Community Forums

dennis45 · 09-12-2015, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue46

We are new to MH and toad towing. The toad is a Honda CRV. We have installed everything, including the charge line but our battery after 2 days of towing is dead. DH checked everything out(electrical engineer) and it looks fine. Ended up buying a new battery since this one may have died a natural death. It was OEM and 3 years old but there was no place on the battery that had a date.

The only question we have is how much charge should be coming through the charge line from the MH? It is a small wire so not much but we can't find any documentation on this. Anyone know?

We are using a Ready Brute Elite as our braking system.

I want to get an additional solar charger just to be sure.

Too bad you didn't see this before you replaced your battery. The problem with the CRV battery is that it is grossly undersized. See attached thread.
As a side note, the 2015 CRV has the group 24 battery as standard.

http://www.irv2.com/forums/f85/dead-...rv-231836.html

dennis45 · 09-12-2015, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim T.

We've towed a Dodge Caravan for years without encountering any issues discharging its battery until recently. The battery tests ok (about 2 yrs. old.), terminals clean & tight and takes a recharge normally. Radio, lights, fans & AC off. Switch is ON to unlock steering wheel, transmission in neutral. Umbilical cord attached, lube pump running. Always done it this way. Nothing has changed, but now the battery discharges after 5 hours or so. Any ideas?

I have a solar panel that I can place on dash. Can I backfeed it through accessory plug or do I need to run wires straight to battery?

Jim & Shirley & Abbie (Scottie)
2013 Newmar Canyon Star 3911
2005 Dodge Grand Caravan Toad

If you have been towing with no problems all this time, before you make any changes, try to think of what is different, what has changed?
Do you have a charge line from the coach to the toad. Usually this line will have at fuse at each end. Locate the fuses and check them.

Sue46 · 09-12-2015, 12:30 PM

Dennis and Carol,

Yes, wish I had seen that but never thought of that as a problem. Have made note of it for next time.

Thanks

nkgunner · 09-13-2015, 05:06 AM

Hi,

The fuse is really way under the dash and not something I wanted to pull every trip. The Fuse master "REPLACES" the existing fuse. No need to do anything after installed.
We also had the charge line installed when we had the AirForce bracking system done. It still discharged the battery until we purchased the Fuse Master and installed it.

2005 Country Coach Allure 430
2012 Honda CRV Toad

Bigd9 · 09-13-2015, 05:20 AM

If there was a properly installed and working "charge line" and the toad battery is still going dead, something is seriously wrong.

dennis45 · 09-13-2015, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bigd9

If there was a properly installed and working "charge line" and the toad battery is still going dead, something is seriously wrong.

Yes, you are right.
After I installed a Real Group 24 Battery instead of the Lawn Tractor Group 51 Battery, I have not had a dead battery even after towing for two days and only starting the car in the morning for a few minutes to lube the transmission.
As I indicated before, the new CRV (which unfortunately is no longer towable) comes with the Group 24 battery as standard. I guess the Honda Service Department finally got tired of fielding all the Dead Battery complaints and decided to fix the problem.

Funny part was, when I went to the parts counter to buy the larger battery box, the partsman was aware and knew exactly what I was looking for. Under $20 for the two parts and the cost of a new 900+ CCA battery (as opposed to the 400 CCA standard battery) and no more trouble.

And, I do not pull Any fuses.

Sue46 · 09-13-2015, 11:38 AM

Now that we know what we are looking at, the battery problem is all over the internet. Problem is, whoever thinks it is going to be a weak battery as OEM, especially since Honda says it can be towed.
.
We researched what we chose extensively, asked lots of questions. Neer thought to ask if th battery was a problem, who would!!!!!!!!!!!!

dennis45 · 09-13-2015, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sue46

Now that we know what we are looking at, the battery problem is all over the internet. Problem is, whoever thinks it is going to be a weak battery as OEM, especially since Honda says it can be towed.
.
We researched what we chose extensively, asked lots of questions. Neer thought to ask if th battery was a problem, who would!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hear you. I had mine in to Honda a couple times to have the charging system and battery tested and each time was told all was good.

For me the last straw was stopping to fill with gas and happened to leave the lights on. In the time it took to complete the transaction, the battery was Stone Dead. That is when I decided to turf the OEM battery.

I think Honda was aware of this problem for years but choose not to fix it. At one point when I took mine in, they said they did a software change to the charging system which tells me they knew of the problem.
Anyway, for about $200 the problem is solved and the rest of the car performs to my expectations so for me, it's not a big deal other than the initial frustration.