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Low Battery Light
The light on the left side of my driver’s panel starting blinking “Low Battery”.
I’m thinking this is may be the generator battery since my house batteries are fully charged.
Can someone confirm if this light signals a low gen battery? If so, my manual says the generator battery is recharged the same way as the house batteries are but it should be fully charged since I’m plugged in with both inverters on.
I looked they the Marathon manual and it just says there is a gen battery but no mention of thos specific light indicator on the panel.
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19 Replies
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Tim , on mine that indicates low house batteries, not Gen battery.
It is blinking, followed by beep sound, then Within approx 20 seconds, if you have Autogen ON , generator will start and run to recharge, depending on your setup 2-3 hours. -
Well if I’m plugged into 50AMP, doesn’t that keep the batteries charged thru the inverters?
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Somewhere in all our conversions there is going to be an actual voltage readout of house batteries, generator battery, and chassis batteries.
Every owner needs to find them and understand what they are saying. This is not just a suggestion, but something critical all of us need to do. We need to refer to those reasonably often and learn what they tell us. For example if dry camping you will want to know the actual house battery voltage. You can tell when the inverters are putting a charge in them if the bus is connected to shore power or the generator is running. When the bus engine is running you can tell if the bus alternator is charging them. A routine review of these establishes in your mind what is normal under various conditions and alerts you when something deviates from normal or what you expect to see.
The easiest way to deal with problems is to prevent them and unless and until you learn how to read your bus’s information from the various dials or displays you risk having a problem, not knowing, and then finding out the hard way when you are in deeper trouble than if you noticed it earlier.
Everyone should make a list of all the various things that should be monitored on a regular basis. Get used to looking at everything at the appropriate moment and life will be good. Wait until the bus gets to the point where the signal something is wrong such as when stuff shuts down, and all of a sudden bus ownership sucks.
This also holds true, perhaps more so for the engine gauges. When the coach engine is running you will see the gauges and learn what is “normal”. When there is an unexplained deviation from normal that is when you begin trying to understand why there is a deviation. It might be something simple like it is hot outside so you expect to see temps up a little, but if there is no explaination that is when a look at things related to the cooling system should get some attention. This is no different than what you need to do with the house.
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Jon, You’re absolutely right. I reset both inverters and that stopped the “low battery” light indicator. Now I have to find out why. I’m reading they the trace inverter manual but it’s not easy to absorb in one sitting.
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Tim,
For the short term just make sure the charging settings are OK, the inverters are on and charging the house and other batteries if set up that way, deal with the generator by doing a manual start, and learn how to read house battery voltages.
Leave the complex learning for when you are more comfortable with the basics. You are trying to absorb a lot and you are also seeing conflicting responses. Set all that aside until you have learned the key items and are getting comfortable with the coach. If you take on more than you can chew it is just going to overload you.
If you know how and where switches and valves and knobs and dials are for all the things you need in every day use of the coach, and can stay warm or cool as necessary, and all your plumbing an appliances you need are working enjoy the coach. In a month or so there will be ample opportunity to have the Marathon experts in your coach to walk you through the more advanced stuff.
Write your questions down and between now and then you may actually answer some on your own, but of those that remain someone is going to be able to assist you.
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Tim,
I just had to replace the generator battery–it was down to 9.7 volts. I am not sure if it is wired into one of the other charging cicuits–we have a solar panel for the generator battery, and I’m sure it charges from the generator as well. Battery weighs a ton, but I got it out of there. It was an Odyssey battery, and I replaced it with same. -
Tim,
If you need the AGM number for the generator battery let me know.
A guy I know sells Lifeline very reasonable, Tom something or other ….I think he posts on this site.
Anyone ever heard of him ?
If you’re looking for something to do this weekend ? Check the fan belt on your generator for tightness.
While servicing my generator the new belt had stretched.
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The gen was services before I purchased it. I think the “low battery” light indicator was an operator error since it went away after I re-set the inverters to the factory setting. I’ve now read thru the trace inverter manual and am getting a better grasp on it. The suggested factory settings are different from Toms but it seems to be working right now. Tom … Yes I vaguely remember that name 🙂
2005 XL Thompson Coach
Rarely tow anything behind us.
Sold: 1993 Liberty that we loved for 12 years. -
Tim,
Not sure on your coach but do you have a techlink monitor that displays house battery voltage? Toggle thru that that screen if you have it and see what it says there. You should also be able to get it thru the trace displays but the techlinnk is easier if you have it.Bill
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Yep Bill, I have the Tech Link computer & both that & the meter on Inverter #2 were reading the battery voltage in the 28v range … All while the low batt light rang out.
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Exactly what low battery light are you talking about? Techlink, Telltale or information center?
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Tom,
On the left side cockpit panel, next to the window, there are a set of light switch indicators. On the top row there is a push-button indicator light that says “Low Battery.”
Neither tech link or my inverters said I had a low battery, but this light blinked and alerted until I reset my inverters. In the past, the tech link monitor would turn yellow first indicating my house batteries were getting low. But my battery voltage, according to tech link and the inverter, was in the 28v range, and never was lower than 26v, so unless I’m reading it wrong, it seems like my batteries were not low.
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Tim,
Low battery light…… on side panel is for generator battery condition.
AL
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Good to know…but it has stopped since re-setting inverters. No idea why but I’ll test the gen battery when I get to Dallas.
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With the solar charger on the roof which might not be working due to damage or disconnected wires or lack of solar to your battery which can slowly get to the point to set off the sensor. You re-booted and that is a manual reset.
Second what if….The generator battery is defective, call Truk4u. If gen battery is a wet cell switch to AGM Lifeline.
Third what if…..generator fan belt is loose causing the belt to slip on alternator pulley face thus prevents full battery charge.
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