Shore power, Lift/Slides won't work

[jdthumpr]

I brought my 340BH home from 4 months or more of storage -- a family member will stay with us this weekend. I was only able to use the lift to hook up to the truck when the power was connected to my truck, fine, got it home from storage.

Now, I'm hooked up to house power, but the slides only worked when I was connected to the truck.

I checked the battery voltage after about 1.5 hours of being plugged in, around 11.6V, lift won't turn on still, this hasn't happened before. When we boondock, the honda generators always allowed me to do the lifts and slides.

We have 2 6v Duracell batteries bought new in 2021...they shouldn't be dead, right?

Also, the LP detector is still going off even when hooked up to power.

[chuckster57]

Welcome to the forum

You need to load test the batteries separately, and then test the output of the converter. Plugged in, using a Volt meter at the batteries you should see 13VDC+. If not then post back for more instructions.

[flybouy]

Your batteries are dead and likely damaged. We're they stored in the camper without shore power over the winter? Have you checked the electrolyte levels and topped off with distilled water?

[jdthumpr]

Thanks guys, appreciate the quick help.

I stored without power. CORRECTION: the beeping was the smoke detector on the ceiling, 9V battery needed replaced. Done, now no beeping. LP is NOT beeping.

When connected to shore power batteries now show 12.8V. When inside the camper, I can hear the inverter running. I will try to check the output tomorrow morning. Inside fireplace works great with heater while connected to shore.

Just now, the batteries in series are showing 11.7V when shore is disconnected.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by jdthumpr

Thanks guys, appreciate the quick help.

I stored without power. CORRECTION: the beeping was the smoke detector on the ceiling, 9V battery needed replaced. Done, now no beeping. LP is NOT beeping.

When connected to shore power batteries now show 12.8V. When inside the camper, I can hear the inverter running. I will try to check the output tomorrow morning. Inside fireplace works great with heater while connected to shore.

Just now, the batteries in series are showing 11.7V when shore is disconnected.

Be sure you understand the electrical system. Shore power to power center. AC power sent to circuit breakers that protect the AC circuits and also power sent to CONVERTER. Converter send power to DC fuses and to your battery to keep it charged. Most likely, you should have yanked your battery(s) when in storage and kept them on battery chargers such as a Battery Tender which is a float tender that only charges when voltage drops below a point to keep the battery(s) fresh. If a battery discharges, the plates will sulfate and charging again will be impossible. This can be tested using a load tester such as at a car parts place (they will do it for free generally). If they load test and the battery is bad, time for a new battery.

[jdthumpr]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Be sure you understand the electrical system. Shore power to power center. AC power sent to circuit breakers that protect the AC circuits and also power sent to CONVERTER. Converter send power to DC fuses and to your battery to keep it charged. Most likely, you should have yanked your battery(s) when in storage and kept them on battery chargers such as a Battery Tender which is a float tender that only charges when voltage drops below a point to keep the battery(s) fresh. If a battery discharges, the plates will sulfate and charging again will be impossible. This can be tested using a load tester such as at a car parts place (they will do it for free generally). If they load test and the battery is bad, time for a new battery.

I see. I will disconnect batteries to do a load test as a couple of you have shared.

One major thing I don't understand is why the lifts won't work, nor the slide outs even with shore power hooked up.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by jdthumpr

I see. I will disconnect batteries to do a load test as a couple of you have shared.

One major thing I don't understand is why the lifts won't work, nor the slide outs even with shore power hooked up.

Batteries MUST be good. Failed batteries will not allow the slides and what you call "lifts" to work. If you disconnect the battery cables, and on shore power, check the voltage on the cables to see if you are getting about 14VDC. If not and you have nothing or much less, you converter may need replacement. I can get to mine fairly easily as it sits behind the power center and I can pull the kitchen silverware drawers and get easy access (well it would be easy if I was younger and not so fat).

[jdthumpr]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Batteries MUST be good. Failed batteries will not allow the slides and what you call "lifts" to work. If you disconnect the battery cables, and on shore power, check the voltage on the cables to see if you are getting about 14VDC. If not and you have nothing or much less, you converter may need replacement. I can get to mine fairly easily as it sits behind the power center and I can pull the kitchen silverware drawers and get easy access (well it would be easy if I was younger and not so fat).

Sorry, I have 4 stabilizers and 3 major jacks. They worked when the camper was connected to the truck, but not when connected to the shore power.

Should I just keep it connected to shore power overnight and hope the batteries are in good condition in the morning?

[jdthumpr]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Your batteries are dead and likely damaged. We're they stored in the camper without shore power over the winter? Have you checked the electrolyte levels and topped off with distilled water?

How high should the batteries be filled? I checked the water level and it seems about 1/3 - 1/2 filled of the space above the plates.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by jdthumpr

How high should the batteries be filled? I checked the water level and it seems about 1/3 - 1/2 filled of the space above the plates.

Typically, most flooded cell batteries are filled to the bottom of the cap hole. Usually when you remove the cap the hole will have a lip/small ridge at the bottom of the hole. The battery should be filled to that level. ONLY USE DISTILLED WATER.

The only definitive way test the health of the battery is to have it load tested. You can also use a hydrometer to test each cell.

[NH_Bulldog]

If you stored the camper with the batteries installed for "four months or more" as indicated in your first post, the batteries were depleted and are likely never going to come back to 100% from a zero state of charge, even if they are true deep cycle 6v GC batteries (only lithium can realistically do that and survive another day).

High demand loads like tongue jack, stabilizers, slides, etc. require a good battery to draw from. Being plugged in to shore power can only provide a limited amount of power to satisfy the demand. This is why things worked okay when connected to your truck (it was acting as the battery at that point).

Quite simply, your batteries are toast and need to be replaced. In the future, either remove them and store them at home, or disconnect the battery wires. A battery disconnect as wired from the factory does not fully isolate the batteries and prevent parasitic loads from depleting the batteries in storage.

For the last 5 winters, I remove my two batteries, set them on my work bench and connect a battery tender for the winter. Any time I visit the camper in storage, or need to power it up, I bring my Schumacher power pack booster/jump starter and use that to run everything instead of hauling the batteries around every time.

[Dobbs]

With the converter trying to charge the (likely) dead batteries AND move things, there isn't enough juice to do both. I would try disconnecting the battery and try to move things on the converter alone as a test.
I will make this caveat: my (non-Keystone) trailer states that a battery is required so my suggestion may be hard on the converter.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Dobbs

With the converter trying to charge the (likely) dead batteries AND move things, there isn't enough juice to do both. I would try disconnecting the battery and try to move things on the converter alone as a test.
I will make this caveat: my (non-Keystone) trailer states that a battery is required so my suggestion may be hard on the converter.

Doing what's in red is an excellent way to destroy your converter/charger. The potential results of that "test" may cost you as little as $135 and could cost upwards of $239, depending on which converter you overload while testing....

There's a 2x2" red sticker next to the slide switches warning, as you said, NOT to do what's in red.... YMMV

[jdthumpr]

So, I got new batteries. Went back to 12v in parallel. The slideouts and jacks are still only working when plugged into the truck. Shore power on. What’s wrong?

[GlasNav]

If your unit is equipped with a GIGGY BOX, make sure the knob is in the correct position to engage the internal buss bar.

[jdthumpr]

Originally Posted by GlasNav

If your unit is equipped with a GIGGY BOX, make sure the knob is in the correct position to engage the internal buss bar.

Thank you, no giggly box. It is a 2020. I believe those were installed in 2021+. I do however have a battery disconnect key that is currently “on” (meaning it should be working).

[jdthumpr]

I had decided to get new batteries because I took them in to get load tested, though that went well, they autozone could not get them to receive or hold a charge.

[GlasNav]

How about primary fuse, possibly an EATON Bussman battery terminal fuse?

[jdthumpr]

Originally Posted by GlasNav

How about primary fuse, possibly an EATON Bussman battery terminal fuse?

Is that in the main fuse box inside? I did see the automatic “fuses” outside near the batteries. Originally, I thought they might have gone bad.

[GlasNav]

Not the resettable breakers, does your positive terminal have a square glass box the attaches to the battery post?

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