Community Forums

empty_nest · 09-14-2018, 07:09 AM

While plugged into shore power, shouldn't the chassis battery be charging? Or, is it just the house batteries? My chassis battery will go dead after a couple weeks of not being used. Something is definitely drawing power, but I thought it was staying charged by being plugged into shore power.

TJDave · 09-14-2018, 07:18 AM

I would think the chassis battery should charge while plugged in. I've never had mine die yet.
On our HR, the radio and the steps run off the chassis battery.

F76Marion · 09-14-2018, 08:12 AM

The simple fact is that very few coaches are built with any system to charge the chassis (main engine) battery(s) from shore power. This is a situation that can easily be corrected with the addition of small an inexpensive devices made for the purpose.

There are more than a few but comes to me first is "Trikl-Start" or something like that.

Frank

Gary RVRoamer · 09-14-2018, 08:15 AM

Fleetwood and National RV coaches have always charged the chassis battery from shore power, but many other brands did not. Winnebago did not for many years, but made the change for diesel coaches about 8 years ago and then for gas Class A coaches a few years later. I don't know the specifics for other brands and models.

From what I read, some brands do it for Class A but not class C.

Kiawah · 09-14-2018, 08:17 AM

My coach has a chassis charger, don't know about your coach/year/model.

Easy way to check, is to have coach disconnected and at rest for an hour (so batteries lose any surface charge). Now put a digital voltmeter on your chassis battery bank, and record the voltage. I would expect it to be something like 12.5 volts.

Now plug into shorepower, and monitor it's voltage. If there is a charger, you'll see a voltage that is about 1 volt higher than the batteries at rest charge. For instance, it would go to 13.5 ish.

If you don't have one, you can use something like a battery minder, which uses 120vac and puts about an amp charge to the chassis batteries. Others use an amp-l-start, which steals power from your house battery (which is getting charged by your regular charger), and keeps the chassis batteries up. It's easy to install if you put it right at your charge solenoid where heavy battery cables from both of the battery banks already comes together at the solenoid.

Yellowboat · 09-14-2018, 11:12 AM

I have a 2016 Winnebago Sightseer. It didn't come with a device to charge my chassis battery when plugged into shore power. I added a Trik-L-Start. Trik-L-Start will charge the chassis battery by sending a charge to the chassis battery. It will not drain house batteries.

Some newer higher end Winnebago products will come with a Trik-L-Start factory installed

It is easy to install and costs about $50,00.

Ultra TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer

Safe travels. JD

Skip426 · 09-14-2018, 11:24 AM

A two week draw down on chassis batteries , I'd consider normal, so just a matter of setting up your coach to maintain charge while plugged in.

Memory draws on the chassis battery include .
Engine & trans control modules , dash radio and others .

rrtribble · 09-14-2018, 12:22 PM

My 07 Meridian 34H, which is still new to me, has set for 3 weeks and chassis battery has dropped from 12.7 to 12.4v which I feel is exceptional.

I've not kept my DP plugged in during this time but just did as I'm bringing everything up to full charge before going out next week. I have a Trik-L unit under the front cover which I was told provides charge to chassis batteries.

You may want to charge your batteries up to full and then shut them off using the shut off switch. If no switch disconnect ground cable from battery which would save batteries from draining.

Have a great day - Richard

Arch Hoagland · 09-14-2018, 12:44 PM

https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20108.../dp/B002OWFLC4

I guarantee it won't drain if you put one of these in.

empty_nest · 09-16-2018, 01:21 PM

Just returned from a weekend trip and everything was fine. I do have a battery minder, so now that the coach will be sitting a while again, I'll use that to keep the chassis battery topped off. Since I'm plugged into shore power, I have 110V inside the coach and can just plug the battery minder in there. That should work out ok.

awol50 · 09-17-2018, 10:36 PM

My old 2000 Fleetwood gasser had no chassis battery charger. Just buy a 1-3 amp automatic trickle charger.

marjoa · 09-18-2018, 05:55 AM

I've installed a Amp-L-Start.

It's a simple device that I mounted in my batt bay and it is wired from house batts then to the Chassis batts. As shore power chargers my house batts, the Amp-L-Start "steals" a little of the house power and keeps the chassis battery topped off.