Fried battery

[bocojla]

Anybody out there have their deep cycle battery fried by the charging system? My 2011 M22 destroyed my Interstate battery after only 5 months of use. I have installed a cut-off switch between the trailer and the battery to prevent any future repeat. Come on Heartland, either install quality converters or install cut-off switches.

 

[cookie]

Actually I think that Heartland does install a quality converter. Is yours a Progressive Dynamics? Have you checked the output? Do you know for sure that the battery itself did not fail? I have heard of more battery failures than converter failures.
Just thinking out loud here.
If you have Progressive Dynamics, check out the troubleshooting guide HERE.

Peace
Dave

 

[JohnDar]

A cut-off switch won't protect your battery from the converter, if that is indeed the problem. Without the battery in the circuit, none of your 12V systems will work. And unless you're connected to shore power, the converter is doing nothing, since it runs on 120V. Do the troubleshooting in the manual and then call Progressive Dynamics if you can't find the problem. From what I've read on these forums, they are pretty responsive to complaints about their products.

 

[camr]

Our M22 has been put to bed for the season, so it is not on our property to check. But I seem to remember looking at the brand of converter, and I am almost certain it was not a PD, but a name that I did not recognize. Sounds like a converter swap is in the cards for next season.

 

[GOTTOYS]

There are a few things that the battery powers up all of the time i.e.: Propane leak detector, radio memory...Are you sure the battery is fried and not just depleted? Mine went dead after a few weeks just sitting if I didn't disconnect it. The converter only comes into play if the trailer is plugged in. You need a deep cycle battery also not the marine starting battery some of the dealers install at times....Don

 

[hoefler]

If you dry camp a lot and run you battery down, and then charge it back up, it will sulfate in the process. The acid level will go down and need replenished. If you do not refill the battery, you will boil it dry and ruin it.

 

[sparkinson]

We have a 2010 and I haven't had any problem with the battery or converter. We only stayed at one site all summer with electric hookup so our converter and battery worked flawlessly for at least 25 charge / discharge cycles. At night our furnace would run quite often so every morning a couple hours on the generator/converter was required to replenish. I am pleased with the electrical system on our unit. Our battery is a Costco store band deep cycle.

A couple weeks of running the residuals described by others will deplete your battery. The master disconnect is a necessity.

 

[bocojla]

Cut-off switches DO protect your battery from being discharged by parasitic systems. When hooked up to shore power, all 12 volt systems will function without the battery. Further, with the cut-off switch in the off position the converter can not access the battery and can not overcharge it. We always plug in to shore power.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Cut-off switches DO protect your battery from being discharged by parasitic systems. When hooked up to shore power, all 12 volt systems will function without the battery. Further, with the cut-off switch in the off position the converter can not access the battery and can not overcharge it. We always plug in to shore power.

Absolutely correct! Question for you. When you are plugged in to "shore power", have you checked the voltage at the battery? I'm not sure what converter system comes with the Edge but if there is a problem with it I hope it's safe to assume your dealer will make it right. Hopefully, if the converter is at fault, they should replace the battery as well. I'm not sure but some converters do not have automatic chargers, they are constant voltage chargers.

Before I retired, one of my responsibilities was a fleet of electric material handling equipment (fork lifts). I was able to snag a water level monitoring device that alerts me to low water levels in my RV battery. It's a small 2.5 volt LED that has a sensor in the battery cell. IF the water drops below a certain point the LED goes out. Time to add water.

 

[JohnDar]

Cut-off switches DO protect your battery from being discharged by parasitic systems. When hooked up to shore power, all 12 volt systems will function without the battery. Further, with the cut-off switch in the off position the converter can not access the battery and can not overcharge it. We always plug in to shore power.

Oops, my misinterpretation. Sorry about that. I've never tried running off the converter without the battery connected.

 

[TXBobcat]

My problem was the opposite. I had the charger part of two converters go bad because of the the interstate battery. The battery had a bad cell and the charger burned out trying to charge it up.

Replace the battery with a different brand and have had no problem

Get rid of the Interstate battery.

BC

 

[bocojla]

Cookie: The converter in the M22 is a WFCO WF8955PEC. It is a 55AMP converter which has 3 charging phases. The last phase (when it senses battery is fully charged) is a trickle charge to keep the charge peaked. Trickle charging is not the best way to maintain any battery. Batteries should be automatically monitored, fully charged and then charging should completely stop.

Happy camping

 

[rl7greg]

Not sure if everyone gets the same battery and box - I seem to remember the dealer installed that before I picked up my trailer (was a special order). But I have noticed on mine that the vents in the top of the box let water in...it filled up with water the first winter/spring I had it. I didn't want to drill holes in case it ever leaked, but it can't be good for the battery to be surrounded by water.