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12/30/2009 2:34:39 PM
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betterRVing
Posts -4
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Batteries, Refrigerators, and Aqua Hot
RV Expert Andy Dietz shares his 25 years of technical expertise as he tends to your questions.
Q. My coach has AGM batteries in it and they are in need of replacement due to age and use. AGM batteries are quite expensive to replace. Can I replace them with less expensive lead acid batteries or gel batteries?
A. AGM (Absorption Glass Mat) batteries are usually used in coaches where access for maintenance, like adding water and ventilation of the compartment, are issues that the manufacturer didn’t allow for. Or, the manufacturer chose to use AGMs to save space. AGM batteries are maintenance free and do not vent caustic or explosive gases. If your battery compartment is accessible for maintenance and is well vented for gases, you should be able to use the less expensive batteries. If not, or you’re not sure, I wouldn’t recommend changing battery type without consulting or having a dealer check it over first.
Q. When you buy a new RV, what is the main difference between a house refrigerator and a gas refrigerator?
A. Lately, some manufacturers are trying household refrigerators in coaches because of features, capacity, and styles that consumers like. The drawback of the household refrigerator is that they are compressor or Freon type refrigerators and will only operate from one power source—110-volt A/C—which means to have refrigeration you must either be plugged in, have a generator running, or have a substantial bank of batteries and a good inverter to run the refrigerator. A heat absorption refrigerator which is more common in RVs has no Freon but instead uses an ammonia based cooling unit and heat to absorb the heat from the refrigerator box and creating cooling through heat which can be done either through a gas flame or an electric 110-volt A/C element. This allows you to use the refrigerator either by generator, shore power, or gas flame so you can have the fridge on while going down the road without your generator running and you don’t have to have the inverter running it either. A minor draw back of the gas refrigerator is it requires 12-volt power for the controller that operates it.
Click here to read the rest of the article on the BetterRVing website.
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1/5/2010 5:00:01 PM
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ED (CALIF)
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WHEN HOOKED UP TO SHORE POWER - SHOULD THE INVERTERS BE OFF OR ON? SEEMS LKE I AM USING A LOT OF ECLETRICAL POWER WHILE PARKED.
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1/5/2010 5:45:21 PM
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Steve Roddy
Lazydays Employee
Posts 647
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When plugged in to shore power the inverter will be in stand-by mode. In this mode it is not using battery power it is only passing the 110v shore power to the circuit. On some inverter panels this will be represented with a flashing light showing inverter is in by-pass. If the light is on solid it is inverting and is not seeing the incomeing 110v shore power. If that is the case then it will be using battery power. Some panels also show incoming ac power.
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1/5/2010 5:49:07 PM
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Steve Roddy
Lazydays Employee
Posts 647
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If you are using a lot of ac power, it could be the inverter charging batteries at a very high rate. Some inverters will charge at a 100amp rate or higher. Check batteries for water and condition. Some inverter panels allow you to power share or reduce the charge rate. On the panel you can reduce power share to as low as 5 amps so the inverter will not use as much ac power.
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1/6/2010 8:49:02 PM
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mitch (killeen, texas)
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My motor home is a 1997 35u ,on a ford chassis. does the convertor charge the chassis battery when plug into shore power.
Thanks mitch
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1/7/2010 8:55:26 AM
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Steve Roddy
Lazydays Employee
Posts 647
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Some motorhomes do charge chassis batteries when plugged in to shore power. Not all manufacturer's have included this in their electronics. To what kind of motorhome are you referring?
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1/7/2010 1:27:30 PM
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bounder35
Posts 1
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My motorhome is a 1997 bounder 35u on a ford chassis. my chassis battery gradually loses it!s charge over about a week. It takes a charge ok with a battery charger. I have had this rv
for 13yrars and have never had this problem before until recently.
thanks Mitch:
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1/7/2010 1:38:12 PM
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Steve Roddy
Lazydays Employee
Posts 647
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It should charge the chassis battery if all is working properly. You need to have the battery properly load tested. If battery is in good condition then something is not functioning properly in your charge circuit. You have a circuit board that recognizes a charge current from either the chassis or house battery and then closes a solenoid to connect all batteries to allow them all to receive a charge.
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1/7/2010 7:04:15 PM
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ED (CALF)
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RE INVERTER TO BE ON OR OFF DURING PLUGGED INTO SHORE POWER 50AMPS.= -STEVE, THANKS FOR THE REPLY ON MY PANEL I HAVE A SWITCH TITLED INVERTER ON OR OFF -NOT SURE IF IT ON OFF WHEN GREEN LIGHT IS ON. 2006 FLEETWOOD, REVULOTION .
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1/7/2010 7:06:00 PM
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ED (CALF)
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I F I SHUT OFF THE MAIN SWITCH IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WILL THIS PREVENT 110 VOLT OUTLETS TO OPERATE ? DOES THE REFRIG GO OFF ALSO -AND GO TO PROPANE OPERATION?
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1/7/2010 7:06:11 PM
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ED (CALF)
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I F I SHUT OFF THE MAIN SWITCH IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WILL THIS PREVENT 110 VOLT OUTLETS TO OPERATE ? DOES THE REFRIG GO OFF ALSO -AND GO TO PROPANE OPERATION?
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1/8/2010 8:47:07 AM
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Steve Roddy
Lazydays Employee
Posts 647
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The battery switch in the engine compartment should only disconnect the chassis battery. This will not effect operation of house recepticles or any other 110v systems. Which inverter do you have? Make and size (watts)? Just an on/off switch?
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1/8/2010 10:17:11 PM
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ED (CALIF)
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NOT SURE OF THE INVERTER NAME OR MODEL -I WILL BE AT THE MOTOR HOME THIS WEEKEND AND I WILL GET THE INFO - I WILL TURN OFF THE MAIN SWITCH IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND TEST THE OUTLETS FOR POWER. THANKS
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1/12/2010 12:14:52 AM
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Duncan (Bradford, TX)
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Andy: My Hydro-Hot (HHE-500-08M) unit is overflowing into the expansion tank. It produces hot water but is leaking pretty bad. What can I do. Thanks.
Daryl Duncan
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1/12/2010 7:37:08 PM
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J.t. (KISSIMMEE Fl. )
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I have a 50 amp fifth wheel I have it in a 30 amp plug after a while the lites flicker. even if just the lites fridg are only on. Could that be because it n eeds all 50 amps.
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1/13/2010 6:49:16 AM
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Steve Roddy
Lazydays Employee
Posts 647
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The lights flickering could be a 12v issue. The converter or inverter/charger should operate normally on 30 amp service. Check water level in batteries and all connections to be sure they are clean and tight. If that is not the problem then use a volt meter to see where you have voltage fluctuation. This will let you see if the problem is at the converter or battery.
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1/14/2010 7:50:44 AM
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Steve Roddy
Lazydays Employee
Posts 647
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Overheating Aqua-Hot Check your cap on the coolant tank to make sure it is operating at the proper pressure aand also check thermostats.
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1/17/2010 1:44:53 PM
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add (hesperia california)
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i am looking for a small refrigerator that is no more than two foot by three foot that can be energized by batery power and is portable
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1/17/2010 1:47:17 PM
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add (hesperia california)
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what size inverter is need to hook a small bar refrigerator to energy created by the motor home. The refrigerator takes 10 amps to operate and i do not know what amperage it takes to start the refrigerator
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1/17/2010 1:47:30 PM
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add (hesperia california)
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what size inverter is need to hook a small bar refrigerator to energy created by the motor home. The refrigerator takes 10 amps to operate and i do not know what amperage it takes to start the refrigerator
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