I just happened to look at the inverter display and noticed it was drawing 8 amps while sitting still in the campground. Is this normal? I did have an issue with the batteries not charging the other day while driving through Texas. Gonna check the connections in the box behind the pin then the batteries after that. Looking for suggestions.

update I have one battery very hot and sizzling so I disconnected it and checked the water in it. water was covering the plates but maybe a little low. so I dont know if the battery is bad because the other battery feels fine. I am ruling out the converter at this time because it was just one battery having the issue. Do I need to look at something else?

Good thing you caught the battery issue. That's sounds like it could have ended badly.

My Xantrex inverter draws about 6amps when the inverter is enabled even with no load. When I put it in standby that drops to .5 (half) an amp.

I just checked the battery voltage of both batteries one is 12.4 and the other is 10.85. Guess I will be buying a new battery tomorrow. Gonna try Interstate Battery in San Antonio.
Do I need to shut the converter off before disconnecting the second battery?

Just my opinion but I would highly recommend replacing both batteries. Now you know what you have and both are good.

Steve

Always replace both at the same time. If not, the older battery can draw down the new one.

great! There is a $400 hit. Should I turn off the inverter/converter. If I do that I wont have lights then. So I will leave it on for now.

agree, replace both batteries at the same time, weakest link in the chain blah blah blah......

I would recommend sealed maintenance free batteries. Deep cell AGMs are a good choice. Seen some decent deep cell RV batteries at good price at Costco recently also.

Assuming your inverter and house batteries are one and the same for now you can disconnect the failed battery and still have the other good battery for all things 12V until you get the new ones in place.

last year I was having battery issues, on inspection, I had an almost 100%dead battery, and 1 at 75% .I bit the bullet and purchased two of the Lifeline Group 31 AGM's.. paid $300 ea with my discount.. I researched for a while and decided on lifeline after my calls to BOTH Lifeline AND Magnum ( my inverter)

yep I went with interstate AGM batteries (2) at 300.00 each. Maintenance free and a three year warranty.

A common item many fail to look at when checking their battery water is to check the electrolyte specific gravity. When checking batteries, one needs to check to see if the specific gravity is at or near 1.200. This not only indicates the condition of the "water" but it also checks the voltage of the battery. A fully charged battery will be at 1.200 / 14.4 volts. You can use a meter to see the voltage, but that is not an accurate indication alone. for higher performing batteries, the specific gravity should be at 1.265.

One piece of information you left out...How old are your batteries? I don't mean how long have you had them. I mean how old are they from the date of manufacture? The plates in the batteries will build up sulfate over time and can make the positive and negative plates touch. The plates inside the batteries will also bend due to overcharging and discharging below the recommended percentage for that battery type (i.e 6V batteries are different from 12V batteries which can be different from lithium or other types).

I would guess that based on the age of your rig (2014), you may have been due for some replacements? Typical life is usually around 4 years (+ or -). If they are that old, I would suspect the 8 amp draw was from internal shorting of the battery plates since you indicate that everything was shut off. In worst case scenarios, that can lead to a fire when the plates directly short out. Think about the stored amperage they can contain.

And, like several others have proposed, you will need to replace both at the same time. Otherwise, you will stress the older battery and penalize the new battery.

When replacing batteries, consider 6V golf cart batteries. Interstate and Trojan are both great products.

Here are a few articles you might find of interest:

http://rvtravel.com/batteries-for-boondocking/

http://rvroadtrip.us/library/12v_system.php

http://rvtravel.com/is-agm-or-lithium-in-your-rv-battery-future/

http://rvtravel.com/charging-6-volt-rv-batteries/

In your tool box, add one of these hydrometers. Never use tap water. Use DI Water (available at Walmarts and other stores):

ok looking for some more info on the inverter. While traveling today the inverter never came on. isn't it suppose to? it is in power saving mode should I take it out of PS mode? Thought it was all automatic.

I have a 2016 39mb with the Norcold gas & electric refrigerator. My ? is what is the Magnum MMS Series inverter/charger for ? My owners manuals show that I have a built in power converter in my power panel. I also have the manuals for the magnum but I can't find it location. I am thinking that they made a mistake at the factory when putting the manuals in the binder.

That would be my guess. Can't think of anything that would require an inverter when you have a RV frig.

Some don't get enough or any manuals & others get them for equipment they don't have!!!