New to Camping; New R Pod
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Forum Name: Introduce Yourself
Forum Discription: New Members - tell us about yourself and your r-pod
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14354
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Topic: New to Camping; New R Pod
Posted By: TexasCruiser
Subject: New to Camping; New R Pod
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 12:32pm
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My wife and I bought our first camper last month, a 2018 R Pod 179. We had it winterized and have it stored about a mile from our home in North Texas. We are retired and excited about hitting the road with our new "toy." We'll be towing it with a 2018 GMC Terrain which came with a towing package. We towed it about 4 hours from Tulsa, OK where we bought it and had no issues with the tow.
Over Christmas our son and grand kids visited and I took them to the R Pod and showed off the features. The battery had juice and I was able to turn on lights and work the slide out. But this week I went back to the unit and the battery appears to be dead. The battery is new so this surprises me. I turned off the refrigerator but I don't know what else I was supposed to do to stop the battery from draining. Now I need to know if I need to hook it up and bring it to my house and if I can run an extension cord from the unit to the house and if that will charge the battery. Or do I need to buy a battery charger and let it run overnight to charge it? I'm a rookie and would appreciate some guidance on this matter. Thanks. ------------- TexasCruiser |
Replies:
Posted By: Pod_Geek
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 12:47pm
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Without having solar to keep the battery charged, parasitic draws like CO/Propane detectors, radios, etc. can slowly drain the battery if it's connected and they're not disconnected. Plugging the R-Pod in to your home electric should charge it, but I'm gong to defer to the geniuses on this board as to whether allowing a lead-acid battery (assuming that's what you have) to fully discharge is the kiss of death for it.
------------- 2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 1:43pm
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Genius comment aside, there is a good chance it’s the kiss of death. Get the rpod plugged in ASAP. Be sure the circuit breaker for the on board charger is on and the panel battery lights indicate that you are charging. Check the water level in the battery if it has removable caps, fill with distilled water if needed. Leave it charging for at least a week or so. Then if you want you can disconnect from shore power and disconnect the negative battery terminal to eliminate any parasitic draw. Reconnect and recharge at least monthly. That’s about all you can do to salvage the situation short of just replacing the battery.
You can later see if decent battery capacity is still there by using the trailer normally for a day or two without connecting to shore power but do it at home or at a campsite with electric available so you can connect if needed. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: TexasCruiser
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 1:49pm
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I appreciate both replies (so far). I had no idea that the battery would or could completely drain just sitting in a storage lot for 6 weeks. What's draining it? I'll hook it up and plug it into the house ASAP. I'll take a look at the battery but I'm not sure if I can tell if the cells are low on water. ------------- TexasCruiser |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 2:07pm
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The CO detector and maybe the TV booster are two items that could be drawing current. Might be something else accidentally got left on too. Disconnecting the battery after recharging it will keep that from happening but the battery will eventually self discharge even if not connected so you should recharge every few weeks. Only disconnect the negative terminal, if you disconnect the positive you can accidentally short out the battery through your wrench to the trailer chassis. That would be bad. You can also just leave it connected and charging all the time.
If there are caps on the battery they should either turn or pop off. If the battery plates are uncovered then add distilled water only, up to where the water comes in contact with the little slots in the holes when you look down in the battery. If you don’t see any caps then you have a “maintenance free” battery so can’t easily add water to it even if it needs it. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 3:03pm
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Also, pick up a cheap voltmeter from Harbor Freight or similar. Usually can be purchased for $3 - $5. A fully charged 12v battery at rest after being charged should read around 12.72v. When using don't take it below 60% S.O.C. or 12.2v. I have a pair of 12v Interstates group size 24 that are now 10 and 9.8 years old. As offgrid wisely stated, keep an eye on the electrolyte levels (if it isn't a maintenance free battery) and fill with distilled water to the 'full' mark. With proper maintenance batteries will last a long time. What is done in this neck of the woods, northern Michigan, is batteries are pulled out of the 177 and brought inside an unheated garage and set on the concrete floor. In early November they are each given a 24-36 hour 2 amp trickle charge and then sit in hibernation until the following mid to late April when the process is repeated and then re-installed in the 177. Hopefully you will be able to salvage the battery. After charging it off your house current for a week, disconnect the ground and let it set for a day and then read your voltage. If it reads 12.7v or above - you are in luck. If it reads less, like 12.5 or less, it has been hurt to the point that replacement will be in order. BTW, congratulations on your R-Pod purchase and welcome to this forum!
------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 4:14pm
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I leave my pod plugged into 110 at home, all winter long. Even in the summer between trips, I plug in. I wouldn't leave a battery without charging for more than 2 or 3 weeks, if it's connected to nothing. If it's connected to something, you gotta watch it often. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: Pod People
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 4:17pm
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you can also install a battery switch that will turn the battery off completely. this wou;ld eliminate having to disconnect a negative cable. they are easily available and installed. there are lots of different types-her is a simple one- https://www.amazon.com/ABIGAIL-Battery-Disconnect-Isolator-Position/dp/B07Z8R59MM/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=battery+disconnect+switch&qid=1610576056&s=automotive&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExTzUxMDRLMTZHSTBYJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjEzMDkyUU8xTldSNDA3SVlYJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4ODcwMDIyUklLNkVJNjVJNURUJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYXRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ== https://postimg.cc/wtnpSQL0">  Welcome to the forum. There are lots of 179 owners here-let us know if you need help Vann ------------- Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179 https://postimg.cc/0zwKrfB9"> 
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Posted By: TexasCruiser
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 6:38pm
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I gotta tell y'all, this forum is awesome! I read a lot of questions/comments while I was waiting to get approved to join and I'm so glad I did. I appreciate all who have responded. Quality answers. I'm gonna add that battery switch to my list of items I'd like to get. I was also advised that I could get the solar panels and that would keep me charged but the advise to keep it plugged in or unplug the battery is good info. Of course nobody mentioned any of this when I bought the unit. And I've read the owners manual that came with it and it's pretty worthless and I can't find a real owners manual online. Any suggestions there? ------------- TexasCruiser |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 13 Jan 2021 at 6:49pm
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+1 on the multimeter. You will find it a useful tool for numerous things as an rpod owner.
A battery disconnect is fine for the long term if you can’t leave the rpod connected to shore power while stored. The disconnect should go on the positive battery terminal not the negative. I know that sounds contradictory. Why? Because it is a permanent disconnect device. Permanent disconnects per the electric code should always go in the ungrounded line, which is the positive in rpods. A temporary disconnect can be done on either the positive or negative, it’s just safer on the negative because you can’t accidentally short out the battery to the frame. Hope that makes sense. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2021 at 12:30pm
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I just KNEW there had to be at least ONE other r-pod based in Texas!  ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: TexasCruiser
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2021 at 4:55pm
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OK here's what I did today:
1. Opened the battery case, found that it is NOT maintenance free. Opened the cells and saw water in all 6 cells. Unable to determine the levels I added a small amount of distilled water in all 6 cells. 2. Bought a volt multimeter at Harbor Freight for $6.79, read the instructions (I am no handyman as you can tell). With the battery connected I used the multimeter on the battery posts. But instead of a reading between 12.2v and 12.72v I got a reading of 1.16. I have no idea what that means but I thought I did it right. Please comment so I can make this work. 3. I called Camper World about solar panels since the RPod is wired for solar. They told me I should contact the solar equipment provider directly. That's Solarontheside.com. Went to their website but they show large solar panels and a disclaimer that they can't be left overnight and are not weatherproof. I was looking for something small that I could leave on the roof of the unit while it's stored to recharge the battery. Sorry this is long but you are now up to date on my latest efforts. Suggestions? Thanks in advance. ------------- TexasCruiser |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2021 at 6:24pm
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#1 You should be able to see the limit of the "full" water level in the cell, usually about 1/2" from the top of the cell. #2 When checking battery, please make sure you are not hooked up to shore (110) power as this would give you inaccurate results. On your multimeter look for the DCV section and turn the dial to the "20" spot, this will give you readings that hopefully will be in the range of 12.72 v (100% S.O.C.). I cannot help or give any assistance on #3 as I do not have solar on the 177. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: TexasCruiser
Date Posted: 14 Jan 2021 at 6:51pm
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1. Thanks. I even used my iphone flashlight and didn't see the "full" marks in the cells but maybe I just wasn't looking right. I expected the cells water levels to be much lower considering some think the batter may be dead or near dead.
2. That's exactly what I did with my multimeter and I got the 1.16 reading at 20, 200 and 250. The meter appears OK but that was weird. I may go back tomorrow and try that again. Thanks much for the response. Mike ------------- TexasCruiser |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2021 at 6:45am
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Texas Have you had a chance to charge your battery yet? Ideally a trickle charge (2 or 3 amp) would be ideal for 24 - 48 hours. If that is not possible than do you have the option of plugging into 110 shore power and let your online converter do the charging? If you cannot do either of those than I would take it to a car parts store and let them test it for you. If you are reading 1.16 volts, i don't think it will be possible to resurrect it to life, it has been hurt too far for being any good. ------------- God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free." |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2021 at 7:35am
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On where to fill to just put in distilled water until the water level contacts the bottom of the fill holes. You can tell when that occurs because the water surface will take on a curved shape (called a meniscus).
1.16 v is well and truly dead. Nevertheless, it hurts nothing for you to try to put a charge on the battery and see what happens. Just don’t expect much. Do that with the onboard charger connected to shore power or by removing the battery and taking it home to put on a battery charger. A small solar module meant for maintenance charging won’t resurrect it. As for leaving a solar module connected for maintenance charging once you have a fully charged good battery installed any 10 watt or so 12V module will work. Get a glass one, not a so-called “flexible” plastic ones. It has to be placed in direct sunlight. Depending on where you have your trailer stored a small portable solar module could be subject to theft or can blow off the roof so you might be better off just storing the battery at home for the winter, and charging it occasionally. Check the water level every few weeks if you have it on charge whether it’s solar or grid powered. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: podwerkz
Date Posted: 15 Jan 2021 at 8:26pm
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With a battery that has discharged to that point, I would NOT overwork and/or overheat that expensive converter in the rpod 'hoping' to bring that battery back to life. Converters are well protected against overload and overheating BUT....I would just not do it. In fact, the converter charger SHOULD refuse to charge a battery that is as 'flat' as that one is. You should buy a new battery, install it and test it, make sure everything is ok, then when the r-pod is back in storage, either disconnect the battery negative lead, or install a battery disconnect switch inline with the positive lead. OR...add a small solar panel and charge controller. Then IF you have access to an old school 'dumb charger' like an old Sears or Shumacher, or similar, you can try to bring that battery back to life, without risking an expensive component in the RV. ------------- r･pod 171 gone but not forgotten! |
Posted By: TexasCruiser
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2021 at 7:16pm
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Battery issue resolved, at least for now.
1. Took battery to O'Reilly Auto Parts and they put it on a tester machine (took over an hour so it was not just a quick charge tester). This was the read-out: "Good Battery; In last quarter of life." The battery had tested .96v on my multimeter when I took it in and 2.45v on their machine when the guy first put it in his machine. It now reads 12.47v on my meter. 2. Took the battery to the RPod and hooked it up. Lights worked and battery showed 3/4 full (not sure why only 3/4 and if it needs time to read full). Took battery out and brought it home. 3. Bought a 3amp trickle charger at Walmart for $17 and battery is now in my garage hooked up to the trickle charger. I know the battery won't last long but I might get 3-6 months out of it. I'll be shopping for a new deep cell battery. I so appreciate all who took time to offer their expertise and suggestions. Someday I hope to be able to assist others as you have helped me. Thanks again campers! Mike 2018 RPod 179 2018 GMC Terrain ------------- TexasCruiser |
Posted By: TexasCruiser
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2021 at 7:20pm
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Forgot to mention that the battery report also says "Battery OK for mild climate; may not start vehicle in hot or cold conditions." If anybody thinks I'd be foolish to trust this battery even once I'd like to hear from you. ------------- TexasCruiser |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 16 Jan 2021 at 10:26pm
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Okay. Look at the lights. The 3/4 (actually, 2/3) is for the tank readings. For the battery, there is a different set of markings to include Charging, Good, Fair, and Low (if my memory serves me correctly). Don't think of it as a fuel gauge, but as a general indicator. The best reading is done with a multimeter or you could install a digital voltage gauge. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: john in idaho
Date Posted: 18 Jan 2021 at 10:32am
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Get a book called "12v Bible for Boats" from amazon. Around 12 bucks. Thin book that is easy to read. Boats and RVs use 12v power. You will be lots more comfortable with your rPod after reading it. Just a suggestion....... |