RV Electrical Question

[Fargus]

The RV is plugged in and has been for sometime now. I went out to check everything out and first thing wrong is the slide out motor will not turn on. I pop open the breaker box and flip on the only breaker that is off (water heater). Now when I hit the switch it works as it should. Odd. Next I check the thermostat and can't get the display to come on. Using my multi-meter I check the battery the battery and only getting .22 volts. One other interesting thing is that the audible alarm on the gas detector "flickers" and the porch light flickers in unison.

I then unplug the RV from shore power and I have zero power to anything. No lights. No anything. The reading on the multi-meter dropped to .17 volts. Unfortunately I have no clue how old the battery is it was in the trailer when I bought it about 18 months ago. The trailer is a 2011 and even if it is the original battery I don't think it would be bad already. I guess anything is possible.

Any ideas on what could be wrong or input on how to narrow the issue down further?

[CabezaBlanca]

Sounds like your battery is dead.

[Eric T.]

Sounds like your battery is dead.

This for sure is the best place to start.

[southpaw]

Leaving one plugged up, with no activity, can definitely mess up you battery. At least that's what I've been told and experienced. Not sure about the throwing the water heater breaker to get the slide to work. On mine I don't think I can get the slide to move without 12+ volts at the battery. I try to remember, when I'm home from a trip, to make sure the battery is charged and disconnect it till needed next.

[jmeghunts]

My experience has been to replace that battery with the best one that you can afford. For some reason they just don't last too long on the RV's that I have had. One more thing, if it's not the battery then you may have an issue with your charging system but I doubt it's that.

[Fargus]

Leaving one plugged up, with no activity, can definitely mess up you battery. At least that's what I've been told and experienced. Not sure about the throwing the water heater breaker to get the slide to work. On mine I don't think I can get the slide to move without 12+ volts at the battery. I try to remember, when I'm home from a trip, to make sure the battery is charged and disconnect it till needed next.

This could be the problem, but I am pretty confident that the tech that went over everything with me when I bought it suggested that I keep it plugged. Guess I could have heard him wrong.

[Hornet Hunter]

Bad battery charger/inverter. It should run 12 volt with out a battery on it. All lights, slides, and fridge run on 12 volt.

[JCBowHunter]

Bad battery charger/inverter. It should run 12 volt with out a battery on it. All lights, slides, and fridge run on 12 volt.

^^^^^
My vote goes here

[Fargus]

Bad battery charger/inverter. It should run 12 volt with out a battery on it. All lights, slides, and fridge run on 12 volt.

^^^^^
My vote goes here

I believe these guys have it right.

Their posts gave me the idea to disconnect the power and plug it in to shore power. It gave me the original issues. So my thinking is a bad inverter/converter that also was not charging the battery properly. Sound about right?

[super_dave]

Unplug it and back your truck up to it. Plug it in and see if it all works right. If so its probably the battery

[quackerback]

Unhook battery and check leads with volt meter. It should read about 13 volts on leads. If so battery is dead.

[Fargus]

Unplug it and back your truck up to it. Plug it in and see if it all works right. If so its probably the battery

No joy. Nada ting.

Unhook battery and check leads with volt meter. It should read about 13 volts on leads. If so battery is dead.

Yes, which could mean the converter isn't charging it as it should or possibly a bad battery, correct?

[careybirdwell]

If you're reading 13V at the battery terminals with the battery disconnected, then your converter is working. At least it is putting out voltage, it still might not be able to handle a amp load. The breaker you might actually be flipping is connected to the converter and not water heater. I have seen a few of them not listed correctly.

[Fargus]

If you're reading 13V at the battery terminals with the battery disconnected, then your converter is working. At least it is putting out voltage, it still might not be able to handle a amp load. The breaker you might actually be flipping is connected to the converter and not water heater. I have seen a few of them not listed correctly.

I'm not reading 13V at the battery terminal. I am only reading 3.2V

[Slewfoot]

My first guess is you have a grounding problem. Your water heater works on 240 volts and it seems every thing else you mentioned works on 120 volts. Which means the 120 volts has no return through ground.