So we got the 2004 Equispirit XL 2H tag-along with dressingroom...very nice and in great shape !!

Since we received our Prodigy P3 and Harness within 2 days of ordering (thx for the reccs) we were able to bring the trailer home.

One question, though...the interior lights and fans didn't work. The owner said its most likely just a blown fuse, etc, and we didn't get around to checking on that, it seemed a small enough problem (I know...)

Its also outfitted with a Ameristart 24 EV deep cycle marine battery that is supposed to be charged up by the truck. We thought its mostly likely "empty" after sitting for a while and should be charging on the way home.

Well, it didn't :( The fuses are just fine but the battery isn't charged up, sigh. There is that smaller battery next to it (converter perhaps?) and it has a bit of power, but the big one is "dead".

Will it need to be replaced? Someone told us that it might have been so "dead" that the reason it didn't get charged is because the truck thought "it wasn't there". Not sure how to explain it, but thats what someone in a store told us...(???)

Any ideas?

As always, thx for your patience with this newbie and thanks for any help, appreciate it :)

Any place that sells batteries can check your battery for you, to see if it's good or not. They have a tester that will do a charging /discharge cycle, and they can determine if you have a viable battery. It takes a few minutes and the test is usually free. The deep cycle batteries don't seem to have long life spans (three of four years), so it's not unusual to go though several while owning one trailer.

If you have to purchase a new one, buy the best one available. It will usually come with a longer initial free replacement warranty, that may last longer than your battery's useful life span in the trailer; three years instead of one year.

Gard

thanks ! We might just take it to one of those places and see what they say. Do you have recc's for a new one ? I know they can get very expensive. We won't use the trailer all that often, but still want quality stuff in it...

Also, is it a good idea to get one of those solar panels for the roof of the trailer, that will make sure the battery never completely dis-charges ?

The life span of a battery is determined by its age as well as its usage. If it was not fully charged when it was stored for any length of time, its useful life can be shortened. If the water level is left below the plates, it would have been damaged. If it were discharged and allowed to freeze in the winter, it would no longer function well. There are many variables that effect a battery's lifespan.

Gard

I have a solar panel on one of my trailers, which is stored outside in direct sunlight. It is tied directly into my electrical system and has no external controls or monitors, as installed by the conversion company. It tends to over charge the battery if the trailer is not used for a couple of weeks. The battery's electrolyte has to be constantly monitored and often, additional water is added. My other trailer without a solar panel, does not have this problem.

If I could  get a schematic and component locator for my electrical system, I would seriously consider disabling the panel, or at the very least, add an external on/off switch in series with the charging circuit.

Gard

Thank you, all :)

Learned some more, this forum is great !!

The small battery is working, but the big 24 V one is dead. We took it to be checked and they said all we have to do is add some distilled water and try charging it again. We'll try that tonight, and if that doesn't do the trick, its simply time for a new one !!

Other then that I'm thrilled with the trailer. It looks great, was barely used. Getting the oxydation off of the fiberglass and paint is a pain, though..WHEW. At the rate I'm going I should be done by xmas :(  I'm going to look for a Variable-Speed Random-Orbit Polisher. Once I get the outside shining again, wipe down the vinyl padding inside and lubricate all the moving parts, the trailer will look brandnew again :) Nothing is torn or worn down at all.

:)