Results for "gel batteries"

Halfway through troubleshooting my MPPT solar charge controller's E1 error — would this be covered under warranty, or am I stuck paying out-of-pocket? The controller was working fine for months, but now it's completely stopped charging my batteries and just displays this E1 fault code on the screen.

From what I've read, this could be related to battery over-voltage conditions or possibly some kind of wiring fault, but I want to make sure I understand all the potential causes before I start troubleshooting. I'm comfortable doing basic electrical work myself, but I also want to know when this might be something that requires professional attention for safety reasons.

Can someone provide a detailed breakdown of what the E1 error specifically indicates, walk me through the proper diagnostic steps to identify the root cause, and explain the repair process? I'd especially appreciate guidance on how to safely approach this troubleshooting and what warning signs would indicate I should call in an expert instead of attempting the fix myself. …more

Installed 400 watts of solar panels on the roof last month but my battery monitor barely shows 2 amps coming in even at peak sun. Wiring looks solid, connections are tight, and the panels tested fine individually. Something between the panels and the battery bank is killing my charge rate. …more

Finally got a second opinion after my RV tech insisted I need an $800 replacement for my entire Magnum MS2012 inverter just because it won't charge my 2011 Fleetwood Providence's battery. I've got dual Magnum MS2012 inverter chargers that seem to charge the batteries fine through all the stages, but once they reach float mode, the voltage just keeps dropping and the chargers won't kick back in to maintain them.

I've already replaced all the batteries (both coach and chassis), cleaned and tested every solenoid I can find, and I'm still having the same issue. The coach is plugged into shore power, so that's not the problem. I've been digging through the control panel menus looking for float settings but I'm not finding what I need.

Could this be a settings issue with the Magnum units, or am I dealing with some kind of power drain that's too much for the float charge to handle? I've been chasing this problem for months and I'm really hoping someone has run into this before and can help me figure out what I'm missing! …more

Woke up this morning realizing our new fifth wheel has a 12V refrigerator instead of propane, and we're picking it up next week for our big family camping trip. Over the years with my other RVs, I've always been confident that the house batteries would charge while driving since they're connected to the tow vehicle's charging system through the umbilical cord.

However, I keep reading concerning posts online about 12V refrigerators not staying cold during travel days because they supposedly drain the house batteries faster than the tow vehicle can charge them. This has me puzzled because I've never had charging issues while towing before. If the 12V fridge is running off the same house battery system that gets charged by my truck while driving, shouldn't the charging system be able to keep up with the fridge's power demands?

I'm trying to understand the actual power requirements of these 12V fridges and whether my tow vehicle's charging system through the 7-way connector will realistically be able to maintain the batteries and keep the fridge running properly during long travel days. What kind of amperage draw should I expect from a typical RV 12V refrigerator, and how can I verify that my charging system is working adequately while towing? …more

Standing here staring at my Victron 100/30 MPPT solar charge controller display, probably a dumb question, but why does this weird sawtooth pattern keep appearing on my lithium battery bank? When monitoring the system through the VictronConnect app, I'm observing distinct sawtooth patterns in both voltage and current readings on the trends page. The patterns show regular oscillations rather than steady values.

The controller appears to be in float charging mode, and the battery voltage is being maintained around the expected level. All connections have been verified and are clean. Is this sawtooth pattern in the instantaneous readings indicative of a controller malfunction, or could this be normal operational behavior during certain charging phases? …more

Somewhere between realizing I need to configure my Magnum inverter's gel battery absorb time settings and blocking out Saturday for the job, I'm wondering what specs and tools to gather first. I'm upgrading my RV from AGM to gel batteries (specifically the NAPA 8272 model) and I've got a Magnum inverter controller that has a gel battery setting. Someone at the RV dealer mentioned I should double-check something called the 'absorb time' setting to make sure it matches my new batteries, but I'm honestly not sure what that means or how to find the right number. The manual isn't very clear to me. Has anyone else had to mess with these settings when switching to gel batteries? And does anyone happen to know what the absorb time should be for the NAPA 8272? I don't want to damage my expensive new batteries by having the wrong settings. Thanks for any help! …more