Chassis Battery Charging (Dynasty, 2001)

[Sepisllib]

I have suddenly begin to have "Chassis" battery charge issues. Last fall I replaced the batteries because they were old and dead. Now I found them dead.

I understood the inverter kept them charged up when plugged in (and my coach is always plugged in). But it did not do it.

Have not tried to chase it out - too cold out - but does the inverter provide a constant charge to the "Chassis" batteries? If so I must have a blown fuse or breaker or something along that line and I will start there.

Appreciate input and knowledge.

God Bless

Bill

[Thorp]

If you don't have a battery maintainer for the chassis battery, the inverter/converter usually only charges the house batteries. What model inverter do you have?

[walt2137]

Bill your coach came with a Lambert Chassis battery charger I suspect it died I will post the test procedure and a link to a replacement as the Lambert is no longer available.

Echo-Charge Battery Charger

PROCEDURE FOR TESTING THE MODEL LE-415 SUPER Keep-It-Up BATTERY MAINTAINER


April, 99
General


The Model LE-415 has two operating states: Active and Inactive. The state is indicated by the green LED: ON when Active, OFF when Inactive.

When in the Inactive state (green LED of off) the LE-415 is idling and it neither charges nor discharges the Chassis (engine) battery. The LE-415 becomes inactive while dry camping (i.e. when the coach is not plugged into shore power and the generator is not running). This keeps the coach battery from being drained into a defective chassis battery (with a dead cell, for example).

When in the Active state (green LED is on), the LE-415 passes current from the Inverter (Converter) to the Chassis battery keeping it charged. The LE-415 becomes active whenever the Inverter (Converter) is powered up (i.e. the coach is plugged into shore power, or the generator is running). The green LED is located next to the Negative terminal.

The LE-415 uses the Coach (house) battery voltage to indicate whether the Inverter (Converter) is powered up. When the Coach battery voltage exceeds 13.5 volts, the LE-415 becomes active, and remains active until the coach battery voltage drops to 12.8 volts.

The LE-415 will not pass current from the Chassis battery to the Coach battery under any circumstances.
Testing the LE-415 is a simple procedure comprising two parts: (a) does the unit become Active at the proper voltage?, (b) does the unit conduct current properly?


In-Vehicle Testing


Tools needed: (a) digital voltmeter, (b) 12V. test lamp.

1. Disconnect the coach from shore power, and kill the engine.
2. Disconnect the wire from the Chassis battery terminal of the LE-415.
3. Connect a 12V. test lamp between the Chassis battery terminal of the LE-415 and chassis ground.
4. Connect a digital voltmeter between the Coach battery terminal of the LE-415 and the Negative terminal of the LE-415.
5. Observe the green LED. If it is OFF, go to step #7.
6. If the green LED is ON, turn on some interior lights to drain the Coach battery until the green LED goes OFF.
7. Connect the coach to shore power and read the digital voltmeter. If it reads 13.5 volts or higher, the green LED should be ON. If it is not ON, the LE-415 should be replaced.
8. If the digital voltmeter reads less than 13.5 volts, start the engine and run it for a few seconds. The charging current from the engine's generator will raise the voltage above 13.5 volts and turn the Model LE-415 ON. If the digital voltmeter reads 13.5 volts or higher, the green LED should be ON. If it is not ON, the LE-415 should be replaced.
9. Whenever the green LED is ON, the 12 V. test lamp should light. If it doesn't, the LE-415 should be replaced
   
   

[Sepisllib]

Wow!

Thank you so much for the information, however I have not clue where the Lambert Chassis battery charger is located within my coach. I thought I knew where nearly everything was in my coach by now - but...

I have two electrical boxes in rear engine compartment, one left side and one right side. The left side has numerous 12 volt relays in it and the right side appears to be the heavy duty wired in systems..... is it in there???

I did get a reply from Monaco and they thought it probably was the "Maintainer" and said it was in the panel...

Thank you again.

God Bless

Merry Christmas

Bill

[walt2137]

The lambert should be in the last compartment on the passenger side, about the middle bottom It is a LE 415 and this is what it looks like
Lambert Enterprises Inc.

[InfinityJim]

I recommend Magnum’s ME-SBC http://www.magnumenergy.com/Products/productsBatteryMonitor-Combiner.htm

Essentially the same as Xantrex’s but this one has setting that can be adjusted as needed....

[DBeauchamp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sepisllib Have not tried to chase it out - too cold out - but

If it's freezing weather you should find an alternate means of charging your batteries to keep them from freezing. If they freeze they crack and leak...

[Sepisllib]

Quote:

Originally Posted by walt2137 The lambert should be in the last compartment on the passenger side, about the middle bottom It is a LE 415 and this is what it looks like Lambert Enterprises Inc.

The last compartment on passenger side is my "battery" compartment. If it is in there I have missed it.

Could it be in the rear engine compartment inside the box on right side? I have not looked at it since posting this, too cold out to do much.

In answer to another post - yes, I have a 4 amp charger hooked up onto the batteries at present time.

God Bless

Bill

[TDiGuy]

If it is too cold to work on, you might try hitting the aux power button and running the engine for an hour or so to charge up... Might get you to morning so your batteries dont freeze... just a thought...
Look for a draw down load... I found that my Cd changer and radio put
a load on... I now flip the switch i found by the cd changer marked radio.
My Heart is suppose to charge both banks but it seems to go into trickle mode
and flipping the radio switch has helped... I have to reset the clock on the radio as it turns it off.. good luck..

[walt2137]

Quote:

Originally Posted by InfinityJim I recommend Magnum’s ME-SBC http://www.magnumenergy.com/Products/productsBatteryMonitor-Combiner.htm Essentially the same as Xantrex’s but this one has setting that can be adjusted as needed....

Jim you are right,I like that and about the same price
http://www.inverterservicecenter.com/Magnum-ME-SBC

[walt2137]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sepisllib The last compartment on passenger side is my "battery" compartment. If it is in there I have missed it. Could it be in the rear engine compartment inside the box on right side? I have not looked at it since posting this, too cold out to do much. In answer to another post - yes, I have a 4 amp charger hooked up onto the batteries at present time. God Bless Bill

Bill that is where it is on our 2000 dyn, my mistake on the 01 it is in the box to the right in the rear engine bay the one with the plexiglass cover , the Lambert should have a green tint in the box right under the rear start switch

[Sepisllib]

Yes - I know that there are a few things the "chassis" battery powers all the time. One is the dash radio system, another is my Gramin (if I have it plugged in), another is the LP detector. Plus my front slide is powered by the chassis battery along with the driver and passenger front power seats. Unsure of how much other stuff.

At any rate - I must actually "locate" the thing before I can do much more. My battery compartment is open to the elements and I would think it is not in there, however it may be - I will look carefully.

I am inclined to think it located in my right side engine compartment electrical box - that has the heavy duty cabling and etc there. The box is protected by a plexiglass cover and schematic on it too - will take a look tomorrow.

In meantime - I have my multi charger on it - the most it will charge is 6 amps however it presently goes into fault mode when set for 6 amps - but is charging good at 4 amps. Overnight should help the two heavy duties in there.

Guess I cannot complain - the coach is a 2001 and that means everything in it is now at least 10 years old and counting. I have had to replace numerous things thus far - latest one was my fridge and I opted to install a residential in place of the Norcold 1200. Love it.

I will repost after I get a chance to get out there.

God Bless

Bill

[walt2137]

Bill be sure to test the Lambert before you junk it, they are really the best out there to bad we cant replace them.

[Sepisllib]

I certainly will - quite often there are issues with wiring and/or other harness problems that are hidden.

I stumbled across the problem with my slide because of such issues and that was a couple years ago. When I bought the coach (4 years ago nearly now) I always never knew whether or not the front slide would work upon arrival at my destination.

After checking and rechecking everything I could think of, calls to Monaco, and such one day I was examining my engine compartment left electrical panel. I noticed the relays there and begin to check them. The push on spades were so loose they were nearly falling off. I spent the time to remove each and every one of the spades and crimped them tighter ----- no more slide issues after that.

On another note - I likely replaced the chassis batteries prematurely last fall when I found them dead. They were, however, nearly 7 years old so I don't feel too badly about doing it.

My house batteries are the Lifeline AGM units and they are now nearing 5 years old.

I will post later - after I check out that panel.

Thank you - Merry Christmas

God Bless

Bill