Dead batteries October 31, 2020, 12:58:34 pm Hi Friends, today I went to winterize using my air compressor at the storage facility. After emptying the heater went to start generator,no juice. Unable to start engine. Do have one solar panel, reading on panel 12. Usually 13.5-14. I thinking and checking if I left something on. Only noticed dish receiver was on and control panel for Bigfoot levelers had power on. Did get engine started with jump. Ideas? Thanks
Re: Dead batteries Reply #1 – October 31, 2020, 01:10:51 pm Hi Molly. Sorry about your bat. problems. How long was your LD stored? Chassis battery may need to be charged/replaced. Or, make sure you did not leave the headlights on. Do you get sunlight on your solar panel or is it covered?Your generator, I believe, needs juice from the House batteries to start, so no surprise it wouldn't start with a reading of 12. You likely already have a parasitic load on your house batteries from the hard-wired propane detector. Make sure there are no other items, like the radio, left on when you store.Good Luck. Bob
Re: Dead batteries Reply #2 – October 31, 2020, 01:37:20 pm While the solar charge controller reads 12V, what does it say the current is? If the current is high (assuming sunny day), you may have a shorted battery cell. If it is zero, you may have a blown fuse, allowing the batteries to discharge over time. If the reading is low, but not zero, and there is nothing shadowing the panel, then you have a solar problem.So, if the current is high, disconnect the batteries and after an hour rest, measure the battery voltage. If now 10.5 volts or less, you have at least one shorted battery cell.Steve 1 Likes