Equalizer jacks voltage?

[tennisman77]

For those with Equalizer hydraulic jacks… on our 2021 Vita (Mercedes chassis) after boondocking for a few days, our house batteries will typically go down to 12 volts or so. The Equalizer jacks require 13.1 volts to run (as required by Winnebago, not Equalizer as I discovered). The jacks can apparently run at 12 volts as described by Equalizer. It’s a pain waiting for the house batteries to get charged up to 13.1 volts via generator or the coach running prior to lifting. Anyone figured out how to disable the 13.1 volts as “required by Winnebago”? ��

[Aerneau]

Time for a lithium battery upgrade I'd say. They are higher in voltage and have more capacity. PS(Still looking at this voltage low thing with mine. First step testing with bigger cables.)

[Morich]

The best solution might also be the simple one.
Jacks and slides take lots of power to move and one way to be most sure they have that full power is just starting the RV engine first!

Many never do this but then why wonder, if you can do something to make sure you give them good power?

From a practical view, it is not possible to get 13.1 out of a fully charged lead acid battery if it is not just being charged! So what type batteries do you have? If they really want 13.1, it's not going to come out of lead acid batteries alone!

When we start the engine or just turn on the key, the automatic controls connect both chassis and coach batteries together. That lets us get a small bit of charge in the coach batteries as we drive, using power from the engine alternator.

If you start the engine, you will have the chassis battery, the alternator, and the coach batteries all connected together to give the jacks all the power they can use and it is quick!

Looking at your manual, I don't see much info as it referrs you to the jack manual which should be in the info case for the RV.

Maybe a check there would get lots more info?

[tennisman77]

The way the jacks are wired from Winnebago, the coach has to be running to use the jacks… even with coach running it takes 20 minutes or so to get to 13.1 volts. The manual for the jack has zero info about voltage levels. I have lead acid batteries, fyi.

[Morich]

The info on needing 13.1 sounds just too much. Can I ask where this info came from as it sounds way off?

Checking manuals for the jacks, they don't show anything like 13 volts and seem to indicate okay until down around 10 volts?? Do you have LED as mentioned in this chart?
Click to get a better view.





But if we assume the info is correct, there may be something else involved if the alternator is not kicking out 13 volts which you would see almost immediately at the battery posts.
I would expect that amount any time the engine is running even a little higher than idle?? I'm not surprised to see nearing 14 if I rev the engine.

So what about the idea that the alternator is not putting out high enough voltage?
Some questions on where you are seeing the voltage as it may not be the true voltage if there is a bit of resistance involved in where that reading is taken.
Maybe the alternator belt is slipping or the cables from it to the battery are a bit corroded?

Not finding any good ideas but just kicking the possibilities around!

[tennisman77]

Thanks, I spoke to Equalizer support rep today and he confirmed the 13.1 voltage level that Winnebago wires in somehow. That’s what I’m trying to bypass.

Since the house batteries are powering the jacks, I get the “low voltage” LED lit until the house batteries are reading 13.1 volts. Voltage reading coming off the chassis alternator doesn’t matter.

Coach is a 2020 chassis, fyi.

[Morich]

Looking deeper, I may have a couple items that may be suspect?
We don't get the really good schematic drawings on the newer RV, so have to guess more!
This is part of that guessing, so consider that before trusting too far.

Looking at drawings, I found this showing a relay in the jack system wiring. But it doesn't show WHERE.

Click to get a better view.


Looking around, I find a relay here under the passenger seat, I think? In between the battery isolation manager (BIM)and coach battery disconnect relay.


The partslists this as being that relay but not much help on whether it is the correct relay???

A relay not making good contact to pass full current on to the jacks could be suspect??? Pulling this relay out of the plug and finding the jacks do not work, may help ID--- if correct relay?

[creativepart]

The only way to get 13+ volts out of a 12v battery - which when fully charged is 12.7 to 12.8 volts - is to apply an outside charge from an engine alternator or outboard battery charger.

You don’t need to charge your batteries to 13+ volts… because you can’t do that with any lead acid battery. You simply need to start your RV’s engine when operating the jacks. No waiting needed. The jacks will see 13+ volts when the engine is running.

PS. It’s true that LiFePO4 batteries do charge to 13.5 volts. Also if your RV’s chassis battery is depleting while on shore power you need to add a separate charger to handle this problem. Many RVs have specific equipment to handle this task, but some do not. If yours does then it’s not working and needs repaired. If it doesn’t have such a system you should add one. The Amp-L-Start product is inexpensive and easy to install.

[tennisman77]

Originally Posted by creativepart

The only way to get 13+ volts out of a 12v battery - which when fully charged is 12.7 to 12.8 volts - is to apply an outside charge from an engine alternator or outboard battery charger.

You don’t need to charge your batteries to 13+ volts… because you can’t do that with any lead acid battery. You simply need to start your RV’s engine when operating the jacks. No waiting needed. The jacks will see 13+ volts when the engine is running.

PS. It’s true that LiFePO4 batteries do charge to 13.5 volts. Also if your RV’s chassis battery is depleting while on shore power you need to add a separate charger to handle this problem. Many RVs have specific equipment to handle this task, but some do not. If yours does then it’s not working and needs repaired. If it doesn’t have such a system you should add one. The Amp-L-Start product is inexpensive and easy to install.

The engine has to be running for jacks to operate. Engine running makes zero difference in immediate voltage spike to run jacks.

As stated in the original post “after boondocking”. No problems when camping connected to shore power.

[Morich]

Wel this does get interesting! Since the two companies involved both say 13+ volts are needed and they build the RV with lead acid batteries, the only place to get that 13 volts is the engine alternator unless they use some form of electronic "magic" to get higher voltage than the battery provides!

So if OP is not getting that 13+ volts from the alternator, I would have to look at that as a possible problem.
Bad connections seem most likely but then the alternator may be bad or things like slipping belts might also be suspect. The surface voltage at the battery will jump to whatever level the alternator is putting out if the connections are good.

If it does get there but takes twenty minutes, I would assume that means the alternator is good but the connections are bad!

So what is the voltage leaving the alternator and what voltage gets to the battery? Something simple that needs simple testing.

[creativepart]

If you don't see 13+ volts when you start your engine then you have a problem with your charging system. Plain and simple. You should see 13 to 14 volts at your house and chassis batteries within a few seconds of starting your engine.

As Richard says, it could be the alternator, the wiring or the battery solenoids that control the combining of those batteries to your alternator.

Even a dead battery will show 13+ volts when the engine is running.