 |
|
|
|
wjlapier
Washington
Full Member
Joined: 02/18/2013
View Profile
 Offline
|
So, hoping to gather some info in two items for our Host Everest camper.
First, our electric jacks stopped working with the camper hooked up to our truck, but once we jumped the batteries the jacks started to work. Am I correct to assume a blown fuse in the truck? 2019 Silverado. I’ve opened the fuse box but am not sure which fuss to check.
Kinda related, aside from running a power cable from our camper to our garage to keep the batteries charged during the winter, what kind of charger should we look at if we bring the batteries into our garage for the winter.
2019 Chevrolet 3500HD LTZ DRW
2023 Host Everest
|
jimh406
Western MT
Senior Member
Joined: 06/11/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
If the batteries were dead on the TC, then it's probably the power circuit on the truck. You should be able to look up what fuse it will be on the truck. Some trucks need a relay to allow charging while driving. If it used to work, then it isn't that.
I like battery tenders if you take the batteries out. If it is fairly close, I'd just plug in.
'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.
NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
Offline
|
First part doesn't make sense. Unless you're trying to say the camper batteries were/are dead.
Any smart maintainer will work for battery storage, as will disconnecting them fully charged and not doing anything. Maybe top them up every few months, but not totally necessary either.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold
|
Grit dog
Black Diamond, WA
Senior Member
Joined: 05/06/2013
View Profile
Offline
|
jimh406 wrote:If the batteries were dead on the TC, then it's probably the power circuit on the truck. You should be able to look up what fuse it will be on the truck.
I like battery tenders if you take the batteries out. If it is fairly close, I'd just plug in.
Could contribute to dead batteries, but not the sole cause. The truck isn't going to fully charge a pair of deep cycle batteries off the 12V lead unless maybe you drove from here to New York and back without using the camper batteries.
OP, Why not test that pin on the trailer plug first to verify power or not.
|
mellow
Salisbury, MD
Senior Member
Joined: 06/10/2014
View Profile
Offline
|
I would fire up the genny and use the jacks.
2002 F-350 7.3 Lariat 4x4 DRW ZF6
2008 Lance 1191 - 220w of solar - Bring on the sun!
|
|
|
jimh406
Western MT
Senior Member
Joined: 06/11/2006
View Profile
Offline
|
mellow wrote:I would fire up the genny and use the jacks.
You can't start the house generator if battery is dead.
|
sbryan@vtbryans.com
Vermont
Senior Member
Joined: 04/22/2010
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
As Jim said, probably a blown fuse on the truck. I'm not familiar with the Chevy/GMC electrical but there is a fuse on my Ford.
If you take the batteries out a battery tender is your best bet - cheap and won't over charge the batteries. If the batteries were dead they may not recover but a bettery tender might be able to bring them back.
Finally, if it isn't a long power run you can just plug the camper in and let the house power the internal electrics.
Shawn
2013 Ford F350 6.7 CCLB Ruby Red SRW, sway bar, Bilsteins, etc
2007 Cyclone toyhauler, 18,000 GVWR
Northstar Igloo 9.5
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-2J3zF6J/0/M/i-2J3zF6J-M.jpg
US Army retired
|
wjlapier
Washington
Full Member
Joined: 02/18/2013
View Profile
Offline
|
Grit dog wrote:First part doesn't make sense. Unless you're trying to say the camper batteries were/are dead.
Any smart maintainer will work for battery storage, as will disconnecting them fully charged and not doing anything. Maybe top them up every few months, but not totally necessary either.
The batteries were dead. We left the camper somewhere longer than expected and went to retrieve it only to find no power to the jacks via the truck. A friend jumped the batteries and the jacks started to work. We tried the truck connection when we got home and still no power to the jacks so we used the power cord and got the camper off the truck. I’ll have to check the fuses again.
As for a maintainer, any difference from using the power cord to charge the batteries? Keep them charged? Someone suggested taking the batteries out of the camper and maintain them in our garage.
Finally, what is a popular maintainer to purchase should we go that route.
Thanks a lot everyone.
|
KD4UPL
Swoope, VA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/16/2008
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Did your truck ever charge the batteries? The wire is unhooked under the hood from the factory and the fuse comes in the glove box.
If you have a quality converter (charger) in the camper just leave the batteries in with it plugged in. If you don't have a good 3 stage converter then vet one instead of toting heavy batteries.
|
stevenal
Newport, OR, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/16/2004
View Profile
Offline
|
I parked under a tree for a few days once. With the pv panel blocked, the fridge ran the camper batteries down. I managed to find an extension cord, and attempted to let the convertor recharge the batteries without luck. I eventually found a small circuit breaker that had tripped when the convertor dumped too much current into the pair of dead batteries. The reset was a very tiny button on the side of the device, easy to miss. This open breaker blocked charging from the convertor, truck alternator, and pv panel. I've upsized the cables and breaker since.
'18 Bigfoot 1500
Torklifts and Fastguns
'17 F350 Powerstroke Supercab SRW LB 4X4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
