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Dead Battery / Atwood Alarm goes off

[Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
edited September 2019 in Battery/Electrical & Solar
I am dry camping.  Victron reading 90%. At 3am the Atwood alarm started flashing red and beeping. SOLUTION: My Victron was never set for my battery so battery was reading 100% but was actually dead. 
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92

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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    Your frig on battery draws 11 amps when cycling and is only meant to be used on battery while towing.  Not sure your battery monitor is set up correctly as it says “starter battery”.  

    Is the CO/LPG alarm area well ventilated?  Is the frig fan on?  Trying to figure out why your LPG alarm went off.  If you turn off the frig, do your lights work?  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    edited September 2019
    Switched back to Propane on fridge this morning. I do smell the propane when I open the fridge. I hope that’s normal. Windows are cracked and it’s plenty ventilated in here.  fAn is open even if not working (yay Maxx cover in the rain). The screen on VIctron says 5.45V and a full battery but I’ve just relied on Bluetooth. Maybe it’s not working either.  Still no lights or fan.  GFI is not tripped. I’d think fuse but the entire trailer is out. Went out (of course there are 30mph winds and heavy rain for this) and switched battery off and on (what the hell, trying everything) but no luck. The green light was on my fridge when on battery but weird it would be on and everything else off. Fridge was cold but my battery charge this morning is showing 100% which either Victron isn’t working or fridge actually wasn’t cooling. 
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  • ChanWChanW Member Posts: 3,160
    edited September 2019
    If you used the battery for your three way for four hours, your battery is probably completely discharged now.
    Note the propane detector has been known to scream when the battery is low.
    It sounds like your battery was low when your propane detector initially went off. When you switched the fridge to battery, it sucked the remaining charge from your battery, stopping the propane alarm (and killing everything else on battery).
    Just a guess...
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    edited September 2019
    Yep, simple as that. I think this is a dead battery/Victron never set up by dealer issue (although is certainly looks set up on the settings screen on the app.) I just put in 7-pin and started car and everything came on. Including the flashing lights on the Atwood.  I was trusting the Victron. 
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    Learning curve.  The owner needs to enter the correct info into the BMV.  Battery amps at a minimum.  Do you have the manual for the BMV?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • ScottGScottG Administrator Posts: 5,548
    I'm a little confused... Is the Atwood alarm still going off even when you are plugged into the car?
    The car should be providing 12+ volts so there should no longer be a low battery alarm.
    Which brings us back to the fridge...
    NO, it is not normal to smell propane when you open the fridge (or any other time). There might be a benign explanation, but smell combined with the fact that your propane detector is going warrants further investigation.
    2015 T@B S

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92

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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    edited September 2019
    Sure looks like Victron is set properly but I’ll go through the manual. The propane smell in fridge I’m
    pretty sure is because I have to click it about 10-15 times to get it to light. Atwood was not going off when plugged into car. I’m on the road heading to Kennebunkport so will check again there. Will have power there but once I get to Acadia, hope I’ve got the battery issue fixed, which seems to just be a dead battery.  My mistake thinking Victron was working. Now I have a project.  I have solar and a C-tek (not hooked up yet). Fingers crossed. 
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    How big of a battery do you have?  How many amps?  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,942
    The "battery capacity" seems suspect. 
    Looking over my app, I see there is a page for alarms.  If they are not disabled, and there is a monitor inside the trailer, I'm wondering if that could possibly be the alarm going off? ( I know the gas alarm will do this with low voltage, also, but.....)
    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    I agree @pthomas745.  If she has the stock battery, it would make sense that it depleted so soon with the frig on battery.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    Oh good grief! I got to my next site and have a red fail alert on my Alde. Thankfully I have the Alde service app and YouTube because this one looks a bit more challenging. This “shake down” trip on the new camper is really turning into an adventure. 😳
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    That may be due to battery depletion.  Will you be on shore power tonight?
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    edited September 2019
    I am. I had a 3 hour drive and now plugged in. I’m up in Maine (2 other T@bbers here who said you and Pthomas have helped them with things in the past). At least it’s cool so don’t need a/c and I’m right by a fancy bathhouse so staying positive. This is beginners learning curves and challenges. I’m hanging in there!!! 
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,732
    Uh oh, now the pressure is on!
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,942

    “I wouldn't want to belong to a club that would have me as a member”


    ― Groucho Marx

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • BrianZBrianZ Member Posts: 1,765
    edited September 2019
    @Missstsomewhere, sorry to read about your troubles - that frig on battery messes up a lot of people - it just can't be used without a hefty charging current from the tow vehicle's running engine. 

    Can you tell us about your battery?  Single 12V? Brand? Model?  I seriously doubt you have 1600 Amp-hours, so your Victron setting for capacity is wrong..  You'd need at least 16 batteries to get that much juice.

    If you have a separate battery charger you can plug in to 120V a/c power to charge your battery, use that with battery switch off.  Otherwise, leave it on & hope the converter will be able to recharge it, but it could take a long time.
    -Brian in Chester, Virginia
    TV: 2005 Toyota Sienna LE (3.3L V6)
    RV: 2018 T@B 320S, >100 mods 
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  • ChanWChanW Member Posts: 3,160
    edited September 2019
    I'd go with what @BrianZ said about charging your battery. The convertor would be slower than a separate dedicated charger.
    And as @Sharon_is_SAM mentioned, another anomaly with a depleted battery is that the Alde will show a failure indicator. It can be reset. Search for Alde Reset.
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • MuttonChopsMuttonChops Member Posts: 1,698
    Missstsomewhere said:
    Oh good grief! I got to my next site and have a red fail alert on my Alde.
    I'm early into the first week of a 30-day adventure and just got an Overheat Red Fail when powering on the Alde.  It worked OK the night before last, then and now both on Shore Power.
     + Checked Fluid Tank, A OK.
     + Can't see how there is a air pocket . . . these units have automatic bleeders.
     + Tried power-on without shore power, propane mode . . . still got error.
     + Unplugged all the cables to the Alde PCB; panel, pump +12V, and battery in +12V
        Error Cleared.  Suspect turning off then on the battery +12V** is what reset the temperature sensor.

    Alde is running and Hot Water is almost up to Shower Time Temperature :)
    ** Disconnecting Shore Power and turning Battery Switch to Off would
       be the same as unplugging the cable if that is less difficult for anyone
    '18 320 S,  pitched axle, 3020HE; PNW based
    TV: '17 Colorado V6 Z71 4x4, Tow Package, GM Brake Controller
    Adventures:  54   Nights:  341  Towing Miles 43,780
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    edited September 2019
    Thank you all!  I love when things work!!! Turned shore power off, unplugged the 2 white cables to Alde, plugged them back in, turned on shore power and presto, Error cleared. For something that sounds so ominous, the fix was easy. 
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    edited September 2019
    EDITED FOR PICTURE SIZE.
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    edited September 2019
    @BrianZ It’s a 24 deep cycle. Photos above. From a quick google search it looks like it’s just 85AH. 
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    edited September 2019
    EDITED FOR PICTURE SIZE

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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,942
    Well, the settings for the battery look much better. 
    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 92
    Right?? Now maybe I will know BEFORE my battery runs down! 
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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 3,942
    Show us what your readouts look like later in the day!

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • BrianZBrianZ Member Posts: 1,765
    That setting looks better, @Missstsomewhere! 
    And yes, you might know beforehand next time, but only if you recharge your phone too. 😉


    -Brian in Chester, Virginia
    TV: 2005 Toyota Sienna LE (3.3L V6)
    RV: 2018 T@B 320S, >100 mods 
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  • ChanWChanW Member Posts: 3,160
    @BrianZ, astute! :o
    Chan  -  near Buffalo NY
    2014 S Maxx
    2011 Tacoma 4cyl ... edit: 2022 Tacoma 6cyl - oh yeah! 

     A_Little_T@b'll_Do_Ya
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  • BrianZBrianZ Member Posts: 1,765
    Thanks, @ChanW, but technically I'm wrong of course, since there's always the BMV monitor for checking battery status.
    And here we thought going camping would get us away from our electronics!
    -Brian in Chester, Virginia
    TV: 2005 Toyota Sienna LE (3.3L V6)
    RV: 2018 T@B 320S, >100 mods 
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