Pogger to the Rescue

[truk4u]

While at TGO getting ready to head to PSL, the Green Machine just didn't have the starting juice to get going. My fault, I have been nursing the timed out chassis batteries just too long. Left the charger on all night (3 stage) and in the morning it just wouldn't roll it over fast enough. Not the chargers fault, Brian put in the best, the batteries are just wore out.

So, a call to Andre for help was answered with him being there in 5 minutes ready for action. I had already pulled the jeep up close and was getting ready to hook up at least 12 volt to see if it would be enough. Sure enough, jeep power was enough to fire it up. Andre came to the rescue with his golf cart and we would have had access to 24 volt if the jeep thing didn't work.

Moral of this story.... don't procrastinate on maintenance items. I have been dancing around the battery issue for the last couple trips and I knew better!

And if you need help, make sure your near Andre!

[Jon Wehrenberg]

Tom was actually lucky. When the batteries show signs they are giving up life (house or chassis) run, don't walk to your nearest battery store because it has been my experience that when they start to fail it is not a slow death. Once they start going they really go fast. Ironically it is not usually the set, but one that drags the remaining batteries down.

If I were in Tom's shoes I would have pulled the batteries apart and tried to determine which of the four was the bad guy, and then I would have tied just two of the good ones together and kept a charger on them until it went to float. Two will spin the engine as long as one of them is not the bad one.

I had to operate my other bus with 1/2 my house batteries because of a bad one (a gel cell that burst) and we got along just fine. Ditto with the chassis, as long as you understand you do not have the capacity to sit with the parking lights on all night.

[garyde]

While at TGO getting ready to head to PSL, the Green Machine just didn't have the starting juice to get going. My fault, I have been nursing the timed out chassis batteries just too long. Left the charger on all night (3 stage) and in the morning it just wouldn't roll it over fast enough. Not the chargers fault, Brian put in the best, the batteries are just wore out.

So, a call to Andre for help was answered with him being there in 5 minutes ready for action. I had already pulled the jeep up close and was getting ready to hook up at least 12 volt to see if it would be enough. Sure enough, jeep power was enough to fire it up. Andre came to the rescue with his golf cart and we would have had access to 24 volt if the jeep thing didn't work.

Moral of this story.... don't procrastinate on maintenance items. I have been dancing around the battery issue for the last couple trips and I knew better!

And if you need help, make sure your near Andre!

I replaced mine this weekend. For some reason, I havn't figured out yet, my batteries only lasted about 2 years 2 months. It may have started with one and then spread to the others. I have also removed the charger Liberty installed with a 3 stage Guest 2611A 24 volt Marine Battery Charger.
The new batteries are sealed batteries instead of the previous wet cell.

[merle&louise]

I just recently changed my starting batteries; they were 4 years old!

I installed 2 new 8D 1400 cranking amp Everready batteries from Batteries +.

All of my previous starting batteries only lasted 2 years. I installed Power Pulse on these batteries when they were new and it doubled the life of them. I am very happy with Power Pulse; I have it on all 6 of my AGMs for the house.

http://www.pulsetech.net/productinfo...ets/RV_LIT.pdf

PowerPulse 12 is the one I have. You just connect it according to the directions and you are go to go.

This really works!

[BrianE]

Tom, I'm thinking those batteries were at least 5 years old. Sealed wet cell Interstates if memory serves??? Jon is right of course. Trying to stretch a failing set can be bad news as they can wreck havoc on the the entire system.

[phorner]

Tom,

If you still need 'em, St. Lucie Battery and Tire is a good resource for batteries.

If you need a hand, let me know....

[Devin W]

Begin noob alert:

I thought you can jump off of the house batteries if the chassis batteries don't have enough juice to crank the motor. I swear there is a switch in my interior switch/breaker panel that jumps them together. Would there be a reason not to use that?

Noob alert over (for now).

[jack14r]

I know that Newell uses Lifeline batteries for the starting(coach) batteries,has anyone else used them,and if so how have they performed.

[MangoMike]

Trukman,

JDUB and I are sending down the 3,293 left over watch batteries we have from POG II as a backup measure.

Who's your buddy.

mm

[Kenneth Brewer]

Begin noob alert:

I thought you can jump off of the house batteries if the chassis batteries don't have enough juice to crank the motor. I swear there is a switch in my interior switch/breaker panel that jumps them together. Would there be a reason not to use that?

Noob alert over (for now).

Good question. Jon? What about using jumper cables from the house to chassis batteries for emergencies, (in my case 24v to 24v)? Thanks.