Community Forums

Garbageman · 10-26-2013, 12:30 AM

I want to clarify that my air horn doesn't "blast" when I start my coach it makes a real short toot. It isn't very load but load enough that I can hear it in the cab and I would say it was no loader than the engine starting up.

Ken, your coach does have air horns that is activated by the electric solenoid.

The inverter/charger only charges the house batteries.
The alternator charges the chassis batteries when the engine is running as will the Onan generator when it is running. If you have a solar panel it will also charge the chassis batteries.

I use a trickle charger to charge the chassis batteries when the coach is in storage or we are stopped for more than 4 days at a park.

Paul

gruelens · 10-26-2013, 01:14 AM

It is very possible phantom loads can kill a chassis battery in 3 weeks. Shore power will keep the house battery charged. If you have a "BIRD" BI-directional Relay Delay system shore power will also keep the chassis battery topped off.

You can check your manual or call the manufacturer to determine if you have a BIRD. Note; BIRDs can fail. If you don't have a BIRD, just disconnect a cable from the chassis battery when parked for an extended time. They make handy little disconnects just for this, or wrench the cable off and on. Or, trouble shoot and eliminate all phantom loads on the chassis side (very tedious and sometimes impossible ).
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Quote:

Originally Posted by GoNuts

OMG! I'm an "assumption victim" - thought I had "air" horns, not electric. Garbageman's post got that straight. Thanks Paul!

I have the same symptoms. Bought this coach used and dealer put in new house and chassis batteries dated 5/12. I've been on shore power most of the time but have had trouble lately getting engine started. Had to call for jump recently after 3 weeks on shore power with nothing else (?) on. Vampires?

Does the inverter/charger keep house AND chassis batteries at float levels?

Tony Lee · 10-26-2013, 05:40 AM

Quote:

One of my favorite mods was adding a TRAIN horn operated by AIR. It is really LOUD.

I'd say we are all ecstatically happy that you are happy. If you ever happen to see a pedestrian raise their pinkie and wiggle it, you will need to have a look at Video "'Speeding. No one thinks big of you' AKA the 'pinkie' campaign

Launched June 2007, NSW Centre for Road Safety (formerly the RTA)
This ad, targeted at young drivers, was intended to make speeding seem 'uncool' and socially unacceptablei. The ad undermines the speeding male character's social status by having the people he's trying to impress laugh at him and do the 'pinkie' signal - a hand sign to suggest that he's lacking in size elsewhere (hence the “no one thinks big of you")!"
so you know what message they are trying to convey.