6 replies to this topic

[RC Pilot Jim]

We haven't talked much about battery life which is a factor to be aware of.

 

Our FWC factory battery is now 40 months old. We "store" the rig under a carport 5 days a week. With the Trimetric we monitor the percent of full during those days.

 

Percent of discharge averages 6-10% per week. Driving and parking in the sun always has brought battery back up in less than 6 hours.

 

This last month we've noticed a change. Reading dropped to 73% (from 98%) in two days. Solar charging brought it up to 84% in 4 hours. Back under carport  on the 110 volt  trickle charger slowly at l "Point 9 amp to Point 1 amp" ...brings it back up. Though after 60 hours charging - battery now at 91%..

 

Second Edit

As late as June 2015, the 1.25 amp trickle charger would run the fridge and top off the charge to 100% in less than 12 hours

 

The sign of a dying battery:

 

1. Won't hold a charge

2. Rapid discharge

 

My manual doesn't state the warranty on the battery. Contacting Four Wheel,  

 

Answer "The batteries have a 2 year warranty and a third year  pro-rated warranty(Exide). (Battery Life) depends how the battery was charged and discharged. They generally will last between 3 to 5 years."

 

Question on battery age at installation?

 

Answer:  We only bring batteries in quantities for the week so we don’t have a large inventory of batteries just sitting around. The distributor we buy from has a fast turnover of his inventory so we have fresh batteries for our campers, they even run out at times.

 

If your having problems charging with solar you may be dealing with an old battery. Be sure to check with a second charger   either shore power or a "battery-tender" type charger.

 

From what I have read the industry has figured battery life so they die pretty close to expiration of the warranty. 40 months out of a 36 month guaranteed battery is good service. 

 

 

 

First Update:

This morning trickle charger been running 84 hours - battery now at 92%. Today I will disconnect the "trickle" charger/maintainer and check the discharge point tomorrow.

 

Second Update 9-3-15

When the battery was replaced the old battery was an East-Penn manufactured Model "Intimidator" NOT an Exide.  Four Wheel swtched from East-Penn to Exide sometime in the last  3 years. After my research I decided to purchase that same battery and did not know I owned one until the mechanic removed the old one from its case.

 

 

 

Edited by RC Pilot Jim, 03 September 2015 - 10:46 PM.

[NorCalSteve]

I'm a little off topic but I feel, having solar panels on my camper should help make my batteries last longer because they don't discharge as deep, as long as I don't do anything stupid (which I sometimes do).  Doubt it would ever pay for the solar panels but kind of helps me justify having them up there.

 

My camper is about 4 years old as well. The battery seems OK but also seems to sit at about a tenth of a volt lower than last year when fully charged. So I am starting to watch it a little more closely.

 

Steve

[RC Pilot Jim]

Steve,

 

The last time I had the truck serviced I had my mechanic test the battery. He reported the negative post plate was leaking "battery fluid" and the battery tested low. It is possible I discharged the battery below 12 volts before installing the Trimetric.

 

I plan to replace it before my next camping trip.

[billharr]

Have 2 years on my FWC batteries. Hope Harv and a few others have some good reviews on the Lithium batteries, and the cost drops. If not I might bite the bullet and buy two group 31 Sears Platinum now on sale for only $278.99 each ouch.

 

 

EDIT: also hoping the solar on the roof keeps the batteries last longer. 

 

 

Second Edit:  Just got an email from my Discover Card to get 10% off at Sears. I looked and yes it would cover the Sears Platinum AGM.  It does expire 8-31-15, will have to check next time I need a battery. 

Edited by billharr, 21 August 2015 - 12:44 AM.

[esimmers]

My FWC original battery is 5 years old and on its last legs, too. I've been careful not to discharge it more than 50% but it now finally won't hold a charge and discharges rapidly. 

 

 

Before I get a new battery, I'd like everyone's advice and opinion about my charging setup. I don't want to be doing anything to harm a new battery and, in addition, I hope I'm not doing something that makes the battery take longer to charge than it would otherwise.

 

Here's my setup: A 2009 Hawk with the factory-installed 80 amp-hour battery and a IOTA DLS-30 power converter/charger. I added the IQ4 plug-in charge controller that allows the DLS charger to operate as an automatic 3-stage smart charger. 

 

I do have my camper battery connected to my truck's charging system but the wire is long and not particularly large gauge so, as you can imagine, it doesn't charge the battery very fast or very completely. It just helps a bit while driving.

 

I installed a TriMetric battery system monitor and have often used it to monitor the charging amps. I've never seen anything higher with the IOLTA plugged in than 6 amps charging; usually it's between 4 and 5 amps. Since the IOTA is rated at 30 amps DC output, I'm wondering why I'm not seeing a higher rate of charge, even when the battery is relatively discharged.

 

What are the experiences of others with the IOTA and IQ4? At what rate does your setup charge your battery?

 

Three years ago I added a Grape Solar 100 watt solar panel and a SunSaver SS-MPPT-15L solar controller. In bright sunlight I get about 5 amps of charge. I'm wondering if other people with a similar setup get a similar rate of charge.

 

I leave all three charging sources (truck, IOLTA, solar) connected to the battery at all times. I'm wondering if doing this, particularly with the IOLTA and solar going at the same time, is causing any trouble. Since they are both smart chargers, I'm wondering if they might be reading the other's charging voltage output and might be fooled into thinking the battery is charged more fully than in actuality.

 

Do other people have their IOLTA and solar hooked up an running at the same time? Do you think this is a problem?

[Trailbob]

Seems like I once read on one of "handybobsolar" blogs that sunlight on a solar panel will fool the AC charger and it will not fully charge the battery.  He was referring to using a generator plugged into the RV to recharge while boondocking.  His recommendation was to use the generator early in the am or late in the evening when the sun was off the panel.  If you have not read his blogs, they are long but worth reading.

 

https://handybobsola...rging-puzzle-2/

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

First Update:

This morning trickle charger been running 84 hours - battery now at 92%. Today I will disconnect the "trickle" charger/maintainer and check the discharge point tomorrow.

 

From what I have read the industry has figured battery life so they die pretty close to expiration of the warranty. 40 months out of a 36 month guaranteed battery is good service. 

 

Second Update

This morning (8/22) battery at 89% - a 4% drop from a high of 93% 24 hours ago.

 

Edited by RC Pilot Jim, 22 August 2015 - 02:45 PM.