My Next Dumb Question......

Rhilton284 · 09-19-2014, 04:58 AM

I just received my new/used RW 38RE. It is currently in our storage lot and we do not have access to electricity. It appears that the batteries are extremely low. I have turned the battery switch to the off position. Now here starts the head scratching, there is some thing in the storage basement that is beeping and must be trying to tell me something. In addition there appears to be 3 each battery boxes, 2 in the electrical compartment and 1 in the storage basement.

First question - Is there in fact 3 batteries in this coach?

Second question - What the heck is that thing that is beeping and what is it trying to tell me?

Third question - Should I just take all of the batteries out and run them down to the local garage and have a full charge put on them?

ksaltman · 09-19-2014, 05:39 AM

Ok my very naive POV but here I go anyway....

- Do you have the residential fridge or the standard RV style fridge. If it's the residential fridge you may have a unit that has an extra battery+inverter to try to keep that going.

- Beeps to me are never a good thing. Have you checked the propane?

- How many lights are on the battery meter?

- How old is your coach?

- Do you know if the previous owners ever changed the house batteries?

- Have you checked the water level on the batteries? If they are original they could be flood acid so they need some TLC every now and again.

Ok all that out there, what I've noticed is the house batteries delivered w/ my unit are basically junk. You can get a Volt check on the main house batteries from the auto leveler by turning it on and using the down arrow but I for sure would pull all the batteries take them to a Interstate Batteries or Batteries Plus and have them do both a full charge and a load test on them. Yes it's a pain and might cost you $5 or so per battery but from what I gather these batteries are good for about 2 maybe 3 seasons if they are treated well and that's not much if you are working with a unit that may have been sitting on a lot for a year or so.

Oriana · 09-19-2014, 11:29 AM

# 1 - As Ken mentioned, if you have a residential fridge you may have 3 batteries

# 2 - Experienced a similar beep about 1 yr ago when batteries were dead. Spent a while trying to locate it, but just can't remember. Try the easy one first, if you don't have a residential fridge, turn the fridge off, as it alarms when no 12V

# 3 - Yes charge the batteries. If needing to operate slides/landing gear plug into AC or the tow vehicle.

atom ant · 09-19-2014, 04:05 PM

the beep could be the schwinteck slide box in the basement ceiling.

**Dave&Ginny** · 09-19-2014, 04:19 PM

The beeping is probably the leveling system

Rhilton284 · 09-19-2014, 05:11 PM

Ok Here is more info:

Coach is a 2014 bought last September at the show in Hershey
Yes it does have a residential style refrigerator
I will need to go back to the storage lot to check the actual level of the battery meter. I do know batteries are low.
I would guess the previous owners only had it plugged in for fairly short periods. (It was never really used)
I have not checked the battery fluid levels yet.

With all of that I think I you guys have solved my mystery.

My coach more than likely has 3 batteries
The beeping is coming from a silver box, and I think it did say something about leveling... Will recheck. I presume the beeping is just telling me not enough power to work the level up system??
I am going to have the batteries serviced and start shopping for a good no maintenance replacement. Suggestions will be gratefully accepted!!!

Thanks everyone. You all have been great and very helpful.

Ian Smith · 09-19-2014, 05:37 PM

Bob,I agree that you should get the batteries charged but you still need a solution if as you stated you have no access to electricity at storage location . The length of storage time and temperature will have an effect on the batteries. One solution might be a small solar panel but works best on fully charged batteries...Ian

johnboytoo · 09-19-2014, 05:47 PM

responded on the other site - but will repeat here...

get a good battery disconnect that really breaks the circuit to the batteries...

u can toggle the fridge into/out of demo mode by holding the freeze and power freeze buttons for about 3 seconds... this will lessen the load, but as delivered most of the rw disconnects don't really disconnect

so smoke detector, etc... WILL drag your batteries down...

Rhilton284 · 09-19-2014, 11:02 PM

Ongoing Saga of WTF is going on..... Went back to the storage lot today to work on taking the batteries out. I check the battery level meter and it went up to "G". Went to the electrical department and storage basement and labeled the battery boxes "1", "2", and "3" respectively. Read the top of the battery box and it stated

"Black Wires to Positive"
"White Wires to Negative"

I opened the first battery box and to my surprise black wires went to negative and the white wires went to positive?????

Battery Picture.jpg

Does anyone have a clue as what is going on here. I am not all knowing about 12V DC wiring but that does not seem correct to say one thing then do the opposite.....

Needless to say I am not removing the batteries until I know for sure what the hell to do once I take them out.

johnboytoo · 09-19-2014, 11:07 PM

Bob, color is a nice standard to follow, but who knows how they hooked it up or who put the wrong labels in the right place

Welcome to the 'hurry up and get it out the door' phase one !

Rhilton284 · 09-19-2014, 11:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnboytoo

Bob, color is a nice standard to follow, but who knows how they hooked it up or who put the wrong labels in the right place

Welcome to the 'hurry up and get it out the door' phase one !

SO I should just put it back the way I found it? The Battery Level Meter says the batteries are "G" which I assume means good. but the lights in the basement are very dim.

Do not know where to go with this yet......

Ian Smith · 09-20-2014, 05:41 PM

Testing batteries with a volt meter and the batteries are not under load will not give you a very accurate reading. As was suggested take the batteries to a battery shop have them charged then tested. Then go from there.....Ian

Rhilton284 · 09-20-2014, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Smith

Testing batteries with a volt meter and the batteries are not under load will not give you a very accurate reading. As was suggested take the batteries to a battery shop have them charged then tested. Then go from there.....Ian

I will get them out. Do you think having them tested at Advance Auto will be an accurate reading. I cannot seem to find a battery shop around here...

Also if they are good should they be put back into the coach just like I found them? (with wiring opposite from indication on battery box)

Ian Smith · 09-20-2014, 05:55 PM

Bob, I do not know Advance Auto but any good shop should be able to charge and test. I would think hooking them up the way you found them would be the place to start but as I do not have my rig yet I have nothing to compare. A quick call to the dealer or factory might help if no one on the forum has an better answer. I would still start with checking the batteries....Ian

Rhilton284 · 09-20-2014, 06:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ian Smith

Bob, I do not know Advance Auto but any good shop should be able to charge and test. I would think hooking them up the way you found them would be the place to start but as I do not have my rig yet I have nothing to compare. A quick call to the dealer or factory might help if no one on the forum has an better answer. I would still start with checking the batteries....Ian

Thanks. I will get the batteries out today and and have them tested and charged. I am also going take pictures of the way they are hooked up and all that is hooked up to them so I can put them back exactly the same as I found them.

Thanks Again.

Jim & Mary · 09-20-2014, 06:07 PM

Most auto stores, e.g. Auto Zone will load test the batteries, which is the proper way to evaluate them. Batteries left in a lengthy discharged state will be damaged.

Rhilton284 · 09-20-2014, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim & Mary

Most auto stores, e.g. Auto Zone will load test the batteries, which is the proper way to evaluate them. Batteries left in a lengthy discharged state will be damaged.

Hopefully they will be OK. I will indeed be taking them to Advance Auto to have them tested but I am told by the original dealer that they will need to be charged to a reasonable level before they can even be accurately tested... I did not know that. I have probably bought to many new batteries as a result batteries that were not at a minimum level for proper testing....

Rhilton284 · 09-20-2014, 06:44 PM

Follow Up - Just got off the phone with the original dealer. They indicate that the label on the battery box on the Redwood generally is referring to wiring coming from the generator. He said if the coach had the batteries hooked up incorrectly I would be finding blow fuses. So I hope I have been sweating something that is a non-issue.

You know I don't think this was a dumb question after all........ THANKS GUYS!!!!

atom ant · 09-20-2014, 07:33 PM

Reversed polarity doesnt blow fuses, it destroys electronics. Were you talking to the salesman or technician?

Rhilton284 · 09-20-2014, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atom ant

Reversed polarity doesnt blow fuses, it destroys electronics. Were you talking to the salesman or technician?

Atom Ant - He supposedly was a technician. Do you know something about these systems as I am admittedly ignorant about 12V DC and I have been trying to understand what is going on here. I have posted a pic of how the batteries are hooked up and I am no closer to being sure whether this is correct or not. Nothing seems to be damaged, or destroyed as far as I can tell.

The Technician apparently did not tell me right. Can you shed some light here? So far I have not had any luck with Redwood/Crossroads as their answering machine says they are closed....

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