vegas/axis battery & converter

[jazzfest]

Since we are stuck inside today due to frigid temps, we're looking at some of the manuals for our 2015 vegas 24.1. we can't find some of the info we want.

Can anyone tell us where the converter/charger is? And is it a smart charger?
I was hoping there would be a manual just for the converter.

Also, can you tell me if the house batteries (I know we have 2) are maintenance free?
Thanks for any and all help.

[groswald]

It should be under the refrigerator near the furnace - really close to the fuse/distribution panel.

Thor uses a WFCO™ #8945 converter/charger. The reviews and experiences I've found online are mixed, leaning toward poor. While it's supposed to be a multi-stage charger there are a lot of reports of it not moving propery between the stages resulting in dead or cooked batteries. Based on the reviews I've decided not to leave our Axis plugged in while in storage.

It seems that the Progressive Dynamics Model #PD4645V is viewed as a great replacement. It is not an inverter/charger though. Just a straight converter/charger.

None of the batteries in our Axis (house or chassis) are maintenance-free. Install these to make it easy to add water.

Flow-Rite MP2000 Qwik-Fill 2 Battery Kit

Be sure to get the version for 12-volt batteries, not the set for paired 6 volt units. There are single battery sets available for the chassis battery too.

Regards,

Randy

[jazzfest]

Thanks. We can't wait to start exploring this rig.

[Happily Retired]

Well, duhh!

Thanks for sharing the tip regarding the battery refill aid. Wish I'd thought to look into this matter years ago while I kept up the coach batteries of our 2001 Thor Infinity. They were quite inconvenient to either check or refill.

The Axis with its 'under-step' battery location is a bit 'friendlier', but I really like the potential for simply plugging-in the distribution fingers & pumping water 'till all is as it should be.

Please explain: are you leaving most of the system plugged into the battery fill holes all the time, or do you only plug it in only during battery maintenance?
Also, have you looked at several different products & find this one the easiest to use?

Thanks for the heads up!!

[groswald]

Happily,

Yep. The Yellow bits and associated tubing permanently replace the original battery caps. There's a one-way valve on the end of the fill hose that plugs into the pump when you need to add water. The tubing is flexible enough that freezing isn't an issue.

I'll have to remove the forward coach battery to add water or install the Pro-Fill. Once installed I can slide the battery back in and will be able to easily top it up.

Randy

[FW28z]

I bought one of the Quik-Fill kits recently to install next spring. The coach batteries are nearly 5yr old, so I plan on replacing them this year.

Since I am going to all of that trouble, I thought I'd do a little corrosion control (repainting the areas around the batteries), install the Quik-Fill kit, etc. I'm also looking at installing a battery connection kit for a portable solar panel.

Last year, it was a real pain to remove the fill caps on the outside end of each batteries, as they were partially under the edge of the step.

I think I paid around $70 for the fill kit for two batteries and the pump (they don't include the pump with the kit).

[Larry]

Sounds quite convenient and less trouble but I have a dumb question; how do you know when you've added enough water?

[groswald]

You just squeeze the bulb until you feel resistance, then stop. I think the yellow bits have float-valves that close when the water in a cell reaches the correct point. You can't over-fill, unless you really try!

Randy

[sikoriko]

I hear you jazzfest its going to be a cold night here. 58*

[Larry]

Thanks Randy! Think I'm sold.

[jazzfest]

Originally Posted by sikoriko

I hear you jazzfest its going to be a cold night here. 58*

Ha! We broke a record here. It was -8 this morning. But it's supposed to be in the 20's tomorrow. Yay!

[Happily Retired]

Randy,
Thanks again for the tip on the Flow Rite MP 2000 battery water maintenance kit. Got ours installed today, and it works great!!! Could have used this years ago!!
Rob

[groswald]

Glad to hear it. We're taking our first trip this year at the end of April so I'll be pulling it out of storage this weekend. Getting/installing the Pro-Fill on the coach batteries is on the to-do list.

Randy