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Battery not holding charge

AJLilchickAJLilchick Member Posts: 10
in Battery/Electrical & Solar
 Hi there I am having a problem on my tab 320 S that I purchased in 2018 the battery unless plugged into shore power is not holding its charge when plugged in the highest I have seen it is at 13.6 .
 As soon as we unplug from shore power the battery eventually drains down throwing everything off .
 The fuse looks intact in the battery box.
 The black box just below the seat which I think is the inverter how's the little fan running constantly .
 I am not sure what is draining the battery nothing seems to be running in the camper that should be draining it that much that quickly .
 I could buy a new fuse and replace it but I'm not sure if that's the problem any suggestions would be helpful thank you 
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    PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    That 13.6 volts is the output of the converter, trying to charge the battery. It sounds like you see some voltage for a period of time after you unplug, yes?

    You should probably take the battery to a place that will test it and sell you a new one.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,499
    When plugged into shorepower, your voltage will read 13.6v as it is reading the DC voltage being supplied to the battery by the AC converter, so it is not really a reflection of your battery charge.  To assess your battery charge, check the voltage after you have been off of shorepower for at least 30 minutes, preferrably with everything possible turned off in the TaB.  Depending on what kind of battery you have, a fully charged battery will reflect 12.7 or higher.  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    AJLilchickAJLilchick Member Posts: 10
    Thanks. After I unplug from shore power the battery drains down to as low as 9.5
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,499
    edited February 2019
    Is the battery switch turned On or Off?  It sounds like you have a dead battery, but more importantly, how did it get like that?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    AJLilchickAJLilchick Member Posts: 10
     That's correct when plugged in it reads 13.6 V
     When unplugged it drops down to 9.1 
    I don't see anything wrong with the fuses
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    AJLilchickAJLilchick Member Posts: 10
    Type your commentI don't see anything wrong with the fuses
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    PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    If the OP sees 9.5v, it’s not the battery switch and it isn’t the battery fuse. Do you have an AutoZone or a BatteriesPlus nearby?

    Like Sharon said, be sure to figure out what went wrong before putting a new battery in.
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,499
    @AJLilchick, how old is the battery, have you stored it without shorepower and the battery switch turned ON?  Maybe you stored it without fully recharging it abd the battery switch was off - hence chsrge was not maintained.  When was the last time you gave it some water?  Just some ideas.  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    targtarg Member Posts: 81
    edited February 2019
    Sharon_is_SAM said:
    Is the battery switch turned On or Off?  It sounds like you have a dead battery, but more importantly, how did it get like that?
    +1 on this
    As a side note on this, the manual I got with mine said the TV will charge the T@B battery even if that switch is off.  But when I found that not to be true, an email to NuCamp tech support verified that the switch must be ON to charge the battery.  This is because the TV power feeds the converter which sends juice back to the battery via that switch.  This also explains why the television and fridge will work when plugged into the TV even if that switch is OFF.
    Same goes for shore power.  If that switch is not ON, your T@B battery won't be charged.  (Well, assuming your T@B is wired like mine anyway.)
    This is also why, if your TV provides power regardless of ignition switch position, you *really* need to change that or a long stop while the trailer is plugged into the TV can deplete your TV battery.  DOH!

    The capacity to learn is a gift; The ability to learn is a skill; The willingness to learn is a choice. | -REBEC OF GINAZ
    2019 T@B 320S BD Lite, Jeep TJUR, Jeep JT

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    ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,427
    I agree with all of the above. I'd recommend verifying that resting voltage by measuring it a good multimeter with the battery disconnected. What you describe sound an awful lot like one or even two battery cells have died. If that's the case, there's not much you can do but replace the battery and camp on!
    2015 T@B S

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    dsfdogsdsfdogs Member Posts: 585
    @targ I questioned the same thing last year and was told the old manual was wrong and they would update. Below is the cut/paste from the 2019 version:

    "Battery Disconnect Switch (in front tub next to battery)

    The battery disconnect switch is used to separate the batteries from the 12-volt distribution panel and converter charging system.

    When the switch is turned to ON and the trailer is plugged into a 120-volt shoreline, the 12-volt distribution panel will receive power from the converter and the batteries will be charged through the converter charging system.

    When the switch is turned to OFF and the trailer is plugged into a 120-volt shoreline, the 12-volt distribution panel will still receive power from the converter, but the batteries are disconnected from the system. The batteries will not be drained with the switch in the OFF position. The converter will not charge the batteries with the switch in this position.

    The charge in the 12-volt batteries can be replenished, depending on the tow vehicle, from the tow vehicle alternator through the 7-way cord. This charge will flow to the batteries, but in order for it to charge the battery the cut-off switch must be turn to ON."

    Debbie in Oregon
    2023 Tab 400 / 2022 F150 XLT Sport 3.5EB
    Traded in - 2018 T@B 320 S/2019 Toyota 4Runner SR5

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    targtarg Member Posts: 81
    edited February 2019
    Funny that they shipped the old manual with mine (a 2019 model).
    @dsfdogs, Do you have a link to the 2019 manual?
    The capacity to learn is a gift; The ability to learn is a skill; The willingness to learn is a choice. | -REBEC OF GINAZ
    2019 T@B 320S BD Lite, Jeep TJUR, Jeep JT

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    dsfdogsdsfdogs Member Posts: 585
    @targ Here is a link under the Manuals section in the forum. As ScottG notes, it doesn't have a publish date, but it is improved over what you received.
    http://tabforum.nucamprv.com/#/discussion/6371/t-b-owners-manuals
    Debbie in Oregon
    2023 Tab 400 / 2022 F150 XLT Sport 3.5EB
    Traded in - 2018 T@B 320 S/2019 Toyota 4Runner SR5

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    klengerklenger Member Posts: 307
    edited February 2019
    A note about towing with the battery switch in the OFF position.  If you have the unlikely and very unfortunate case where the trailer brakes away from the two vehicle, there is a chance that the 7-pin cord could become disconnected from the tow vehicle.  If this were to happen, the entire trailer will now be unpowered, including the trailer brakes.  The brake-away trailer brake system requires that the trailer be powered from it's own battery to work in these conditions.  

    As a side note, for utility trailers that would not otherwise have a battery, a small motorcycle battery is usually installed to provide this function.  Because some utility trailers use a 4-pin cable (which does not have a charge wire) in lieu of the RV 7-pin cable (which does have a charge wire), the battery may be wired in such a way that the brake/turn lights charge the battery when activated. 
    T@B 320 manuals and electrical drawings
    Considering a 2023 TaB 400 with the full Lithium option, 
    2022 Jeep Gladiator High Altitude, Tow Package.  
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    RollingBnBRollingBnB Member Posts: 322
    Check the fridge and make sure it’s not set to 12 volts. That will drain the battery in a few minutes.
    2020 Tiffin Open Road
    2020 Nissan Versa Toad 
    Alan & Patty
    Southern Az
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    Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,499
    Good call @RollingBnB.  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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    TenacityTenacity Member Posts: 26
    edited October 2022
    RollingBnB said:
    Check the fridge and make sure it’s not set to 12 volts. That will drain the battery in a few minutes.
    I have a question about this: when you say to check the fridge and make sure it’s not set on 12 V, isn’t that the proper setting when you are Boondocking? I mean… When you are Boondocking, how do you keep the refrigerator cold if you are not using 12 V? 

    Edited: Ah! Propane! Got it! 
    Donna / 2020 T@B 320S Boondock Edge / 2008 Nissan Pathfinder / Fulltime

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    pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,650
    edited October 2022
    @Tenacity I see you have comments in a couple of "fridge/battery" threads.  First question is always: what trailer do you have, and what year?
    Fridge questions hinge entirely on what fridge you might have.  If you have a "3 way fridge", it can work on propane, on shore "electric" power, or 12V power.  A 2 way fridge can run on shore "electric" power and 12v battery power.
    But:there is a catch: a three way fridge is not designed to run on 12V power, unless it is plugged into a running vehicle or a generator.  The 3 way fridges, on 12v (battery power) use 11 amps on the older fridges.....and 16 amps on the newer fridges.  This is a huge draw on a battery. So, for a 3 way fridge, when boondocking, the propane option is the way to go.  Uses a very small amount of 12V power.
    The 2 way fridges these days have very efficient compressors, and average only about 1-2 amps.  Over a day, that can be a substantial draw on the "stock" 80 amp hour battery that the 320 usually comes equipped with.

    So: back to the first question: what trailer model, and what year?  What fridge do you have/
    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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    TenacityTenacity Member Posts: 26
    edited October 2022
    This comment has been edited and has been posted as a reply to another comment.
    Donna / 2020 T@B 320S Boondock Edge / 2008 Nissan Pathfinder / Fulltime

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    TenacityTenacity Member Posts: 26
    pthomas745 said:
    @Tenacity I see you have comments in a couple of "fridge/battery" threads.  First question is always: what trailer do you have, and what year?
    Fridge questions hinge entirely on what fridge you might have.  If you have a "3 way fridge", it can work on propane, on shore "electric" power, or 12V power.  A 2 way fridge can run on shore "electric" power and 12v battery power.
    But:there is a catch: a three way fridge is not designed to run on 12V power, unless it is plugged into a running vehicle or a generator.  The 3 way fridges, on 12v (battery power) use 11 amps on the older fridges.....and 16 amps on the newer fridges.  This is a huge draw on a battery. So, for a 3 way fridge, when boondocking, the propane option is the way to go.  Uses a very small amount of 12V power.
    The 2 way fridges these days have very efficient compressors, and average only about 1-2 amps.  Over a day, that can be a substantial draw on the "stock" 80 amp hour battery that the 320 usually comes equipped with.

    So: back to the first question: what trailer model, and what year?  What fridge do you have/

    Thank you for this! I have since figured out that is exactly my problem: I was not switching off the DC power! I was having trouble getting the propane pilot lit, so I shrugged it off and  decided  to  keep it on DC power which turned out to be a big problem!

    I have a 2021 tab 320 S Boondock edge (with a solar system) towed by a 2013 Toyota RAV4.

    thanks for your reply! You are on the mark! 
    Donna / 2020 T@B 320S Boondock Edge / 2008 Nissan Pathfinder / Fulltime

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