Battery Not Charging: Troubleshooting Tips
Dave SolbergDescription
We received a question from an RV Repair Club member asking why their RV battery wasn’t holding any juice after a full charging cycle. While the problem of an RV battery not charging typically stems back to one common issue, there are a handful of other possibilities. So in this lesson, we do a little troubleshooting demonstration to explain what’s happening when an RV battery isn’t maintaining its charge and teach you how to troubleshoot to find a solution.
To help you get your RV battery back up to full capacity, Dave Solberg teaches you how to troubleshoot a faulty battery by first diagnosing your specific problem and then making the correct fix. As Dave mentions, there could be a few different causes if you discover a battery not charging properly on your RV. Most often, though, battery capacity depends on the type of charging cycle you conduct prior to operation.
With this idea in mind, Dave talks about the difference between a static fill (which can lead to sulfation, deteriorated terminals, etc.) and a multi-stage charge. He also gives you tips for testing battery capacity and describes what you should do with one/both of your battery’s solenoid(s) when a 25-amp draw reveals the battery has zero charge. Heed Dave’s advice, and you will show your RV batteries the TLC they deserve!
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I have a 1996 Monaco similar to the one in the video. I recently replaced replaced all batteries but my alternator doesn’t seem to be charging my engine battery. I have had the alternator looked at and it worked fine when the repair shop pulled it out and tested it at their facility, but as soon as they hook it back up to the Monaco it won’t charge the battery. Have you ever run into this before?
I have a 1990 jayco mini i just replaced the battery. This is my first used rv i am clueless as to why it wont start.
My battery on my aliner is not charging after I drive with it all connected to my destination. The battery itself was tested and is chargeable. How can I troubleshoot this?
I had to replace my Class C engine battery. I was told to disconnect the positive terminal to preserve its life when in storage. My 2 6v house batteries are still connected in series. should I disconnect the positive on those also? And is it the positive that should be disconnected or the negative? thx
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