Help! My engine batteries are dying - Printable Version
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+--- Thread: Help! My engine batteries are dying (/showthread.php?tid=470)
Help! My engine batteries are dying - bikestuff - 01-18-2013
Gang,
I have had a recurring problem with my engine batteries and am hoping that you guys can figure it out.
In the two years since I have had the coach, I have had to put in three sets of engine batteries. (All replaced by Newell) Newell said that I needed a float charger (they installed). The batteries now have Powerpulse Battery Maintenance boxes installed as well.
The symptom is that when I stop the coach (engine off) and try to restart, sometimes it wont turn over and start. Newell tested the batteries and said they were bad. The tech told me that I should always leave the batteries merged, but I cannot believe that I should have to do that.
Now, I have a brand new set of Lifeline batteries and the same thing is happening. I just drove three hours and when I stopped, it would not start again. (I merged the engine batteries with house and was able to crank). The silverleaf says that I have 13.8V from the alternator.
So what will cause batteries to die? Or maybe its a bum starter? Could the merge relay cause this?
RE: Help! My engine batteries are dying - folivier - 01-18-2013
Check your battery connections on the engine batteries. Another possibility could be a bad battery cable, sometimes corrosion gets inside the insulation.
RE: Help! My engine batteries are dying - bikestuff - 01-18-2013
Forest,
That is good thought! One cable has a little worn spot on it from the plastic battery cover...maybe it is the culprit! Would that account for the batteries to "test bad"?
RE: Help! My engine batteries are dying - folivier - 01-18-2013
Could be. Remember if power can't get out of the battery to start the engine then it can't get back in to keep the battery charged.
Good luck
RE: Help! My engine batteries are dying - John L Williams - 01-18-2013
I had that on one of other coaches, and it turned out to be the ground cable, where it hooked to the frame...I found it when I touched it, and almost burned my hand. Loose connections are trouble...
RE: Help! My engine batteries are dying - encantotom - 01-18-2013
i replaced one of the starting battery cables on my 02 when i saw that that there was lots of corrosion on it near the connector. i cut the insulation back and was full of green corrosion back more than 6 inches so i just had another cable made for it.
btw, i had a similar problem on my 90 that you are having and i even stupidly changed the starter because i was convinced the starter was going bad. (did it myself and man was it heavy). it ended up being a very large inline fuse in the battery cable to the starter.
tom
RE: Help! My engine batteries are dying - bikestuff - 01-18-2013
Tom,
When that happened to you could you start with house batteries?
bill
RE: Help! My engine batteries are dying - encantotom - 01-18-2013
so here is my story. it had started getting hard to start on the engine batteries. so i would merge them together and it would start. i just figured my batteries were bad. they were old, so i just took them out and replaced them with sams club 8d flooded. when i took the old ones in, they were too discharged to check. (btw, i later bought a cool battery tester).
well it started fine and then after awhile, it started doing the same thing. had to merge to start. in retrospec, i should have realized they were just discharging. so now the engineer in my takes over and starts looking for something else. i figure the starter has to be going bad. so i took it out (it is 90lbs on the 8v92) and just replaced it. it was a bear to get in by myself laying under the coach.
put it in, nadda. the same thing.
now something in me says start with a meter and start checking cables.....then i realized one of them was totally open.
it ended up being the humongo in line fuse on the battery cable where it was attached to the battery.
i bought one on ebay, put it in and walla, all was well.
i should have checked it first...
i bought an extra in case.
they are pricey if you buy them retail, gotta find them on ebay.
thats my story.
tom