Making sure your batteries are charging correctly is one of the most crucial things to do while traveling in an RV.
If your batteries are not fully charged, you will have to utilize your gas power to operate items like your lights and appliances.
Your batteries depleting while they are plugged in is an issue that many RV owners have experienced.
There are many possible causes for this issue, but the most frequent one is that your breaker, converter, or inverter has been tripped by anything, preventing the batteries from charging even while it is plugged in.
The majority of customers decide to use their motorcoach‘s shore power to recharge their batteries.
The reset button will often be pressed or the circuit breaker will trip, which will prohibit the batteries from charging.
If this is the only issue, you should be able to reset everything, which will solve your issue.
Checking the DC voltage output would be your next step, but, if this doesn’t appear to be the cause of your problem.
It’s possible that the voltage needed to charge your batteries requires more than what your shore power can provide.
You should check that everything else on that power supply is in functioning order if you have your batteries powered by shore power and you believe that this is the issue.
You should be able to tell right away whether the issue is with your shore power since if anything has been tripped, several appliances should stop functioning and/or your lights should be flashing, dimming, etc.
If none of these things are taking place, you either have an insufficient voltage or the batteries themselves are malfunctioning.
Batteries in your RV that are broken or too old and can no longer hold a charge are another frequent issue.
Many individuals decide not to change their batteries until they start to cause issues since batteries may be pricey.
Batteries, however, only have a lifespan of 5 to 7 years (depending on how often they are used), and if they are not properly cared for, they are quickly destroyed.
Maintaining your batteries on a regular basis and charging them as soon as feasible can help to increase their lifespan.
When winterizing their RVs, some new RV owners could forget to remove the motorcoach batteries and store them in a clean, dry, and temperature-controlled location.
Your batteries will soon get damaged and become unusable the next year if you expose them to extreme wetness and cold.
If you failed to remove the battery from your RV over the winter and it has frozen, DO NOT try to charge it.
The device may blow up due to the combination of acid, frigid temperatures, and a power supply.
Don’t panic; depending on how frozen they are, most frozen batteries can be thawed and recharged.
These batteries still have irreversible damage and will most likely need to be changed in a year or two.
Despite the fact that this is often the case, certain frozen batteries cannot be thawed and must be completely replaced, so you won’t have to worry about a thawed battery dying in the midst of a journey.
Whether or whether you can thaw the battery, most RV owners advise getting new ones since the unit’s lifespan is in danger and might fail at any time.
For this reason, you should always take care of your batteries to avoid costly mishaps like these.
Therefore, if your batteries aren’t maintaining a charge while being plugged in, consider the possibility that they had prior damage from a similar occurrence or that they haven’t been properly maintained.
Batteries sometimes need to be changed, regardless matter how carefully you care for them.
They could ultimately give up at this point.
This may be really annoying, particularly if your journey is in the midst.
In case your older batteries fail, we advise that you always have a few fully charged, spare batteries on hand.
It would still be preferable to have battery power for the whole RV camping trip even if your replacements have lower voltage.
Batteries with a 2 or 5 amp rating can be wonderful smaller options for you.
Ultimately, your converter has tripped or your batteries are old or broken, which are the two most probable explanations for why your batteries are charging while being plugged in.
Finding the root reason may need some trial and error, but having a dependable power supply for your motorcoach will be well worth the effort.
Learn more about how long to charge the batteries in your RV by reading on:
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How Long Should My RV Battery Be Charged?
It’s crucial to make sure your RV’s batteries are charging, but you may be wondering how long this process should take.
In case of emergencies, all of your batteries in your motorcoach should be fully charged before you travel anywhere.
It’s also not a good idea to allow your batteries run down below halfway.
The amp and voltage of your battery will determine how long it takes for a battery to charge, however.
The majority of RV owners advise charging batteries 24 to 48 hours before your journey to ensure they are completely charged for your next camping vacation since battery charging times may be so variable.
Some folks decide to merely charge a few batteries and recharge the remaining ones while they are going using shore power.
This is quite OK, but you should ensure that they can charge rapidly in the event that your primary batteries run out.
Remember that bigger amp batteries (between 50 and 85) can take considerably longer to charge, particularly if they are entirely dead when you attempt to charge them.
Although there are battery chargers that will charge them more quickly, it will still take time.
Your batteries should always charge within the specified time if you take care of them.
However, it may be more difficult to charge your batteries quickly if you let them to get completely depleted or exposed to cold or freezing conditions.
In the end, you should charge your batteries all the way to capacity.
If you are unable to accomplish this before your trip, you should connect them to shore power and allow them to charge while you are traveling.
It is crucial to make sure they are completely charged, particularly if you use them to power your refrigerator, lights, or other equipment.
Check out some of these fantastic alternatives for RV batteries and battery chargers:
12 Volt Lithium RV Battery
This fantastic battery is a high-quality alternative for anyone’s fifth wheel, camper, RV, etc.
This battery, a 12V solar battery, charges fast and, with proper care, may endure for many years.
For those who live off the grid, the battery’s solar option is fantastic.
Check out this fantastic coach battery choice.
RV Battery 6 Volt Rechargeable
This is a more compact yet powerful RV battery alternative.
This battery has a power output of 6 volts, can be recharged, and requires little upkeep.
This battery has a ton of fantastic features, is tough as nails, and works well in both hot and cold weather.
Check out this fantastic RV battery alternative.
Charger for NOCO GENIUS10 Batteries
The Noco Genius brand of RV battery chargers is fantastic! This one charges rapidly and safely and is for batteries rated at 10 amps.
To completely charge your batteries, you may put this in your house or RV.
Check out this fantastic battery charger that keeps your batteries functioning at their optimum and is simple to install and use.
NOCO GENIUS 4 Amp Charger
Another compact battery charger choice that works well for backup batteries that need little time and power to charge is this one.
This charger is simple to use and may be fitted anywhere.
These instantly charge and provide all the information you want.
Observe this fantastic 4 amp battery charger.
We hope that this post has helped you figure out why the batteries in your RV aren’t charging when it is plugged in.
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In order to share your experience with others if we missed it, kindly write a comment below.
Enjoy, drive carefully, and have fun while RVing till then!
Related Also: How to Troubleshooting RV Battery Disconnect Switch?
