Newell Batteries Dead

[Ramblin Ron]

I need new batteries again!?! I was plugged in to shore power with new batteries and today the batteries only had enough juice to start the generator. After running for 2 hours, I still can't start the engine.

Any thoughts??

Ron

[fulltiming]

Check the grounds and the connections first. Bad/corroded ground will keep you from starting. Bad/corroded positive connections will do the same thing. After that, verify that your charger is working properly. That the batteries out (or bring a charger that is know to work) to the coach, disconnect the batteries and see if you can charge them back up one at a time. You may have a bad cell in a battery, a bad connection, or a bad charger.

[chockwald]

Ramblin' Ron......have you upgraded your charger from the original giant, heavy, battery boiler one installed by Newell in 1981? If not, then it may have gone bad, or if working may have fried your batteries.......BUT, as Michael said.....the simplest thing to start with is the ground for each battery. They could be charged up, but with a faulty ground they appear dead. More often than not it is a ground issue.

[The Newell]

Hi Ron,

I also agree with both Michael & Clarke, check and clean all terminals first. measure voltage in each battery. you can have a perfectly good battery and loose it all with a corroded connection.

Joseph

[Neweller]

I have had a ground issue of some kind on every Newell I have owned. Kind of reminds me of the old muscle car days, I changed starters, solenoids and batteries to find out after I wasted hard earned money that the problem was a ground. So, now it's one of the first things I check.

For what its worth.

Ken

[ccjohnson]

But Ken,
Think of all the experience & knowledge that you gained!

[tuga]

Ron,

How old are your batteries?

[Ramblin Ron]

Hi Tuga,

They are about a month old at most.

Ron

[lbrachfe]

your charger may be stuck in equalization mode and that will fry them, but your problem sounds extreme since your batteries are only a month old. Call a battery dealer and/or Newell

[tuga]

Ron,

If they are a month old I agree with Larry. You may have a bad battery or a couple of bad batteries. Have them load tested by a professional. Remember all of the cables need to be removed and each battery should be load tested individually. You can not just let them stay connected.

Hope you get your problem resolved!

[Ramblin Ron]

here is an update, I had a bad battery which has since been changed and all is well again except for my head lights pulsing.

[fulltiming]

Headlights pulsing sounds like a voltage regulation issue OR a charging issue. When I had headlight pulsing on one of my cars, they replaced the alternator. No joy. They thought the new alternator was bad so they replaced it at no charge. Still no joy. They finally determined that the car's Electronic Control Module was what was actually controlling voltage and it was defective. Changed the ECM and the car is good to go. On your Newell, there is no ECM. Voltage is controlled through a voltage regulator. Either the voltage regulator is bad or the alternator is breaking down on you.

[Neweller]

But Ken,
Think of all the experience & knowledge that you gained!

Clint, all I can do is laugh at that one.lol! Sometimes I need to jar myself and try not to reinvent the wheel.

Ken

[Richard and Rhonda]

Have diodes checked in alternator.

One, if diodes are bad, it will allow 12v to bleed backwards out of battery to ground, hence dead batteries.
Two, diodes bad will put alternating not direct current into system, hence pulsing lights.

Put voltmeter on hot post(positive) of alternator. Measure AC voltage, not DC. If you have over about 0.5V AC you may have a diode problem.

[prairieschooner]

This does indeed sound like a voltage regulation issue. Headlights typically put a big load on the system.
I suggest that you put a Volt Meter in the Leads to the Headlights and find out what the Voltage is actually doing and then record that reading. Then I would suggest that you put the same Volt Meter at the Alternator and record that reading. When Troubleshooting I was taught to cut the Circuit in Half and the Half again until I can locate the problem.
Good luck, draw pictures, write down results and save the paperwork for the next time.