Battery Charging; Selecting A Replacement Battery; Solar Panel; 120-Volt System - Fleetwood Flair Owner's Manual

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To clean the battery, wash it with a diluted solution of
baking soda and water to neutralize any acid present,
then flush with clean water. Foaming around terminals
or on top of the battery is normal acid neutralization.
Avoid getting the soda solution in the battery. Be sure
the vent caps are tight. Dry the cables and terminals.
Don't use grease on the bare metal inside the cable
terminals to prevent corrosion. Grease is an insulator.
Electricity will not flow through it. A plastic ignition spray
will protect the terminals after you have cleaned and
reinstalled them.
Check the battery, including water level, often. Keep the
carrier and hold down hardware clean and free of
corrosion and chemical accumulation.
Battery Charging
Both sets of batteries will be kept charged by the
chassis charging system while on the road. The AC/DC
power converter will charge the coach battery when
plugged into 120-volt service. On those occasions
when the battery needs to be charged from a different
charging source, please follow these safety guidelines:
Leaving a charger connected to a battery for an ex-
tended period of time can shorten battery life.
WARNING
NEVER EXPOSE THE BATIERY TO OPEN
FLAME OR ELECTRIC SPARK. CHEMICAL
ACTION IN THE BATIERY GENERATES HY-
DROGEN GAS WHICH IS FLAMMABLE AND
EXPLOSIVE. DO NOT ALLOW BATIERY
ELECTROLYTE (ACID) TO CONTACT SKIN,
EYES, FABRICS, OR PAINTED SURFACES.
Do not smoke near batteries being charged or
which have been recently charged. Please
note that batteries are being charged while
you drive, and while you are connected to 120-
volt power through the converter/charger cir-
cuit.
Do not break live circuits at the terminals of the
battery. Use care when connecting or discon-
necting booster leads or cables. These ac-
tions, and poor connections, are. a common
cause of electrical arcs which can cause ex-
plosion.
Check and adjustthe electrolyte level. before charg-
ing. Fill each cell to the indicator with distilled
water.
Always remove vent caps before charging the
battery.
Do not charge the battery at a rate that causes the
electrolyte to spew out.
Selecting a Replacement Battery
When the battery requires replacement, always choose
a battery with the same physical and electrical charac-
teristics as the original equipment. Your dealer or an
authorized Fleetwood Service Center can advise you
on proper battery selection.
SOLAR PANEL
(Optional)
The solar charging panel installed on the roof of your
motor home is designed to "trickle-charge" your battery
system. It is not intended to be a fast charging or heavy
current electrical source. During periods of clear sky
and bright sun, the solar panel will help keep your
batteries "topped-up." Do not try to operate 12-volt DC
appliances with the output of the solar panel. The solar
monitor, mounted in the front roof air conditioner shroud,
will light up to indicate a trickle-charge.
120-VOLT SYSTEM
This system provides grounded electrical service for
appliances such as air conditioners, TV, microwave
ovens, etc. The 120-volt system also provides a power
source for the converter.
Your motor home is equipped with a heavy duty power
cord to connect to an external 120-volt, 30 amp AC
service. The cord and connector are molded together to
form a weatherproof cable assembly. Do not cut or alter
the cable in any way. Do not remove the ground pin in
the cable connector, or defeat the ground circuit in the
motor home.
WARNING
DO NOT OPERATE THE 120-VOLT ELECTRI-
CAL SYSTEM WITHOUT A PROPER
GROUND. ELECTROCUTION OR SEVERE
ELECTRICAL SHOCK COULD RESULT.
Power Converter
The converter will automatically supply 12-volt power
when your motor home is operating on 120-volt from the
generator or a public utility. It will also charge the coach
battery.
Ground Fault Interrupter
Bathroom, galley and patio 120-volt electrical outlets
are protected by a Ground Fault Interrupter (GFI). This