Charging Question

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

So I noticed this summer that my camper batteries are not recharging after a day of driving. They seem to be fine on a sunny day when the solar panel is charging but on cloudy days there's nothing. I wake up in the morning and the batteries are nearly dead. The batteries were replaced in May 2013 and I just had them checked and they are fine. Anybody have any idea what's going on ? This is on a 2005 Bigfoot 2500 camper. Thanks.

 

[Capt Eddie]

Check the power feed from the truck. Start at the battery connection, then breaker, then male and female end of camper connecter. Then connection to the battery it self. Somewhere you have a loose connection. I found mine on the male side on the connecter.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Sounds good. Thanks for the tip.

 

[wirenut]

Do you know that they ever charged while driving. Sometimes the long circuit path, basically the length of the truck plus wiring in the camper, combined with too small wire can really limit charging ability. If you have too much voltage drop the alternator can't get the batteries fully charged. If your wiring is all stock you may want to consider an upgrade in size. I have #2 from the truck battery back to the truck bed with a short piece of #8 to the 7 pin connector.
Some trucks, particularly GM, come from the factory with the 12v + charge lead disconnected. If yours was never hooked up that would of course prevent charging.

 

[YukonMontanaTannerTrapper]

Well I'm fairly certain that it did as I've never had this issue before. And I've been traveling in this rig for over 9 years. After a day of driving, the batteries would be fully charged. Now I can drive all day and if it's cloudy the camper batteries aren't charged one bit. I'm working on replacing the magneto on the generator now and then I'll address this issue. It's so darn cold this so winter that I've been reluctant to get I to this.

 

[Capt Eddie]

Like Wirenut said. You need a larger wire for charging. I used a#2 also. But I reversed the charge wire to the center post of the seven way and replaces it in the Backup light position I think. Now I have the larger wire all the way without the short piece of #8.