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tjshively · 03-22-2013, 04:05 PM

The chassis batteries on my 2005 Alpine Coach discharge (down to 5 VDC ) after 4 days of being parked and plugged into shore power.

The House Batteries stay OK at 13.6 VDC.

This only happens some of the time - not everytime.

I put a knife switch on the positive terminal of the chassis batteries and I now disconnect them when I park and plug into shsore power. I have also been hooking up a battery charger to the chassis batteries. This solves the problem but I don't know what the problem is.

I am looking for ideas as to why they discharge even when connected to shore power.

geno39 · 03-22-2013, 04:16 PM

Do the batteries discharge with the knife switch open? If so, then you have a shorted cell in the batteries somewhere. Time to replace the batteries.

bruceisla · 03-22-2013, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjshively

The chassis batteries on my 2005 Alpine Coach discharge (down to 5 VDC ) after 4 days of being parked and plugged into shore power.

The House Batteries stay OK at 13.6 VDC.

This only happens some of the time - not everytime.

I put a knife switch on the positive terminal of the chassis batteries and I now disconnect them when I park and plug into shsore power. I have also been hooking up a battery charger to the chassis batteries. This solves the problem but I don't know what the problem is.

I am looking for ideas as to why they discharge even when connected to shore power.

It's not clear whether you are saying the chassis bats run down when on shore power or whether they run down both on shore power AND when idle (sitting and not on shore power). Can you clarify? In other words, is the condition related to use of shore power?

bcbowers · 03-22-2013, 06:00 PM

TJ, doesn't your year of coach still employ an Echo Charger; or does it use that charge relay? It seems that if your house batts are staying charged then the Inverter/Charger must be working OK but it puts put a "single 12V source to the house batts (I think). An Echo Charger or the charge relay is required to share the source with the chassis batts.

You probably need to use a clamp-on amp meter to determine the amount of drain (assuming there MUST be a drain on those batts). I would try disconnecting the hot leads for the chassis batts and then add one cable at a time to determine which drain is causing a problem. I would connect the Echo Charger or charge relay cable up first to determine if those are being charged as designed and then connect other hot cables one at a time.

tinytom · 03-22-2013, 07:07 PM

2005 uses charge relay. Sounds like it may be failing intermittently

tjshively · 03-22-2013, 07:32 PM

The batteries are brand NEW. The Do-Not discharge with the knife switch open.
Thanks for the reply.

bruceisla · 03-23-2013, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjshively

The batteries are brand NEW. The Do-Not discharge with the knife switch open.
Thanks for the reply.

Do they discharge in 4 days with the knife switch CLOSED and RV NOT plugged into shore and engine NOT running?

Free2Go · 04-18-2013, 01:03 AM

TJ,
Sounds similar to what I'm experiencing with my 2005. I also changed the chassis batteries and then managed to let them go dead while in storage on shore power. The solenoid in the box above your batteries only charges the chassis batteries if the Vansco is on (chassis battery switch on). When plugged into shore power, once the house batteries hit 13.4 v (read on Zantrax with charger off) the Vansco #19 lights up and the solenoid is activated pushing 1-2 amps of power to the chassis batteries (more if I turn off the refergerator). If the house batteries fall below 12.9 v, the Vansco turns off the solenoid and quits charging the chassis batteries. In the past I didn't need to leave my chassis switch on (and vansco unit) and didn't have issues with my chassis battery charge, but I've got power being pulled from my chassis batteries somewhere.
I'd unplug from shore power and let your house batteries draw down to 12.5v or so, then plug in shore power with your chassis battery switch on and watch the vansco unit...if #19 doesn't light up and you can't hear the solenoid popping on, then it's your solenoid that is bad. My coach has a cole hersee, but not sure if it's original.
Steve
2005 40' FDTS