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We have a 2016 Newell- all batteries died for about 24 hours. We were able to use a car to get the engine jumped. The generator turns on and we drive around for about 45 mins to try and charge everything up.
The house batteries (?) are not starting. We don’t have aqua hot, heat, water pumps. The whole main control panel is dark where every other one is brightly lit.
Any suggestions?
Posts: 64
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Any info displayed on the Outback inverter panel that is above the driver's window?
Rob
2016 Newell #1536
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Joined: Jul 2012
It sounds like two things could have happened.
1) It sounds like a breaker has tripped. If your generator is running, you should have AC power for the water pump and Aquahot. There is a breaker box in one of the basement bays near the inverter. Check to be sure no breakers are tripped there.
2) Maybe the inverter has been turned off. Check the inverter panel to be sure it is turned on.
As far as driving around….if you can get the generator started, it should charge the house batteries (provided the charger is turned on at the inverter panel)…and then you can hit the “Merge” switch to connect the engine batteries with the house batteries so that they get charged too.
Bill Johnson
Birmingham, Alabama
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Threads: 7
Joined: Jan 2021
If you have access to shore power, you can plug in the 120 volt auxiliary Xantrex battery charger located in the rear passenger side bay. It will charge the chassis/engine battery while you sort the other charging issues.
Rob
2016 Newell #1536
Posts: 493
Threads: 59
Joined: Jun 2022
Try turning the inverters and the battery switch off for a minute. They are located in the house battery compartment. That frequently cures similar power problems on mine. Any time my batterys get low the switch panels and Silverleaf need rebooted to get everything back to normal. As RobSC suggests, that Xantrex charger is frequently forgotten and needs an extension cord to plug it in. You can use the dash Battery Merge switch to tie the house and chassis battery's together.
Jim
2014 Newell Coach 1482 Mid Entry 45'8" Valid Slides and Valid Levelling
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I'm replacing my inverters (probably tomorrow) so I've been reading the manual. Yes I do that for pretty much everything I buy.
A hard reset for my Magnum inverters is to remove AC and DC power for 30 seconds. Jim's one minute is better in my mind.
A soft reset is done by holding the on/off button off for 15 seconds until it cycles back on. These inverters have a soft on/off button vs. a hard click on/off.
Hank & Natalie Bensley
2001 Double Slide #586.
2021 Cherokee Trailhawk Toad
Port Orange, FL. Upcoming Snowbirds in Endwell, NY
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What type of batteries are they deep cycle lead acid or AGM glass matt batteries? If you charge them up and they hold a charge above 12.4vdc you should be OK but if they drain while just sitting with no load you have a shorted cell and will have to isolate them to find which battery is draining the rest of them. With AGM batteries you can only drain them below 12.2vdc a couple times and they are shot at least in my experience deep cycle lead acid are a little more forgiving.
1999 45' #504 "Magnolia"
Gravette, Arkansas
1996 40 XL Prevost Marathon
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Joined: Nov 2020
Sorry we don't know your name; your Profile and Signature haven't been filled in yet. Also let us know your coach number.
Assuming that you haven't contacted Newell yet, let me take you through the steps for the dreaded "your batteries are toast" protocol. (ask me how I know!)
If those are your original batteries, you'll need new ones without a doubt.
I'm not sure WHAT "Main Panel" you are referring to, so I can only make "assumptions", so please be specific: The Salon's Silverleaf Panel, Spyder Control Panels, Main SilverLeaf Dash Panel, etc.
If the Silverleaf Panel is dark, then I'd check to see if your Inverters have gotten knocked OFF. They can be turned on at the small OUTBACK panel above the driver.
If you don't have a Multi-meter, you'll have to get the House Battery voltage elsewhere; the overhead VMS display will show you, if the "main" Silverleaf (touch) panel is off. Do you have a secondary monitor in the bedroom? Is it dark too?
Yes, as above, you have problem popped one or both of your INVERTER BREAKERS in the Battery Bay.
Also, double-check the Autoformer Transfer Breaker in the Electrical Bay. It's a smaller black box with a single breaker on it.
Both of these breakers like to get tripped under stress of low-batteries.
If you're still in a bind, contact me and I'll help walk you through more steps to get you up and running.
Steve
626-922-6428
Steve & Janice Vance
2015 Newell #1524
Glendora, CA