Author: JET
Subject: Battery levels???
Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 9:49am
I have only owned my 178 a couple of months. When I bought it I had two 6v Interstate GC batteries installed. Since I bought it I have left it plugged into my house electrical full time to keep the batteries charged. I noticed that on a few occasions when I have the electrical unplugged the monitor panel will show the battery level going from full charge to the next light down (2/3 charge) in a matter of minutes. I had to take the pod back to the selling dealer to have a few things checked and mentioned this to the service department. When I picked up the trailer they didn't mention any problem they found (I should have asked specifically but didn't). I wasn't too worried about the reading as I figured the monitor panel wasn't probably all that accurate and getting a digital volt meter was one of the many things on my list to buy. And seeing how I was not dry camping this monitor reading was not very high on my priority.
Subject: Battery levels???
Posted: 19 Mar 2017 at 9:49am
I have only owned my 178 a couple of months. When I bought it I had two 6v Interstate GC batteries installed. Since I bought it I have left it plugged into my house electrical full time to keep the batteries charged. I noticed that on a few occasions when I have the electrical unplugged the monitor panel will show the battery level going from full charge to the next light down (2/3 charge) in a matter of minutes. I had to take the pod back to the selling dealer to have a few things checked and mentioned this to the service department. When I picked up the trailer they didn't mention any problem they found (I should have asked specifically but didn't). I wasn't too worried about the reading as I figured the monitor panel wasn't probably all that accurate and getting a digital volt meter was one of the many things on my list to buy. And seeing how I was not dry camping this monitor reading was not very high on my priority.
However I just finished a 10 day trip from my home in southern Oregon to Joshua Tree. I still didn't dry camp but I noticed towards the end of the trip my monitor would show my battery level at 1/3 to 2/3 charge WHILE plugged into the power shore at the camp grounds. So once I got home I noticed my monitor was still reading 2/3 charge WHILE connected to my house electrical. I got a digital meter and checked the readings. While connected to the house electrical my meter reads the battery levels at 11.9 to 12.0. Checking the two 6 volt batteries individually while connected to the house they read 5.8-5.9 individually.
I know nothing about this area but researching this online it looks like my batteries are pretty much totally discharged (down to 20%?) while on the electrical supply. They should read closer to 14.0 connected?
1) Any ideas what is wrong?
2) What should the battery volt read at 100% ? At 50%? etc.
3) I am going to call the service department Monday. It sounds like I have a charging problem and that I might have already severely compromised my new batteries by them being discharged to very low levels already if I am interpreting how to read the volt meter and what it should read. Should I demand new batteries if I do have some sort of charging problem?
John