• Electrical

  House battery set change sparking when connecting question

  Posted by Richard on April 13, 2026 at 8:07 pm

  I have recently obtained a well cared for 1989 Marathon, but the house batteries were dead from sitting for five years after the owner passed away. It has an 8 battery setup, I replaced the batteries, triple checked and marked all of the connections before and verified afterward. I am getting 12 / 24 volts where I am supposed to be getting it. My dilemma is making the final connections of the ground coming into the compartment (white) and / or the 24 volt cable (Blue) that is connected to the equalizers, they each spark when I touch them to their perspective posts. Don’t get me wrong, its not a huge spark, but it is (in my eyes) a significant spark for me. I have checked the inverter switches, they are off, all of the interior breakers are all off, so I can’t tell what is trying to energize. I have never dealt with this kind of system and I don’t want to fry anything if there is something I can’t see or find. the label only says connect the equalizer ground last, I can’t make it that far yet.

  Is it supposed to spark like that, or is there something I still need to go cut off?

  Thanks for any feedback

  Richard

  Richard replied 4 months, 1 week ago 2 Members · 2 Replies
• 2 Replies

• 

  Mike

  Member

  April 14, 2026 at 6:15 am

  That is typical. The equalizer is in play as well as memory circuits

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  Mikee
• 

  Richard

  Member

  April 14, 2026 at 10:01 am

  Thanks Mike.

  So if there are systems live, even though all switches are off or idle, the batteries are being used? Therefore, if the bus is stored for a month or so, I need power connected?

  Thanks

  Richard

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