Chassis Batteries Discharging

swingover · 07-14-2010, 09:50 AM

Chassis batteries will not hold a charge after running engine for awhile. After turning off engine you can check the battery charge at the volt meter inside the coach and it will read 13.0 volts wait a couple of hours it will read 12.4. The next morning 12.3. What could be causing this drain on the batteries.

2004 Journey 36G

Batman_777 · 07-14-2010, 10:10 AM

It could be the batteries themselves. If you disconnect them, what happens to the voltage drop? How old are the batteries? If they are the orginals from 2004, then they could be manufactured from early 2003 making them close to 8 years old.

swingover · 07-14-2010, 11:37 AM

The batteries are only about 4 months old I replaced them because it was doing the same thing before I replaced them.

Alleyman · 07-14-2010, 04:27 PM

A couple of things come to mind. The LP gas monitor is constant drain, also check your step. I had a similar problem and found my step light stuck and stayed on draining the batteries. Also refer runs a little fan when on and can drain. These little quirks can drive you nuts. Good luck.

smlranger · 07-14-2010, 04:54 PM

It is well known that the Freightliner/Journey has many parasitic drains and will kill the chassis batteries after some days if you don't have them on a trickle charger. I got a little battery minder for my chassis batts and have no problem. I do have a shore line where I store my rig.

Later versions of the Journey came from the factory with a Trickle Charge device that would keep those batteries charged as long as you have the coach connected to shore power.

It does sound like your's are draining a bit more quickly than most have described.

Batman_777 · 07-14-2010, 05:02 PM

I have a solar panel on the roof for a continous charge. But your problem sounds a bit more than just a trickle adjustment. I believe the solar panel is there for the (qty 2) 12v maint free chassis batteries and not the (qty 4) 6v coach (drinks a ton of water) batteries. The inverter charges the coach batteries.

smlranger · 07-15-2010, 06:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Batman_777

I have a solar panel on the roof for a continous charge. But your problem sounds a bit more than just a trickle adjustment. I believe the solar panel is there for the (qty 2) 12v maint free chassis batteries and not the (qty 4) 6v coach (drinks a ton of water) batteries. The inverter charges the coach batteries.

On the Journey (unless Winnebago made a change in his model year), the solar panel only maintains the coach (house) batteries and not the chassis (starting) batteries.

skigramp · 07-15-2010, 02:14 PM

We have a 2004 Journey ... if I set for a month or so without starting my engine my chasiss battery will be down to 12.3 volts ...

My "workaround" is to connect one of the red posts (terminals) on the chassis batteries to one of the red posts on the house batteries for about 4 hours . I use the jumper cables that I carry with me ... I use the red clamp on both end of the jumper cable ... you do not need to connect the other post because they are already connected to a common ground ...

Works for me ...

Some folks use a smaller wire and leave it on longer ... I have been told that you have to remove the smaller wire before starting the engine because the current draw across the two battery banks will be so large that it will probably melt the wire ...