries up both times!
The CO/propane detector is another issue, next time it goes off and won't shut up, VENTILATE the trailer immediately! open it up! Its a TH correct? Open windows and the rear TH door and see if it goes off.
If not I would assume a Propane leak some where and take it back to the dealer to investigate!

[Grit_dog]

saffikeagan wrote:
So, final verdict is to dump the batteries, get new ones, laugh, and move on. Okay. I think the money is, at this point, worth the headache of continuing to try and sort out these batteries (with one missing two sections of two terminals).

Thanks all!

No, the final verdict is slow down, figure out where you're at, sift through the BS and the good info and then move forward.
The way I read your posts is like you gotta leave x country tomorrow morning and can't stop or ever come back, lol.
First, are you aware your camper has a battery charger in it? Plug the camper in, batteries charge or stay charged. There's about a .01% chance I'm wrong about this, and I'm sure some rvnet expert will tell me it is physically possible to buy a camper without a battery charger, but please dont. Campers have battery chargers.

Second, did you really arc off half the battery posts or is that an exaggeration? It does not seem like there would be that big of a DC current draw when hooking your batteries back up. If it really did weld/melt stuff, was the fridge/heater fan, bunch of DC stuff "on" when you hooked them up? It shouldn't spark like that, even hooking up positive last.
3rd, how do you know you need new batteries? Have you tried to fully charge them? (Remember 2 days ago, they were froze solid like bricks....but they weren't apparently)
Do they hold a charge? They should be sitting at 12.5-12.6 volts a few days after charging, with NO draw on them.

This is not a big deal. Worst case you killed a couple batteries by leaving them set out for a couple months in the winter, not being charged.
Brand/type? Go buy some batteries (if you need them), deep cycle, any flavor and go camping for a few years and then figure out if you want to become master camper electrician battery goooroo.

[philh]

JimK-NY wrote:
Considering your previous experience and what seems to be a shortage of mechanical ability, you might want to visit a RV dealer and have them install batteries they stock. As long as you get deep cycle batteries there is no advantage to going to 6v batteries.

Increased capacity and greater discharge capabilities are 2 huge advantages.

[JimK-NY]

Considering your previous experience and what seems to be a shortage of mechanical ability, you might want to visit a RV dealer and have them install batteries they stock. As long as you get deep cycle batteries there is no advantage to going to 6v batteries.

[saffikeagan]

I can't find a DEKA G-20....is it this one? https://www.amazon.com/Deka-Power-Sports-ETX20L-Battery/dp/B0026H3CB4/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=deka+battery&qid=1555287494&s=gateway&sr=8-3

[wa8yxm]

Best place to buy batteries.. If looking for BANG for yoru BUCK.> Sam's club if you have a membership.. If you dont' likely Wal-Mart

Best bang for hte buck battery GC-2 6 volts (you need two in series and you get basically a 12 volt 4D that way (Treat 'em as such) 220 amp hours give or take a bit. mine are 230.

What do I have.> DEKA G-20's.. a touch more expensive but DEKA is 100% USA made. they do not even import the lead (Refine it themselves they do).

[rexlion]

12.1v is a half charge, battery is half discharged or, if it will not charge to higher voltage, it is shot.

There are only about 3 (iirc) big battery mfrs, and they put labels on for all sorts of retailers. But some retailers order different spec batteries. Heavier batts tend to have thicker plates, which is good. But in your situation, just buy whatever is cheap so you do not feel too bad when they need replacement too.

[bid_time]

You need to disconnect those batteries any time you will not be using the TT for more then a few days. Parasitic draws will continue to discharge those batts when not in use. Repeatedly discharging the batts is not good for them and will cause you issues. Get a disconnect switch, install it and use it.

[saffikeagan]

Follow up question: best place to buy new batteries? And, now that I get to be picky, any that I should look at buying vs avoiding?

[saffikeagan]

So, final verdict is to dump the batteries, get new ones, laugh, and move on. Okay. I think the money is, at this point, worth the headache of continuing to try and sort out these batteries (with one missing two sections of two terminals).

Thanks all!

[saffikeagan]

Lynnmor wrote:
I wonder how Wallyworld tested dead batteries that were frozen at one time. Completely charge the batteries and take them elsewhere for a proper testing.

LOL they are no longer frozen and they were partly charged when I took them in. Wallyworld gave me print outs:

battery #1
V: 11.96
Measured: 815 MCA
Rated: 550 MCA
Temp: 59F

battery #2
V: 12.16
Measured: 780 MCA
Rated: 550 MCA
Temp: 60F

I say they had frozen b/c peep on another forum said that having been connected up for three months and left out side, they would definitely have discharged and frozen, so I assumed that was the case.

[saffikeagan]

ken56 wrote:
If those batteries froze solid and the sides are bulged even slightly replace them. The plates suffered damage and failure is in their future....at the most inopportune time. Plugging into shore power should provide 12volt power through the converter so the battery should not be necessary to be hooked up at the same time.


Your only complaint was the CO detector, but everything else worked correctly? Furnace being the important thing in the cold weather. If that is the case then everything indicates the fault is at the batteries. To remove batteries disconnect the NEG first, to reconnect connect the NEG LAST.

Yes, everything else was working fine. No bulging on the sides.