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Old 12-06-2015, 05:57 PM   #11
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

Quote:
Originally Posted by daveb
Mine is set to open for 15 seconds after it see's a signal from the ignition. I have the 7622 with remote control switch.
Hey Dave,
So am I to assume that you have the Start Isolation circuit connected which temporarily isolates the batteries for 3-5 minutes? This is a way to help protect sensitive electronics from spikes and sags during cranking.


Quote:
Originally Posted by mtbjonny
Just to see if it would work, I engaged the 'emergency' switch that combines batteries. You could hear a click & a check of the voltage of the line running from the separator was now at ~12.8V and has stayed open - which is weird because the van battery is still disconnected, so it should have no voltage.
Jon,
Like daveb said the emergency switch forces the 7620 to close (not open) thus allowing the house battery to boost the starting battery.

I just finished updating my battery system because of similar issues to what your presenting. I had a large draw which was well out of Ford specs. This caused me issues from day 1. The culprit was my wheelchair lift and door controller. I too had to replace batteries every 1-1 1/2 years. Every time they were replaced with wet cell batteries just because that's what it came with. I tried so many different things to manage the drain (which all failed). With a lot of help from Scalf77 and daveb I have a system that finely addresses my issues.

A quick rundown of my configuration is this. I replaced all 3 batteries with AGM's (2 Group 65's and a Group 31 100ah). The 65's are my starting and auxiliary batteries. The aux is not my house, it is dedicated to my mobility equipment. I changed nothing with how it is factory wired for charging. Now have a Blue Sea 7622 installed under the hood. It connects the 65 to my House battery (Group 31). So now I leave the switch set to Auto. When I start the batteries are disconnected (as per the 7622 specs). After the van is running, usually about 60 seconds, the 7622 closes and now charges the house battery.

A quick note about AGM's from my experience. I went with Interstate MT7-65 AGMs because of their 48 month free replacement warranty. The 31M (Marine) has a 36 month warranty. As I was having the system installed I took it home for a week while waiting for a part. The strength of charge the AGM can deliver is truly impressive. I found out that the aux battery was not getting a charge the whole week I had it. I mentioned the WC lift and door controller being the draw, well I used the van all week and that one battery worked without charging. The wet cells would never last like that. If you need to replace your batteries again replace them at the same time with AGM if you can afford it IMO.
Cheers
Darryl

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Old 12-06-2015, 06:08 PM   #12
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

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Originally Posted by dhally
Is the second starting battery located on the side of the frame, under the side door step?
Yes. under the side door step. There's a topic on this battery:

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/viewto ... =14&t=1917

Info in this tread suggests that the battery under the side door step is just for aux van power (trailer hitch relay). I may have jumped the gun saying it was attached to the alternator. I re-connected both van batteries & started the van up (with the house physically disconnected from the van). Checking the voltage on the battery inside the engine compartment shows 14.4V (as expected - alternator is charging it). But the battery underneath the side door step shows 12.8V (with the van running), so I'm not sure what it's connected to? How would it get charged if it's not getting charged from the alternator when the van is running?
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Old 12-06-2015, 06:13 PM   #13
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

Go with replacement AGM batteries for your starters-Deka/East Penn or lifeline are well known and used in many of our rigs. They both private label for other brands as well. If you're not in an area there's a distributor or dealer for either of those, you can find them private labeled at Batteries Plus. Some here will disagree, but I personally would stay away from Optima batteries, I've had hit or miss luck with them over the years.
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Old 12-06-2015, 07:19 PM   #14
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

Hey everybody - I really appreciate everybody's feedback. Based on everybody's feedback& some additional troubleshooting - I'm going to try the following. I'm going to keep the van & house separated. In a couple days (maybe next weekend), I'll try & turn it over.
- If it doesn't, I know there's a parasitic current draw somewhere & I have to find it.
- If it does turn over, I'm going to assume either there's a house parasitic draw (and hunt it down) OR as Darryl has suggested, the mismash of batteries that I have maybe contributing to the problem & I'll go hog wild on replacing all the batteries.

Either way - once this experiment is over - I'm getting all the batteries load tested (as Dave has suggested) & will likely be buying all new batteries (sounds like folks are partial to AGM).

Additionally, when I pull the batteries for load testing, I'll check to see how the aux battery on my van is configured & if there's a relay or something that I need to take into account.
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Old 12-06-2015, 07:27 PM   #15
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

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Originally Posted by dhally
When the emergency switch is pushed, the separator connects both batteries together, no matter the voltage. When the emergency switch is released (it is spring loaded?) The voltage on the van side should go back to zero if the van battery is disconnected. Are you saying the voltage stayed at 12.8 even after you released the emergency switch?
Yes. It's a spring loaded switch. And when I released it stayed at 12.8V. Is that normal, considering there's no voltage on the van (van battery was disconnected).
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Old 12-06-2015, 07:41 PM   #16
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

Darryl, mine is set to 15 seconds after the alternator starts to charge. So it is a bit slower to react for the reasons you posted.
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Old 12-06-2015, 07:48 PM   #17
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

Quote:
Originally Posted by mtbjonny
Quote:
Originally Posted by dhally
Is the second starting battery located on the side of the frame, under the side door step?
Yes. under the side door step. There's a topic on this battery:

http://www.sportsmobileforum.com/viewto ... =14&t=1917

Info in this tread suggests that the battery under the side door step is just for aux van power (trailer hitch relay). I may have jumped the gun saying it was attached to the alternator. I re-connected both van batteries & started the van up (with the house physically disconnected from the van). Checking the voltage on the battery inside the engine compartment shows 14.4V (as expected - alternator is charging it). But the battery underneath the side door step shows 12.8V (with the van running), so I'm not sure what it's connected to? How would it get charged if it's not getting charged from the alternator when the van is running?
I'd take that battery out of the loop. Like I posted in the PM there might be a relay in the mix. If you don't need it, at least test the starting system without it.
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Old 12-06-2015, 08:44 PM   #18
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

Quote:
Originally Posted by daveb

I'd take that battery out of the loop. Like I posted in the PM there might be a relay in the mix. If you don't need it, at least test the starting system without it.
Dave - you're right. Will do. It's dark out right now (just an excuse - I'm lazy), but I'll get it out of the loop next weekend when I get back to troubleshooting.

One new thing I just learned. Took a pic of the DIP switches on the inverter.


This is on a Tripp-Lite 2000W. Manual (http://www.tripplite.com/shared/techdoc ... 932727.pdf ) says this is the setup for Wet cells (Specifically A1 in the down position). Ugh. The house batteries I have is a AGM (but the van/aux batteries are wet cell). Great..

Can someone confirm that I'm not crazy? Assuming I get all new AGM cells (starter/aux & house), I need to flip A1 up - right?
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Old 12-06-2015, 08:56 PM   #19
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

AGM profiles are closer to wet cells than GEL, which is what you would be setting it to with A1 up. The Tripp-lite does not have a separate AGM setting.


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Old 12-06-2015, 09:31 PM   #20
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Re: The mystery of the slowly dying batteries

Quote:
Originally Posted by Scalf77
AGM profiles are closer to wet cells than GEL, which is what you would be setting it to with A1 up. The Tripp-lite does not have a separate AGM setting.


Greg
According to the manual.. (http://www.tripplite.com/shared/techdoc ... 932727.pdf)
"Batteries of either Wet-Cell (vented) or Gel-Cell /Absorbed Glass Mat (sealed) construction are ideal.."
This seems to indicate that AGM are closer to Gel-Cells...

Again, according to the manual..A1 up would be closer to Gel-Cell.


What am I missing?
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