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  • #31
    Originally posted by Jlawles2 View Post
    Cate&Rob Rob, I have 4 screws holding the upper section in place. The placement of the box is not ideal for having to use screws to hold the lid in place, plus needing tools defers one from wanting to check the fluid levels.
    I just use a small bungee cord to hold the lid in place, so I can have easy access to the battery. Should the cover be more secure than this?
    2020 Reflection 273MK
    2005 Dodge Ram 2500 CTD

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    • #32
      Originally posted by Jlawles2 View Post
      I have 4 screws holding the upper section in place. The placement of the box is not ideal for having to use screws to hold the lid in place, plus needing tools defers one from wanting to check the fluid levels.
      So buy sealed....or lithium....problem solved..wallet lightened......

      2018 Dodge 3500 6.7 Cummins w Aisin and 9 cup holders
      Not to brag or anything about my finances, but my bank calls me about every day to tell me my balance is OUTSTANDING!

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      • #33
        Originally posted by Lonestar View Post

        I just use a small bungee cord to hold the lid in place, so I can have easy access to the battery. Should the cover be more secure than this?
        A bungee cord should be fine. The battery is secured in place by the lower well that it sits in. The top half of the box is the vapour dome that collects hydrogen gas when the battery is charging and directs this out of the front compartment. As long as the top have sits in place and stays attached to the ductwork, it will accomplish this.

        Rob
        Cate & Rob
        (with Border Collies Molly & Angel + Kitties Hazel & Elsie)
        2015 Reflection 303RLS
        2022 F350 Diesel CC SB SRW Lariat
        Bayham, Ontario, Canada

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        • #34
          Originally posted by Jlawles2 View Post
          Cate&Rob Rob, I have 4 screws holding the upper section in place. The placement of the box is not ideal for having to use screws to hold the lid in place, plus needing tools defers one from wanting to check the fluid levels.
          There’s suppose to be screws holding it? Mine was just kind of sitting on top… felt like it was sort of snapped in place when I removed it.
          Rob & Stacy

          2020 F-250 7.3 Gasser 4x4 Crew; Reese GooseBox
          2022 Reflection 337RLS

          Charleston, SC

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          • #35
            An example why everything is not disconnected from the battery is the emergency brake switch. This is wired directly to the battery (i.e. bypasses the disconnect switch). However this would not be the source of a drain.

            In my case it turns out the battery disconnect only interrupts power to the converter. Other items from the battery positive that bypass the disconnect switch include a connection to the TV 7-pin connector, pre-wired solar controller positive lead, the jack (separately fused), and one other item. This last item is a mystery to me (I have a call into GD asking about it); it is separately fused and routed directly from the battery back into the trailer. So, for example, it is possible to leave the Jack light on and discharge the battery.
            Earl
            2022 Imagine 22RBE
            2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee (5.7L V-8 MDS VVT)
            Anderson 3350 WDH w/ Redarc TowPro EBRH-ACCV3

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            • #36
              Just to close this out. I finally got a person from GD to tell me what the mystery item is. It's the circuit for the Lippert Tire pressure monitor. So the following are connected to the battery and not affected by the disconnect switch in my Imagine:
              1) the jack
              2) emergency brake circuit
              2) tire pressure monitor
              3) positive wire to pre-wired solar controller (capped off a purchase)
              4) Tow Vehicle TV 7-pin connector power line

              Earl
              Earl
              2022 Imagine 22RBE
              2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee (5.7L V-8 MDS VVT)
              Anderson 3350 WDH w/ Redarc TowPro EBRH-ACCV3

              Comment


              • #37
                Originally posted by TravelHabit View Post
                Just to close this out. I finally got a person from GD to tell me what the mystery item is. It's the circuit for the Lippert Tire pressure monitor. So the following are connected to the battery and not affected by the disconnect switch in my Imagine:
                1) the jack
                2) emergency brake circuit
                2) tire pressure monitor
                3) positive wire to pre-wired solar controller (capped off a purchase)
                4) Tow Vehicle TV 7-pin connector power line

                Earl
                Earl--what year and model Imagine? (Please fill out your signature line! https://gdrvowners.com/forum/gdrv4li...-to-your-posts )
                Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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                • #38
                  Batteries.... there's no free lunch. Maintenance is key. Once they go dead? They rarely come back to life the same, if at all. If you are a full-timer you really don't have to worry about it if you're hooked up to shore power. Otherwise after parking the rig throw the BDS pull the cables hook up your battery tender and if the batteries are less than a few years old and have never gone dead before you should be good to go for next time. And bringing them in and keeping them in a warm place on the tender during super harsh Winters is Paramount! Parasitic draw: happens even when your battery is disconnected. It's happening as we speak! That's why you need to have a smart tender on your carbon pile. If you're not into pulling the battery cables off the terminals you can always get an inline Killswitch like they have on the rear trunk bezel on drag race and Harbor Freight sales a disconnect switch that looks a lot like The Grand Design one for $7 easily deck mounted inline on the positive side and all you need is an extra positive cable to hook it up and it will kill ALL the juice going to the camper. And you can run a pigtail from the battery outside the battery box and mount it wherever you want with a piece of sticky back Velcro so you can plug in your battery tender and that way your battery or dual batteries in parallel won't go dead. If you want to learn how to load and more importantly charge more than two batteries in parallel so they discharge and charge evenly instead of unevenly on a grade I'll hook you up with some YouTube links.

                  ​​​​​ it's pretty rare when a battery just flat-out fails. If it hasn't gone dead before and it's under 4 years old it should have plenty of service left in it if it is properly maintained.

                  -pv
                  Attached Files
                  '20 Baby Grand 230RL
                  '93 Ford F350, 4WD, Crew, long box, 7.5L, SRW
                  Demco High Jacker 6076P-16k
                  Demco custom rails 8552005-71

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Originally posted by pvduke View Post
                    If you are a full-timer you really don't have to worry about it if you're hooked up to shore power.
                    What I was taught at RVSA was a battery is essentially a "shock absorber" for the converter, even the modern WFCOs, in our RVs. While it is possible to run an RV without a battery, or a weak battery, when on shore power it is not recommended. (I don't believe that's what you wrote.) The recommendation in your post, i.e "Maintenance is key", is IMHO what owners should know and remember regardless of how they use their RV.

                    The need for maintenance of a wet cell is yet another reason for an owner to consider maintenance-free AGMs or, if the budget will allow, LifePO4. Regular readers of this forum will know that I am an unabashed advocate for the LifePO4s (with a good battery management system), compatible converter (or inverter/charger) and a quality battery monitor (Victron!). That setup removes the headaches and mystery associated with maintaining a battery.

                    Anyone reading this thread that doesn't understand the difference in the types of batteries available for an RV should check out TucsonJim's Battery 101 post in the Reference Material section, https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...ithium-battery

                    Howard

                    pvduke -- also (please) review the https://gdrvowners.com/forum/operati...tion-resources thread. If there are resources you'd recommend I add to that post please let me know! The forum would benefit from your knowledge and experience (and I'd be happy to capture that info).
                    Forum moderators are not GD employees--we are volunteers and owners presumably just like yourself. Unless specifically mentioned otherwise, we have nothing to gain should you choose to purchase a product or engage a service we discuss on this forum.

                    2017 Ford F-350 DRW, '19 315RLTSPlus

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                    • #40
                      Copy....
                      Bat 101 touches on a VERY important point when connecting batteries- they MUST be exactly the same type/size/age etc.
                      Also- flooded battery maint isnt hard aside from keeping it charged up. Wear some nitrile / dishwashing gloves, glasses, clean the top of the case, pop the caps, shine a light, if the bath is where it's supposed to be, GTG, if not, add DISTILLED water as needed. If the bats are not being stressed or overheated they usually require little maint. Cleaning the top of the bat prevents excessive static discharge. Grab a 5$ battery terminal brush thingy next time yer at wallyworld or the parts store it's the only way to go for stubborn corrosives then soak in rag or cup with baking soda and water to really get clean then lube them. packing the terminals fills the air gap between clamp and post cuts down on electrolysis and moisture ingress.
                      Multiple Batteries: 2 in parallel gives you the same required voltage but twice the dwell. But don't think more batteries is better. That depends on your inverter/converter's capacity to do several things at once. You can easily over-work your little silver box giving it too much to handle. Which brings me too....this video in case you run more than two. (not mine of course he says it better than I ever could)

                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOEqnCrxPYg


                      -pv.
                      '20 Baby Grand 230RL
                      '93 Ford F350, 4WD, Crew, long box, 7.5L, SRW
                      Demco High Jacker 6076P-16k
                      Demco custom rails 8552005-71

                      Comment


                      • #41
                        Boodocking/dry/off-grid setups- these guys are pretty hard core off-gridders tons of insight and techniques etc. Form Ausieland but good info galore on this channel for 12v/solar systems insight, battery master classes, doo's'n'dont's etc.

                        https://www.youtube.com/c/4wdsupacentreAu

                        -pv.
                        '20 Baby Grand 230RL
                        '93 Ford F350, 4WD, Crew, long box, 7.5L, SRW
                        Demco High Jacker 6076P-16k
                        Demco custom rails 8552005-71

                        Comment


                        • #42
                          My rig has 2 bat's in parallel. One is in a factory installed recessed box with a FLANGED screw down sealed lid that's hose vented outside- nice. The other is in a dealer installed deck-mount box that is strapped to the Geny house floor, also hose vented and y-spliced into the primary's vent line- on that box the dealer used self tappers to secure the lid in a horizontal fashion- its not nec as the strap holds the lid on and never do this as the screws protrude into the box and will contact the bat at some point- causing bat case damage or a leak. Batteries must be on a smooth surface to prevent chaffing or poking and fit snugly in the box, adding non-conductive shims is OK to snug up the fit in the box. I had to completely redo both boxes/vents, for a variety of reasons. they meant well and thanks for the new bats, but the install was yikes!

                          2 bat's in parallel makes them both last longer when maintained- but if one goes they both (or ALL if more than two) must be replaced with NEW and be identical and if you run more than two see the video above in post #40 for correct parallel connections sequence/loading/charging to get the most out of them.

                          -pv.
                          '20 Baby Grand 230RL
                          '93 Ford F350, 4WD, Crew, long box, 7.5L, SRW
                          Demco High Jacker 6076P-16k
                          Demco custom rails 8552005-71

                          Comment


                          • #43
                            Final thoughts: just because a battery takes a charge and shows topped up? If it has gone really low or flat at some point, is old or overworked expect sulfation/plate damage and greatly reduced dwell, or even no dwell and a surface or static charge of 12.5+ volts. You can do a simple volt drop test with your DMM clipped to your bat, then hit the jack switch or something with a high amp draw and read it. It'll usually drop out below min. required V and not comeback at all or only to 3-4v. Any bat that gets below 11v charge state or less will probably be badly compromised. How much depends on many factors like age and care. Old batteries are like old tires. They may look OK but.....

                            -pv.
                            '20 Baby Grand 230RL
                            '93 Ford F350, 4WD, Crew, long box, 7.5L, SRW
                            Demco High Jacker 6076P-16k
                            Demco custom rails 8552005-71

                            Comment


                            • #44
                              howson my apologies - I added the information as requested
                              2022 Imagine 22RBE
                              2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee (5.7L V-8 MDS VVT)
                              Anderson 3350 WDH w/ Redarc TowPro EBRH-ACCV3​
                              Earl
                              2022 Imagine 22RBE
                              2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee (5.7L V-8 MDS VVT)
                              Anderson 3350 WDH w/ Redarc TowPro EBRH-ACCV3

                              Comment

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