Chassis battery disconnect while in storage…

[jimruffing]

I have a 22 Pace Arrow, it has two switches inthe bottom compartment for shut off, 1 for the house batteries, and 1 for the engine batteries (I am guessing). I do have solar on top. For storage, which of those 2 swithces di I turn off and how do I know which is for house and which for engine? I believe the one sitting under the inverter is connected to it

[Dennis C.]

I just reviewed my owner’s manuals, and it appears that I have the BIM system in my coach. My coach is equipped with the Magnum Energy 2,800W Inverter/Converter and the Magnum Energy remote panel. I looked at the panel display and noted that the house batteries were charging and the chassis batteries were not. In reviewing the guide, I see that this was probably because the chassis batteries were sufficiently charged and BIM was prioritizing the house batteries. Thanks for the information.

[RKins]

I don't think the BIM does anything but combine the two banks based on some scenarios and timers. I don't see the functionality where it doesn't charge the chassis bank.
https://battlebornbatteries.com/wp-c...uick-Guide.pdf

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by RKins

I don't think the BIM does anything but combine the two banks based on some scenarios and timers. I don't see the functionality where it doesn't charge the chassis bank.

https://battlebornbatteries.com/wp-c...uick-Guide.pdf

The BIM charges the chassis battery for 1 hour and then monitors the chassis batteries voltage. If they drop to 12.4, it will charge for another hour.

[Tedj101]

I Note that this discussion revolves around Diesel pusher owners. I have a Bay Star and I am not aware of any chassis battery disconnect switch. While it is in storage, I remove the ground strap to the Chassis battery (which is what Ford recommends). Is there a separate chassis battery disconnect switch on a Bay Star?

Thanks.
<TED>

[Flyer15015]

Since mine is an older coach and stored in our barn for up to 4 months during her winter sleep, I disconnect the hot (+) leads on both the chassis and coach batteries and plug a trickle charger into each set. They both go to a common timer that is set to charge 4 hours per day.
I've used this process since 1976 on all our rigs and it has worked for me.

Your milage may differ.

Mike in Colorado

[CAllingham]

OK, just to add some confusion...

Yesterday, I spoke with Mary the Dutch Star specialist at Newmar about storing my 2022 Dutch Star 4081 for 1-3 days without access to shore power. My indoor storage provider is open M-F 10am-5pm and if I return my coach outside those hours, it will sit outside unplugged for up to 65 hours.

Mary said to turn OFF the main breaker in the electrical panel in the half bath, which powers off the Victron inverter/charger; turn OFF the house battery (salesman) switch at the entry door; and turn OFF the chassis battery switch near the engine compartment.

When pulled inside for storage, my storage provider plugs the coach into 20A 110V service. Mary says the house batteries WILL NOT charge when plugged into that service. She said to leave the chassis battery switch ON so those batteries will charge.

I'm not sure if the part about the house batteries not charging is true. Up until now, I was leaving the inverter/charger ON and turning off loads like refrigerator, microwave, etc at the electrical panel, turning OFF the house battery switch, and leaving the chassis battery switch ON. When I dropped by on a few occasions to check on the coach, the house batteries were never fully charged, but never down to 12.2V, either. It seems like they were getting some level of charge via the inverter/charger while plugged into 20A 110V service.

Can anyone with a recent model Dutch Star make any sense of this for me?

[CWHTRAINS]

I leave my 2022 DS all electric coach with the normal Newmar power management system and a Victron inverter/charger system with eight 6 volt AGM batteries plugged in all year round into a 15 amp outlet. Prior to storing it, I try to have the house and chassis batteries fully charged. I leave the main refrigerator on during the summer months while stored.

In preparation for storing it I do the following:

1. I unplug the Wineguard Satellite TV control box above the driver's seat.

2. I unplug the Direct TV SWM power unit that is located in the storage bay which has the slide out bin.

3. I do not leave the basement refrigerator/freezer on.

4. Make sure all interior coach lights are turned off and KIB backlights are turned off (except the one in the 1/2 bath which can not be turned off).

5. I make sure the Oasis system is turned off on the Oasis unit itself (both the top black push button on the unit itself and the control box on the wall next to it) in addition to it being switched off on the control panel above driver.

6. All A/C units, floor heat, radios, water heater, TV's etc type things are turned off.

7. I leave my inverter turned on to charge/invert status so that all the batteries (house and chassis) get charged and to also invert power in case the 15 amp outlet electric power goes out in the storage space as I want the refrigerator to keep running as we leave food in it all summer long.

8. I make sure my power management control is set to control incoming power at the 15 amp level.

9. If I am going to be parked for an extended period of time (two weeks or more), I unplug the power inputs to the 360 camera system control boxes in the dash so that the cameras do not stay powered on all the time while parked.

Once configured, I typically see a power draw of only about 6 amps based on the energy management display panel. Many times it shows even less, some times only 1 or 2 amps. The Victron panel display shows me what the power draw is in watts that is going thru the inverter. I just convert that reading to amps to make sure I am below the 15 amp level (amps x voltage = watts). Remember that voltage going into the batteries on the portion of the Victron display showing charge into batteries is at an approximately 12-14 volt level, not 120 volts). The Victron panel also shows me when the house batteries are in float mode as well. My Victron panel display does not have state of charge reading capability yet for the house batteries. The Victron panel also does not show the chassis batteries charge status either. The standard Newmar tank monitor panel shows me what the actual voltage levels are for the house and chassis batteries.

The refrigerator seems to use about 1-2 amps while running. In the summer months I even leave the ice maker running as well and water pump on if I want to make ice prior to leaving on a trip. My chassis batteries are almost always at full charge doing it this way. The chassis batteries voltage reading seems to vary, but typically never lower than 12.4 volts. It appears to me that the charge that the BIN controller sends to the chassis batteries seems to vary. Today for example both house and chassis batteries were at 13.1 volts while plugged in. It was 30 degrees here today.

You can also reduce the charge that the Victron inverter will draw thru its settings, but I have not changed it as the Newmar power management system will limit income power consumption to the 15 amp setting anyway.

I discussed with Newmar about how to store the coach in a 15 amp world and they told me it would not work and that I need at least 30 amps as my inverter would draw 9 amps by itself.

So far what I do above has worked well for the last 6 months.

[Dennis C.]

I’m not sure if this thread has given me more questions or more answers.

My coach is all-electric, with eight 6V batteries and a 2,800W Magnum inverter/converter. I can confirm that when my coach is connected to a 110/120V outlet, the remote panel display for the Magnum system shows that the house batteries are being charged and maintained. This is true when the coach is in “store” mode or “use” mode.

Part of the reason for my initial question is that the remote panel display doesn’t show that the chassis batteries are being charged or maintained when my coach is in storage. I read through the Newmar literature relating to the Magnum system and the BIM, and it appears that my Magnum system will also maintain the chassis batteries when connected to 110/120V power. I’m not seeing it on the remote panel because it doesn’t immediately charge the chassis batteries; it waits for an hour before it begins this process and it depends on the SOC of both the house and chassis batteries.

If this is true, then there’s not a need for me to use the battery disconnect switch for the chassis batteries while my coach is in storage connected to 110/120V power.

I don’t know if I interpreted all this information correctly, but that’s where I am right now.