Battery

[bodatiouskid]

Have a 1995 Solaris T2251.Went on a 4 day trip last week.Was hooked to electric but 12v battery still went dead.Does the 2251 have a charger to maintain battery?If so what do I check?

[awellis3]

First - test the battery. Disconnect it from the trailer and put a charger on it. If the voltage rises above 14.5V (on a test meter), it's toast. If the voltage rises to between 13-14V, continue charging until the charger says the battery is fully charged. Disconnect the charger and check all cells with a hydrometer. If the specific gravity shows a fully charged condition and the float shows the cells are within 50 points of each other, then the battery is good enough.
The converter on my T2653 has a built in charger, so I'm assuming yours works the same way. Hook up to AC power and put a voltmeter on the battery. It should read 13V or higher. If not, check all fuses and breakers at the converter.
Disconnect from AC power and turn on a cabin light. If you have power to the 12V DC users, the circuit from the converter to the battery and battery to ground is probably good. This is assuming you have only one wire from battery positive to the trailer. I have 3 wires on the + terminal, but one goes to brakes, one to the power jack and one to the trailer's converter/electric panel.
If the circuit is good, then the charger in the converter most likely isn't working.

Hope this helps,
Teach

[bodatiouskid]

Glad to see someone from Va.I went to Cartersville last weekend to a 4x4 race.Thanks for the info!Battery was charged when I installed it around the 15th.Had charge when left Thurs.Got ready to leave caampsite Sun. & when I unplugged from AC no lights would work.Haven't been digging for anything yet.
Again THANKS

[Skyraider50]

Greetings, and still working through the many systems I do not understand yet. I will be doing some battery testing with my charger/VOM tomorrow. I suspect the batt (tongue mount) is history. IF that proves to be the case, any rec's for replacement?..add additional batt ? I could also also fab larger Batt Box is that seems like the right path.
I Have a bud that works for a local West Marine and I can get a "right deal" on any kind of batt....
Thanx!

[mainah]

If it's toes up a good deep cycle marine battery will be just the ticket the biggest one you can fit on the tongue your buddy should have battery boxes too. The campers charger/converter should keep up with charging and all the stuff in the camper too.

[Skyraider50]

Thanx mianah!

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by bodatiouskid

Glad to see someone from Va.I went to Cartersville last weekend to a 4x4 race.Thanks for the info!Battery was charged when I installed it around the 15th.Had charge when left Thurs.Got ready to leave caampsite Sun. & when I unplugged from AC no lights would work.Haven't been digging for anything yet.
Again THANKS

Hi bodatiouskid,

Question: Do you leave the cables hooked to the battery during long periods of non use?

Reason, unless you have a battery disconnect switch to literally isolate off the battery, the LP detector and other little things being on in the camper will drain your battery over a week or more. If you have a roof antenna with an amplifier and if it is left on it will suck power too.

In 2004 Sunline started putting disconnect switches on the A frame header so you could switch off the battery. Before that unless someone put one on for you, the only way was to unhook the cables or pull the fuses inside.

Hope this helps

John

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Skyraider50

IF that proves to be the case, any rec's for replacement?..add additional batt ? I could also also fab larger Batt Box is that seems like the right path.
I Have a bud that works for a local West Marine and I can get a "right deal" on any kind of batt....
Thanx!

For sure look for a "deep cycle" battery. Not a starter battery like in your car. They also make combo marine ones that are part starter and part deep cycle. Best is the total deep cycle.

Now to size, the standard Sunline would set up the camper for was Group 24 case size. The frame rails to hold the batteries fit that size or at least on the newer ones.

If you are into bookdocking then multiple Grp 24's or better Grp 27's or Grp 29 etc. And then there is the 6 volt golf cart battery route.

We have some here on the club that bookdock and just take multiple grp 24's and change them when they get drained. And we have others with EMAMS's solar setup and 4 AGM batteries being about the most on the other end spectrum and going over a month long off the grid camping. Frank (screen name) has 4, 6 volts ones and can weld if he wants too...

I myself went the 2, grp 27's and LED lights. While I never ran out of power if I knew more back then I would of went the 6 volt route or at least the grp 29's 12 volt. Any one of these means new battery boxes and a tongue mod to be able to hold them. I also have a slide motor to work where a non slide camper does not.

The options are many, the key is deep cycle and to properly maintain and desulfate the battery what ever size you get. If you are just starting out unless you are into heavy bookdocking off the grid, the grp 24 will serve you well.

Hope this helps and good luck.

John

[Skyraider50]

Originally Posted by johnb

for sure look for a "deep cycle" battery. Not a starter battery like in your car. They also make combo marine ones that are part starter and part deep cycle. Best is the total deep cycle.

Now to size, the standard sunline would set up the camper for was group 24 case size. The frame rails to hold the batteries fit that size or at least on the newer ones.

If you are into bookdocking then multiple grp 24's or better grp 27's or grp 29 etc. And then there is the 6 volt golf cart battery route.

We have some here on the club that bookdock and just take multiple grp 24's and change them when they get drained. And we have others with emams's solar setup and 4 agm batteries being about the most on the other end spectrum and going over a month long off the grid camping. Frank (screen name) has 4, 6 volts ones and can weld if he wants too...

I myself went the 2, grp 27's and led lights. While i never ran out of power if i knew more back then i would of went the 6 volt route or at least the grp 29's 12 volt. Any one of these means new battery boxes and a tongue mod to be able to hold them. I also have a slide motor to work where a non slide camper does not.

The options are many, the key is deep cycle and to properly maintain and desulfate the battery what ever size you get. If you are just starting out unless you are into heavy bookdocking off the grid, the grp 24 will serve you well.

hope this helps and good luck.

John

it does!!

[rich11]

Hello guys , new sunline owner 1991 1700 >so many ???s.First of all bought it from elderly couple for$ 700 which i believe was a steal,inside showroom condition and i mean mint with everthing included but food dishes sheets pans micro ac and all maintence records to boot! 2problems battery goes dead even after i run several hours,but if hooked to house battery is fine(new battery)how do i hook up line from my chevy pickup to the battery on camper, the truck has no red wire to power camper battery?also have factory roof top attenna, hooked tv up and get no channels what do i need to get tv or even radio, antenna on roof is orignal but very old?also its prewired inside on ceiling for speakers(small decals on ceiling saying its pre wired.Any help woud be greatly app. rich 11@aol.com

[EMD_Driver]

Hey Rich!

Welcome to the SOC!!

It would probably help you out, to post a new thread of your own.. That way, most of the replies would be directed towards you and your issues..

One of the lines in your 7-way plug is for charging the trailer battery. When you are hooked to 120v shore power, your converter takes over with the coach battery charging..

Please post a new thread of your own, in the repairs and maintenance forum.. We want to be sure and get you up and running!

BTW: It's pretty much tradition, to post as many pics of your Sunline as possible... Please post any pics you want!

[mainah]

You'll need to run a wire to your 7 pin connector #7 (the center pin) It should be a # 8 with a 30 amp auto reset breaker. You''ll need to either use a relay or be sure to unplug the connector when you are parked or you may end up with a dead truck battery. As far as the antenna it is not designed to receive the new TV channels they make a add on part called Wingman however I would suspect that the amp in the antenna is bad. Depending how close you are to the TV tower you should get some thing the reason I say this is because if the amp is bad it won't do a thing that being said it may be to your best intrest to replace the entire head the newer ones all ready have the Wingman I will say they work great. So here is the deal if you think you are close enough to the tower disconnect the lead at the antenna head turn on the switch inside and check for 12 volts between the little wire inside of the connector and the outside metal part if there is power the head probably is bad. The speaker locations are marked and the wiring will be inside of the cabinet above the sink you'll have to fish around for them but they are there. (I own a T1700 I'm not that smart) By the way the camper plug is all ready wired for truck power and lights including reverse lights.

[EMD_Driver]

Here's a picture of both sides of the 7-way plug.



Another pic, of the truck-side outlet..



Pictures remember things a lot easier than I do sometimes!

[rich11]

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP .WHEN YOU MENTIONED TURNING SIGNAL OFF I LOOKED AND FOUND THE SWITCH NEXT TO THE PLUG FOR ANTENNA-BINGO- turned set on got 5 channels.If you dont mind id have 2 more questions .one on battery charging and one on speaker wiring?Again thank you very much Rich Navarette milford Conn

[mainah]

Originally Posted by rich11

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP .WHEN YOU MENTIONED TURNING SIGNAL OFF I LOOKED AND FOUND THE SWITCH NEXT TO THE PLUG FOR ANTENNA-BINGO- turned set on got 5 channels.If you dont mind id have 2 more questions .one on battery charging and one on speaker wiring?Again thank you very much Rich Navarette milford Conn

We are all here for you ask away.

[Skyraider50]

OK, so as I thought my be the case, my battery was a....goner. I got a Grp 27 from West Marine of the Deep Cycle variety.
My Q's are:
Any problem using a conventional charger?
When I am hooked up to shore power, I assume I am charging my batt back through the Converter in my TT? If so, any problem leaving it hooked to shore power all the time at my house? OR will it overcharge my batt?
Thanx!

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by Skyraider50

OK, so as I thought my be the case, my battery was a....goner. I got a Grp 27 from West Marine of the Deep Cycle variety.
My Q's are:
Any problem using a conventional charger?
When I am hooked up to shore power, I assume I am charging my batt back through the Converter in my TT? If so, any problem leaving it hooked to shore power all the time at my house? OR will it overcharge my batt?
Thanx!

Sky,

A conventional charger will charge the battery OK but only as a charger. Once charged take it off.

And yes the TT convertor will charge it as well.

Leaving the battery hooked to the all the time while at home, well that depends on the converter in the TT. Some of the older ones didn't even have a float mode. And if yours is that variety it will cook the battery to death over time if left on non stop.

If you have a volt meter, once the battery is charged put a volt meter on it if you have one. With the convertor on, see what it reads. Normal charge is around 13.6 volts. Float charge can be down around 13.2 volts However you do not know if it pulled back the current then too. And odds are very high your convertor does not have a desulfate mode. Only the newer higher end ones do.

If you want to make the best out of the battery a desulfating battery minder is the ideal way to do this. Or if you have a 3 stage smart convertor with desulfate mode. Unless you upgraded they where not out back in the year 2000 very much.

I use this one. BatteryMINDer® Plus 12 Volt 1.33 Amp Charger-Maintainer-Conditioner (Desulfator) | All | Battery Chargers by BatteryMINDers.com

You can find them on the web a lot cheaper. They use to be around $39. Here is one at Northern Tool. BatteryMINDer Charger/Maintainer/Desulfator — 1.3 Amp, 12 Volt, Model# 12117 | Battery Maintainers | Northern Tool + Equipment

They use pulse wave desulfate technology. You plug it in when you get home and leave it on all the time. It keeps the battery at 100% state of charge and desulfates it. I now use them on the truck, tractor, lawn mower, my SIL boat battery and the camper.

Just do not plug the camper into shore power with both the convertor pumping volts out and this battery minder plus hooked at the same time. They may conflict with each other.

Check the electrolyte level about 3 times a year until you know that your on board convertor is not cooking it. The Battery Minder will not boil it out but your older convertor may.

Hope this helps

John

[Skyraider50]

AS ALWAYS...thanx for the good advice. I have a VOM and I'll check it out. Love the Battery Minder.

[Skyraider50]

On the Rec's of responders here, I bought this.
Deltran Corp - Battery Tender Junior - 021-0123 - Battery Accessories - Camping World
Seems like a pretty good price!

[Skyraider50]

I wish I'd seen this first!
Deltran Battery Tender Junior 12V Battery on sale for $22.86