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Old 12-15-2017, 11:01 AM   #1
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Help with Chassis Battery

Hello All. We have a 2014 Canyon Star 3921 and it was badly damaged during a Hail Storm. Chassis Battery stopped holding charge after the damage and we had the RV repaired and checked at the Newmar Factory. Made it all the way home and found approximately a month after it was plugged into the 50 amp service and stored inside that the chassis battery went dead on us again. The factory replaced the Coach Batteries and told us the Chassis Battery was okay.
We then called our local auto mechanic who agreed to work on the Ford Motor and he found the Chassis Battery was bad. New one installed. Now the same problem is back again. Hooked up on 50 amp inside because we do use it for living quarters and when we tried to start the Coach the battery was dead again.

Looking for some ideas regarding the problem. It was our understanding that when plugged into 50 amp power the Coach Batteries should keep the Chassis Battery charged.
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Old 12-15-2017, 11:09 AM   #2
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Somewhere there is a parasitic drain on the chassis batteries. With everything off and the 50 amp service disconnected, I would get out a voltmeter to see if there is power being drained. If everything is off, the voltmeter should read zero. I would check the chassis batteries and the house batteries side too! I would also check the inverter/converter too.
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Old 12-15-2017, 11:43 AM   #3
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Get a small 1-2 amp battery charge maintainer and hook it up to your chassis battery for the time being to keep it charged. Sounds like your BIRD, if you have one, is not doing it's job.
Happy Glamping.
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Old 12-15-2017, 11:54 AM   #4
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Here's a link to a post that will give you some reading material. Hope you can get the info you need there, some odd stuff, so take it with a grain of salt.
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/dead...ml#post3941624
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Old 12-15-2017, 12:12 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiderwoman View Post
Hello All. We have a 2014 Canyon Star 3921 and it was badly damaged during a Hail Storm. Chassis Battery stopped holding charge after the damage and we had the RV repaired and checked at the Newmar Factory. Made it all the way home and found approximately a month after it was plugged into the 50 amp service and stored inside that the chassis battery went dead on us again. The factory replaced the Coach Batteries and told us the Chassis Battery was okay.
We then called our local auto mechanic who agreed to work on the Ford Motor and he found the Chassis Battery was bad. New one installed. Now the same problem is back again. Hooked up on 50 amp inside because we do use it for living quarters and when we tried to start the Coach the battery was dead again.

Looking for some ideas regarding the problem. It was our understanding that when plugged into 50 amp power the Coach Batteries should keep the Chassis Battery charged.
You are correct in assuming both sets of batteries are charged when plugged into shore power. In addition the same is true when driving and when running the generator. The attached diagram shows how the system is connected. The manuals for the Bird and Disconnect should give you all the information to troubleshoot your problem. To me, since the house batteries are being charged, it sounds like your dead chassis battery problem is BIRD related. All you need to do is find a tech that can follow this info and correct the problem.
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File Type: pdf BIRD Gas Manual.pdf (102.6 KB, 44 views)
File Type: pdf Battery Disconnect Manual.pdf (330.3 KB, 39 views)
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Old 12-15-2017, 04:29 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreamer1086 View Post
Somewhere there is a parasitic drain on the chassis batteries. With everything off and the 50 amp service disconnected, I would get out a voltmeter to see if there is power being drained. If everything is off, the voltmeter should read zero. I would check the chassis batteries and the house batteries side too! I would also check the inverter/converter too.


Check all your under boxes make sure all the lights are off. Do you have an inverter and does it have a remote on and off check to make sure it is off
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Old 12-15-2017, 04:51 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dennis45 View Post
You are correct in assuming both sets of batteries are charged when plugged into shore power. In addition the same is true when driving and when running the generator. The attached diagram shows how the system is connected. The manuals for the Bird and Disconnect should give you all the information to troubleshoot your problem. To me, since the house batteries are being charged, it sounds like your dead chassis battery problem is BIRD related. All you need to do is find a tech that can follow this info and correct the problem.
This post is what you have for your Newmar others are different coach's different systems.
I have to ask you is your battery cut off switch on it needs to be on anytime you are using your coach.
Your batteries will not charge.
While your plugged into 50 amp your converter is charging all your batteries through your BIRD OR B.I.M. System it charges your house batteries first than switchs to charge the chassis battery, if it doesn't you have battery cut off switch off or you may have something wrong with the solenoid which does the switching.
When your driving your Alternator does the charging in reverse, charging your chassis battery first, than switch's to your house batteries.
This is how Newmar charging systems have worked for years they have been in Newmars.

Here is another link with some more detail info on your battery system and shows a more detailed solenoid and a B.I.M. which you may have all components basically work the same.

You should call Newmar for a Newmar tech they recommend in your area.
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Old 12-15-2017, 06:32 PM   #8
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OK someone just posted this thread and his chassis battery would not charge also because the battery cables from chassis and house were reversed on the B.I.M.
So its something to look at before doing anything else and follow the thread link I have given you for further up-dates.

NOT SURE what charging control you have BIRD or new B.I.M. but the same problem may happen to either one I would think, will be notifying Newmar of the problem, maybe a TSB will be issued.
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Old 12-16-2017, 09:53 AM   #9
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THANK YOU ALL!! Just love this forum. My husband is reading thru all the info from all of your posts right now and as soon as we are able to isolate the problem and fix we will repost with the results.

Great Stuff Folks........
Thanks again!

Another question for 2014 Canyon Star 3921 Toyhauler owners. Anyone know what BIRD system is in our Coach?
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Old 12-16-2017, 01:18 PM   #10
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Spiderwoman-

Here's a link to post that may apply. The whole thread may contain useful information for you.

Here's a link to a Google search of iRV2 posts for the phrase "2014 Canyon Star BIRD."
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Old 12-17-2017, 12:41 PM   #11
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Question regarding our Inverter. Yes we do have one and I was not aware that we needed to turn it off when plugged into 50 AMP service. Is that true of all Newmar Canyon Star Models? If so. Will turning it off correct the problem with the charging for the Chassis Battery?
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Old 12-17-2017, 12:53 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiderwoman View Post
Question regarding our Inverter. Yes we do have one and I was not aware that we needed to turn it off when plugged into 50 AMP service. Is that true of all Newmar Canyon Star Models? If so. Will turning it off correct the problem with the charging for the Chassis Battery?
Take a read through this thread which pertains to your problem with the chassis battery.
There is no reason to turn anything off when the system is working correctly.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f103/batt...er-371427.html
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Old 12-17-2017, 01:31 PM   #13
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Had the same problem on our 13 Baystar. Would not keep chassis battery charged while plugged in to shore power. Which it is always keep inside and plugged in at home. So I went and bought a $10 battery cable at Oralleys and connected it from the hot on one of the two house batteries and to the hot on the Ford chassis battery, they sit right beside each other. About a 18 inch cable. Problem fixed. Never a dead battery again. We traded it off about a year later. So good riddance. My bird system probably shot craps, and camper was just out of warranty so I just McGuvored it. But it worked and that’s all that mattered. I just had to keep a eye on house voltage while dry camping or I could run the Ford battery down also, and then not be able to start the Ford, with out jumping from the toad. Or even start the Jenny as all three battery’s would be low. On the plus side I had more reserve with three batteries for the house useage, and all three charged driving down the road, plugged in to shore power or while running the Jenny.
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Old 12-17-2017, 03:31 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spiderwoman View Post
Question regarding our Inverter. Yes we do have one and I was not aware that we needed to turn it off when plugged into 50 AMP service. Is that true of all Newmar Canyon Star Models? If so. Will turning it off correct the problem with the charging for the Chassis Battery?
How big is your inverter and why would you want to shut it down plugged into 50 amp?
If you have a inverter for a refrigerator you need to leave on to supply 110 to your refrigerator or your batteries are going to discharge.
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