[macgyver]

Just got an expensive phone call ! My old coach has been sitting at a repair shop for two months they finally got around to starting on the minor work , and they say the batteries are all frozen ! They tell me that both battery switches were turned off , is it possible because the merge switch was left on that power could still go to the battery solonoid ? I even have solar panels on the roof but there is some snow on them , maybe no output ?   Thanks for any thoughts Don

[whatsnewell]

Even a little snow, or some shade on the panels will significantly reduce their ability to provide a charge. When you say frozen, do you mean the water in them is frozen?

[macgyver]

Yes the mechanic that phoned said my sealed starting batteries are bulging and he had to boost them to start , also my large 6 volt house battery is split down the corner that he could see , we had a very cold couple weeks last month -30 plus !

[Richard]

Don, any commentary on the coach is speculation without knowing exactly how it is wired. Many things could be different in the wiring since it left the factory in 86.

As you know, the batteries are recoverable. When you get the coach back, you will have to do some investigation into wiring, plus experiments to see what parasitic loads exist with the disconnect switches disconnected. Also you have to ensure the disconnect switches don't disable the solar.

I am sorry you had this misfortune, when you thought you had it covered with the solar.

[macgyver]

I will definitely have to check the merge switch to see if there is a load or drain of some kind , not sure about the batteries up here in Calgary when they freeze they are as hard as a brick sometimes , I think that the plates are damaged beyond recovering most of the time ? I'm most upset about the two house deep cycle batteries , I think they are around 400 canadian bucks ! Do you think a cracked case can be repaired ? I would like to blame the shop for this but can't say for sure ?

[encantotom]

i would not try to repair a cracked case. too much nasty stuff in there to risk it. thats my two cents worth

tom

[HoosierDaddy]

I tried to repair a cracked case after grandkids jumped my golf car over a hill and cracked a batt. I tried several remedies and could not get it to seal..

[Richard]

I made a bad typo and did not proofread. I meant to say the batteries are non recoverable. My apologies. Spell check hurts me more than it helps me.

[folivier]

And never try to charge a frozen battery!

[macgyver]

For sure , I wonder if driving the coach to my storage place with frozen batteries could damage my alternator ?