Battery not charging fully and draining quickly

[dmmyers56]

Would running generator overnight 10 plus hours suffice? I am on assignment and don’t have access to shore power while boondocking

It would be helpful to know what equipment you have. Typically an Onan generator uses 1/2 gallons an hour, that equates to what 15 a night? Does the converter have 3 stage charging? If not it's charging at 15 amps? That information is on the inverter panel. That's about 10 hrs for a 100 amp hrs battery. If! You don't use a furnace. A Mr buddy heater will keep you almost warm, without draining the battery, for about 6 bucks a night in propane. Use a flashlight and forgo TV. I assume you are using a built-in furnace. They will draw down a 27 series battery in less than 4 hours.

That said, a fully charged lead battery is measured after sitting 24 hours. That voltage is 12.67v if a flooded battery, and about 13 for glass Matt. (AGM)

I boondock! It takes time to learn the ropes, but you can do it if you. Listen to and follow everything word. Is it worth the effort? Yes, you can have all the comforts, and have freedom as well, but you have to work at it!!!

Thank you for replying, I had onan generator on all night and when I shut it off this am immediately read “E” and LED lights dimmed down immediately. When I get home this evening. I’ll plug into shore power and charge completely overnight and see where that gets me. And I’ll check back. I appreciate all of your help!

 

[TheLooks]

Please measure the voltage before you start charging and after you start charging and let us know the values.

 

[AbdRahim]

Also, check the voltage on the batteries while charging to see if, in fact they are. You should see 13-14 v while charging.

You may also want to load test the batteries. My batteries were dying with in 6- 8 hours with nothing running but the residential fridge and phantom stuff. It urns out that one battery in a bank of six was dead as a door nail, under load. It had 6.4 volts sitting (6v battery), but as soon as a load was applied it pinned the need at 0. It likely damaged the remaining batteries, as it was this way for six months or more before I discovered the problem.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Also, check the voltage on the batteries while charging to see if, in fact they are. You should see 13-14 v while charging.

You may also want to load test the batteries. My batteries were dying with in 6- 8 hours with nothing running but the residential fridge and phantom stuff. It urns out that one battery in a bank of six was dead as a door nail, under load. It had 6.4 volts sitting (6v battery), but as soon as a load was applied it pinned the need at 0. It likely damaged the remaining batteries, as it was this way for six months or more before I discovered the problem.

Thank you for hylighting your issue!! What an example it is against maintainers that don't shut down when the batteries are fully charged. Most of the time this is why batteries need to be replaced. That failure is due to the plating effect I have warned about!

The good news for you is the other batteries won't fail due to this condition, so don't worry that damage was done! However if you put a new battery in its place it will fail quickly, so you simply take the set out of the circuit until you are ready to replace the entire bank!!!

 

[dmmyers56]

Thank you for hylighting your issue!! What an example it is against maintainers that don't shut down when the batteries are fully charged. Most of the time this is why batteries need to be replaced. That failure is due to the plating effect I have warned about!

The good news for you is the other batteries won't fail due to this condition, so don't worry that damage was done! However if you put a new battery in its place it will fail quickly, so you simply take the set out of the circuit until you are ready to replace the entire bank!!!

Ok so I charged battery overnight (16 hours) with shore power. Battery read full charged after disconnecting and reads 2/3 again this morning which is expected I guess with the furnace working overnight. So kinda where I’m at is shore power will charge battery…alternator will charge battery while driving, but generator not charging battery. There is a breaker above house battery that the dealer told me to make sure is not tripped. (It is not). So I guess my question is what could be possible problem with only the power transfer from the generator to the house battery?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Under generator do your outlets have power?
Is the power a full 110 minimum? We'll talk more after that is answered, if the lord wills.

 

[AbdRahim]

There are two breakers on the generator itself. Did you try turning them off and the on again?

 

[TheLooks]

Good questions. For the generator to not charge the batteries when shore power does indicates it is not putting out 120v because both of them supply power to the same convertor to charge batteries. Maybe look at the transfer switch also.

 

[dmmyers56]

There are two breakers on the generator itself. Did you try turning them off and the on again?

I think I’ve found the problem with the help of the guys at the dealership. There was a loose common ground connection. The nut had loosened up almost to the point of of falling off of the bolt. The mechanic found it and said it should fix the issue.