Chuck and Di
Yukon, Canada
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Joined: 09/28/2008
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Check fluid levels in the batteries.
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bighatnohorse
Cave Creek
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Joined: 01/15/2005
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Check the date on the batteries. Replace them anyway.
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joerg68
St. Ingbert, Germany
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Joined: 02/27/2009
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The jacks are not your problem.
Is this a new issue, and since when has it been happening?
How much capacity do the batteries have? I assume around 100Ah (Ampère-hours) each, so that would be around 200Ah total. Which, in theory, means that they can deliver 200 Amps of current for one hour when fully charged.
The four jack motors have 25A fuses at the Happijac circuit board.
So the maximum current they could ever draw before blowing the fuses is 4x25A = 100A. Realistically, it will be a lot less. But even at the max. 100 Amps current, your fully charged batteries would run all four jacks for *two* hours (that is a theoretical number, I am aware that you can not use all 100% of capacity). But the actual run time of the jacks is just a few minutes, and for much of that time the jack motors are under a light load, if any. So they are drawing much, much less than the max. current. Raising and lowering the camper should not make a big difference in the charge state, unless there is a problem elsewhere.
IMO:
One or both of your batteries are bad and not taking/holding a charge properly,
or some high-current user such as an absorber fridge set on 12V is continuously depleting the batteries,
or the batteries do not receive a decent charge (e.g. defective converter, or battery terminal connections or other wire connections not good. Do not forget to check the mass (negative) side, too).
2014 Ford F350 XLT 6.2 SCLB + 2017 Northstar Arrow
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StirCrazy
Kamloops, BC, Canada
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Joined: 07/16/2003
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is the reason you cant get the batteries charged back up because of limited hours you can run your genny? if so think about adding solar to the mix, of course get the batteries tested and see what their capacity is. if they are ones that come with the camper get better ones. eveything else is good advice check the size of the converter and if its working right and so on, but adding solar will give you that chrging capability all day long, not just during hours when your alowed to make noise.
2014 F350 6.7 Platinum
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MORSNOW
Mountain Home, ID
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It's your batteries, time to replace them with quality true deep cycle batteries. Don't buy the common RV/Marine combo batteries, they will drain fast.
2014 Wolf Creek 850SB
2012 GMC Sierra SLT 2500HD
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time2roll
Southern California
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Slow battery charging is probably the voltage. Post the converter model number for best answers. Better yet measure the charging voltage and post it also. s/b 14.4 to 14.6 while charging.
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Dupa
Colorado
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Joined: 01/19/2023
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Thanks everybody for the feedback. I'd like to provide a little extra info for the two most common themes in the responses I have received: converter & batteries.
The converter is a Progressive Dynamics PD4045 Mini Mighty, the link below is the manual. Maybe I'm missing something, but it seems to be "right sized" for the task & rig. I had an RV tech test/trouble shoot the entire electrical system to try and help figure this out, and he concluded the same and said that the converter is working as it should. So it seems counter-intuitive and unnecessary to spend the $ to replace it with a bigger/better/newer one? I'm also a little reluctant to rewire/install a bypass switch as some have suggested, as the jack manual specifically say not to do this.
https://www.progressivedyn.com/wp-content/uploads/Support/manuals/110145-English.pdf
The batteries (2 x grp 24 wet cell deep cycle Interstates) were new when I bought the rig (Adventurer 86FB, no slides, 3000 lbs dry, new as well) in May 2021. The date on both batteries is April 2021. The terminal connections are good, fluid levels in all the cells are good, so is specific gravity, and they handled load tests perfectly. I checked these myself, also had RV tech check them and took them to Interstate dealer twice. Every test/measurement says that they are fine, so it seems counter-intuitive and unnecessary to spend the $ to replace them?
This is not a new issue. It's been happening since I got the camper in May 2021. I always leave for a camping trip with full batteries; we stay plugged into shore power when at home between trips during the camping season. I always load onto the truck at least 24 hours before we hit the road to ensure the batteries are topped off after loading. I've checked the charge plug from truck bed to camper, and it's fine. When we arrive at camp site, I unload right away using cordless drill to get the legs to the ground then using jacks from there (with engine running and gens running). Sometimes we load back onto the truck a few days later to move camping places. Gens are 2 new Honda 2000's and run great, I usually run them for 2 hours both in the morning and night. Sometimes the issue is a little better/worse depending on conditions and where/how long we camp. We live and primarily camp in Colorado, where temps can be 80 during the day but wake up the next morning in the 30's and need to run the furnace.
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2oldman
NM
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Dupa wrote:it's nearly impossible for the generator(s) to get them back up to an acceptable charge while camping Okay, then what is this about?
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bigfootford
Fair Oaks, California
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Joined: 12/03/2002
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like enblethe said..... Check and make sure your converter is charging your batteries.
My HJ's and 2 group 24 FWC batteries would raise and lower my camper many times before the batteries would not work the HJ's.
My camper weights 4300lbs...
I now only have one AGM battery 100 ah and it will raise and lower a bunch of times before going below the 11 or so volts under load that will shut off the HJ controller.
It takes well over a day for your batteries to fully charge when they are low on charge.
If left low on charge more than a week your NEW batteries will loose capacity. And each time you let them sit for all length of time they will be dead or useless in less than XX months.
Jim.
2000 2500 9.6 Bigfoot,94 F250, Vision 19.5, Mich 245/70XDS2's, Bilstein shocks, air bags/pump, EU2000, PD 9260,Lifeline 100ah, 200W. solar, Morningstar Sunsaver 15A/ display panel, Trimetric, Delorme/laptop, Holux gps rec,led lights, Wave-3 heat.
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3 tons
NV.
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I’m definitely with Bigfootford, but my question is this..Are you using all four jacks simultaneously or just two at a time? Also, it’s not a common practice to use an electric drill unless your batteries are low or failing…Be advised that a Auto-Zone type carbon-pile load test is not always to be relied upon as a true representation of actual loading…If possible you could try measuring battery output (while under load) using a clamp-on ac-dc volt-current meter - make sure that your meter is ‘truly dc current capable’ and of sufficient amperage…A meter of this type is still cheaper than new batteries and should readily tell you what you need to know..
Also, when using meter in ‘dc mode’, be certain to position the meter in the proper current direction - follow carefully the meter’s instructions …
3 tons
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