Grand Design Imagine, Owner'S Manual

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Electrical Systems
For accuracy, test the auxiliary battery voltage using a volt-
ohm meter. A fully charged auxiliary battery will read 12.7
volts DC and 1.265 specific gravity at 80°F (32°C). The auxil-
iary battery is considered discharged at 11.8 volts, and dead
at 11.65 volts. When voltage drops below those levels, perma-
nent damage may occur. Typically, a deep cycle battery has
an amp-hour rating of 75-100 amps.
If the furnace and refrigerator are operating simultaneously,
approximately (12.0 + 3.0) 15.0 amps per hour are used. This
does not include any 12-volt lights, water pump or any other
12-volt component.
If the furnace and refrigerator in the above example operated
constantly, a 75 amp-hour battery would become fully dis-
charged in 5 hours (75ah /15a = 5h).
The auxiliary battery should be installed in parallel with the
battery in your tow vehicle. When the 7-way trailer plug is
connected, both batteries power the RV so it is important not
to discharge your tow vehicle battery below the level required
to start the engine. To prevent this from occurring, disconnect
the 7-way trailer plug or install a battery isolator. When the
tow vehicle engine is operating with the RV connected, the
tow vehicle charging system will charge both batteries.
Replacement and maintenance
Some equipment in your RV will draw small amounts of cur-
rent even when turned OFF. To prevent the auxiliary battery
from being discharged when your RV is not connected to
shore line power, disconnect the auxiliary battery negative ca-
ble at the battery. During storage, it is important to check the
voltage monthly and recharge the auxiliary battery as needed.
If you remove the auxiliary battery from your RV, store it in a
dry, cool area per the manufacturer’s instructions.
When it is time to replace the auxiliary battery, replace it with
a Group 24 or Group 27 deep cycle battery only. Contact the
battery manufacturer for further information. Do not reverse
the positive and negative battery cables (doing so will blow
the reverse polarity fuse(s) that protect the converter).
12-VOLT FUSE PANEL
The 12-volt fuse panel is labeled to indicate fuse sizes, po-
sitions and the components powered. At the beginning of
camping season, inspect all the 12-volt fuses and replace as
needed.