How to: Battery Health Check Procedure

MOBILE UNIT - BATTERIES

OVERVIEW: This document outlines the process required to complete a battery health check.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

• Electrical tape
• Needle-nose pliers
• Ratchet
• 9/16” socket
• ½” angled socket
• T27 Torx Key/Torx Screwdriver
• Load tester
• Battery lifting strap

SAFETY RULES

Before operating or working with an LVT LiveUnit, consult LiveView’s safety guidelines. Failure to completely understand proper safety procedures when dealing with a LiveUnit may result in improper use which increase the likelihood of accidents.  To review LVT’s safety guidelines online or to print a PDF, please go here:

LVT Safety Guidelines

BATTERY HEALTH CHECK PROCEDURE VIDEO

BATTERY HEALTH CHECK PROCEDURE

PREP

1. To safely complete this procedure, wear gloves and safety glasses to protect eyes from battery acid. 
2. To successfully check battery, visit after solar panels have received a full day of sun. NOTE: The solar panel must be completely out of the shade and in full sun  for the entire day to accurately assess the batteries. 

BATTERY CHECK

1. Unlock power control box and flip switch to  down position to turn off cameras. NOTE: Switch may be found in one of the two locations shown below depending on the trailer.

LOCATION 1 (OLDER TRAILERS)LOCATION 2 (NEWER TRAILERS)

1. Before proceeding, take a picture of wiring setup (reference photo will be used at end of procedure).
2. Use the needle nose pliers to pull all three 40A fuses out of the MidNite charge controller. Remove the 3 red fuse caps and place them in a safe area.
3. Disconnect all batteries from each other.
   1. Take a picture of the battery bank before removing cables to verify correct wiring at the end of the battery check. 
   2. Use a 9/16” socket to unscrew the nut on the screw terminals with the black wires in the top-right corner of the battery bank.
4. Remove black wires from the screw terminal and set them carefully aside. 
5. Continue disconnecting wires and battery bars in a clockwise path around the battery bank.
6. On the final terminal with the red wires, tape up the two ring terminals on the red wires with electrical tape to prevent sparking. Set red wires aside, ensuring they do not touch any metal surface.
7. Use the ½” angled socket or a T27 Torx Key, depending on the configuration of the battery mounting hardware. 
   1. CONFIG 1: OLDER TRAILER, ½” ANGLED SOCKET
   2. CONFIG 2: NEWER TRAILER, T27 TORX KEY
   3. CONFIG 3: EFOY TRAILER, T27 TORX KEY
8. Remove the center battery bar by lifting it off the stud and pulling the far end out of the slot. NOTE: If batteries are in CONFIG 3, also remove aluminum center strap with the T27 Torx Key.
9. Check each battery for damage, especially around the terminals. NOTE: Corrosion doesn’t indicate damage because it can be cleaned off, but corrosion can indicate cracks. Cracked or damaged batteries should be replaced. 
10. Test each battery with a load tester:
    1. Remove plastic caps from the battery posts.
    2. Connect the red probe of the tester to the positive post of the battery. NOTE: Don’t connect the tester to the screw terminal.
    3. Connect the black probe of tester to the negative post of the battery.
    4. The 6-VOLTS section of the display will show a battery voltage around 6V. Hold down the button on the tester and the needle will move into a zone that indicates the health of batteries.

1. See the “Load Test Results” table at the end of this document to check battery health.
2. Use the battery lifting strap to take out the batteries that need to be replaced. NOTE: Lift only 1 at a time.
3. Take the bad batteries to a battery recycling center.
4. Find replacement batteries at the nearest battery store.
   1. Follow Battery specs here:
   1. Group size GC2
   2. Type - flooded or AGM (AGM-only for CONFIG 3 (EFOY Trailers), Flooded batteries don’t fit with CONFIG 3 hardware.)
   3. Capacity - 235 or 220 Amp Hours (25-hour rating)
   4. Voltage - 6V
5. WARNING: The battery type (Flooded/AGM) AND the Amp Hour capacities (235 Ah or 220 Ah) must match across all batteries!
6. Lift in replacement batteries 1 at a time, with the negative terminals towards the center of the battery bank.
7. Reconnect all the batteries.
   1. Put in the center bar and tighten nut with ½” sockets or the T27 Torx Key.
   2. Remove the tape from the red wires and place them on the upper-left battery positive terminal. Replace and tighten nut.
   3. Work counterclockwise around the battery bank replacing wires, bars, and nuts according to the picture taken at the beginning of the procedure.
8. Verify connections are correct by referencing picture taken at the beginning of the procedure.
9. Double check that connections are tight by gently wiggling the wires. If the ring terminals rotate when you wiggle them, tighten the nut a bit more, but don’t overtighten. 
10. Plug the fuses back into the charge controller and put on plastic covers.
11. Turn cameras back on and lock up the trailer.

LOAD TEST RESULTS CHART