Community Forums

Waggin Wagon · 01-21-2012, 12:12 PM

I'm a brand new RV'er so please forgive me for my ignorance. I picked up my 2001 DutchStar 3 weeks ago and put it into storage at an outside facility. I know, indoors & heated would have been much better but this late in the season it was hard to find. I've been going out on a weekly basis to start the engine, let it run, shut it down then start the generator, put a load on it and let it run for a couple hours. Last week the temps were in the low teens and the engine would not start. I hit battery boost, no go. Thought for sure if the batteries had lost some juice due to the cold running the genny would solve the problem. No go. There is a block heater switch on my panel BUT I don't have any shore power where I am located. My question is: If I can find the outlet the block heater plugs into can I run the genny for power while the block is heating? Also, I fueled up when I picked it up January 4, 80 gallons. Diesel should have been winter blend by then I think. I'm located in Illinois.

Thanks for your help everyone.
Julie

Lug_Nut · 01-21-2012, 12:16 PM

Your block heater will operate off the genset, Make sure it is plugged in and that the "Block Heater" marked switch in the coach is enabled.

Peter

"007" · 01-21-2012, 04:51 PM

Welcome to irv2.
If you have no shore power, at least 110, so you can plug in the coach for the BIRD System to be able to maintain your batteries for a full charge.
If your batteries have lost their charge you should use a stand alone battery charger, which will charge them faster than using Gen and converter in coach, so you can get batteries once again fully charged.
If you can not find the 110 power you may have to remove batteries so they do not freeze and charge at home.
If it comes to that make sure you take pictures of your battery cable hook ups for when you reinstall them.
The Gen needs battery power either from your house or chassis batteries to start.
If you have a stand alone charged battery you may get it started but I would still use a stand alone 12V battery charger to get batteries fully charged.
Sorry you have this problem once batteries discharge its some work to get things normal again.
Have a friend with same situation but he's in a parking lot, you maybe able to find a outlet.
You can use Sta-bil in tank for diesel fuel while in storage.

Wizard · 01-21-2012, 05:05 PM

I would add that starting the engine weekly and letting it run may be doing more harm that good. Especially if you're not driving it around and really heating everything up, specially the tranny.

One of the charger starters you can buy at any auto parts stores may be able to help. When you do run it, be sure its long enough to fully charge the batteries. Most motorhomes will draw some current while sitting, so the batteries are already down some.

Ernie Ekberg · 01-21-2012, 05:12 PM

Your block heater is your engines' best friend in cold temps. If you don't get the engine, tranny, genny up to operating temps, you might as well, disconnect the batteries and leave coach alone. Add some Power Service diesel treatment to your tank. This helps a lot in cold temps.

Pusherman · 01-21-2012, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wizard

I would add that starting the engine weekly and letting it run may be doing more harm that good. Especially if you're not driving it around and really heating everything up, specially the tranny.

I totally agree with Wizard. Starting it w/o driving does not heat up the transmission, and condensation may occur, which is probably worse than running the engine at idle. You're better off not running the diesel engine until you're able to drive it for about 30+ miles which should thoroughly heat everything up - engine and tranny - getting all the moisture out of the system.

I do think running the generator periodically with a load is a good idea.

Now, here's a tip to get your diesel started in cold weather if you don't have the ability to warm the block with the engine block heater:

Cycle the pre-heat start system 3-4X before trying to start. To do this turn the key 'on' allowing the 'wait-to-start' light to fully cycle, waiting until the the light turns off. Turn the key back off before cranking the engine, and repeat this cycle 3-4 times. It will start much easier this way, as you're warming the engine intake air system.

Mr_D · 01-21-2012, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waggin Wagon

I'm a brand new RV'er so please forgive me for my ignorance. I picked up my 2001 DutchStar 3 weeks ago and put it into storage at an outside facility. I know, indoors & heated would have been much better but this late in the season it was hard to find. I've been going out on a weekly basis to start the engine, let it run, shut it down then start the generator, put a load on it and let it run for a couple hours. Last week the temps were in the low teens and the engine would not start. I hit battery boost, no go. Thought for sure if the batteries had lost some juice due to the cold running the genny would solve the problem. No go. There is a block heater switch on my panel BUT I don't have any shore power where I am located. My question is: If I can find the outlet the block heater plugs into can I run the genny for power while the block is heating? Also, I fueled up when I picked it up January 4, 80 gallons. Diesel should have been winter blend by then I think. I'm located in Illinois.

Thanks for your help everyone.
Julie

According to Cummins you should not start the engine UNLESS you're going to drive it for 30 min or long enough to bring it up to operating temp. Letting it idle does not get it hot enough, you're doing more harm than good

"007" · 01-22-2012, 04:51 AM

Right now I'd say Julie has a bigger problem she has no battery power to get her coach started.
What would you DP owners do in same situation?
Portable generator possibly!!!
I find that with the battery bank sizes DP owners have if you can not keep the shore line plugged in for power to your converter, to keep the battery banks charged, while in storage how do you manage that.
My friend with dead batteries has Solar panels which I thought were to keep his batteries charged, something has gone wrong some place.

Most DP owner on the forum are on the move to different places and plugged in at the camp grounds, if you have to store coach and no power at storage facility what do you have to do so your batteries are able to start your coach in a couple of months.

JimM68 · 01-22-2012, 06:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by "007"

What would you DP owners do in same situation?

Most likely, the damage has been done. Discharged batteries left outside in our northern illinois climate will freeze. Freezing will damge / break the plates inside the battery, and then it is done.

Take the batteries out of the motohome, all of them. Bring them somewhere warm, heated garage or basement. Let them sit for 3-4 days to thaw out, then put a charger on them. Keep your fingers crossed.

It kills me, but my rig is sitting cold and dead in a storage lot. I drive by and see her everyday on the way to work. Back in the beginning of November I put some deisel stabilizer in the tank, filled her with fuel and drove (with the genny running) for half an hour.
Then I parked her, pulled all the batteries out, put the tire covers on, and walked away.

She will sit there cold and dead until mid April, nearly 4 more months.

Elkhartjim · 01-22-2012, 06:25 AM

It appears everyone is assuming the batteries are dead...I've read the OP three times and she says "the engine would not start. I hit battery boost, no go. Thought for sure if the batteries had lost some juice due to the cold running the genny would solve the problem. No go."

Does "no go" mean the batteries are dead or the engine and genset turns over but won't start?

Also...idling, even at high idle is not good for your diesel engine. Thats also why you should put a 50% load on the genset when exercising it.

Waggin Wagon · 01-22-2012, 07:50 AM

Hi Everyone. There has been a ton of information graciously given and I am very grateful. I already have a stand-alone battery charger, Black&Decker Electromate 400, fully charged. I also have a solar panel that came with the coach but no one at the dealership seemed to know what exactly it was for. I'm wondering if it was to supply a small trickle charge to the batteries and somehow was disconnected. Sure wish I could talk to the gentleman who sold this coach. He took fabulous care of this baby and would know what the solar panel is for. I'm going to run out there today and see if the batteries will jump start. Jump or not I'll pull them, bring them home and put them in the basement.

Also, never having had an RV before, could someone tell me what a B.I.R.D is? The dealership didn't mention it. <sigh> It was also the dealership that told me to run the engine once a month, told me to pull two of the negative cables for the winter and not to worry about the batteries. I'm beginning to get more than a little miffed as I write this. Thank goodness for this forum and and the wonderful people who contribute.
Julie

dougburi · 01-22-2012, 08:11 AM

Just to add to what others have said: Cummins "officially" does not recommend running the engine unless you are going to use the motorhome. Save yourself the trouble of starting it every so often.

If you run the gen set to exercise it, put it under at least a 50% load for at least a half hour or so.

I store for 3-4 months at a time without any shore power available. The solar panel (110 watts) on the roof keeps the batteries (both chassis and house) at 13.5 volts
without problems. Charging during storage was my primary reason for putting solar panels on the motorhome. The only thing I do during storage is check for mice!

The small solar panel (5 watts) that is on the roof; it's about 5 x 10 inches, only acts to "freshen" the chassis batteries - what that means I'm not sure, but it doesn't do any real charging to speak of.

Advice from "dealerships" no matter how good the advice sounds should be suspect - contact the manufacturer, Cummins in this case, for the best advice. They built it; they know how it works.

Wizard · 01-22-2012, 09:57 AM

Julie, my coach is a Winnebago that has a 10 Watt solar panel on the roof, it charges the coach batteries, not the chassis batteries. It helps some when the coach is just sitting not being used. There is a red LED on the monitor panel that tells me when it is charging. Yours may be different but I don't think so.

Can't help with BIRD, I've heard of them but don't have one.

"007" · 01-22-2012, 01:02 PM

Hi Julie, the small solar panel on most Newmars is for the chassis batteries its to make up for the parasite loads that maybe off your chassis batteries, radio,GPS, step control board and some LP detectors. The solar panel will have a RED Led light on dash lit when its charging.
The Bird System is in most coach's and it controls the charging of all your batteries both chassis and house.
The thread link will explain the operation and location of yours in a DP plus diagrams of system.
This is a picture of BIRD in gas coach your will be similar but different model number for DP.
You may have to do what dougburi does in post #12 to save your batteries.
Mark and take pictures of cable hookups so its easier to hook up in spring.
In the Quick Tips & Mods link there is more information on all of this.