Community Forums

ChrisSupple · 10-10-2021, 06:32 PM

I have a 2011 Newmar Bay Star with the Ford V10 engine! I need to replace my chassis battery! I keep my coach plugged into my garage 30A outlet most of the time! For some reason my chassis battery is always dead! I have to use the battery boost switch to start the engine, even with a new battery! Should I try a deep cycle battery? Would it hurt anything?

amosnandy · 10-10-2021, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChrisSupple

I have a 2011 Newmar Bay Star with the Ford V10 engine! I need to replace my chassis battery! I keep my coach plugged into my garage 30A outlet most of the time! For some reason my chassis battery is always dead! I have to use the battery boost switch to start the engine, even with a new battery! Should I try a deep cycle battery? Would it hurt anything?

No, a deep cycle battery is not designed for starting. You need a flooded, agm, or gel battery.

It sounds like your BIRD relay is not working, or it doesn’t have one.

Do you have a battery panel monitor? After sitting a day or two, plugged in, charging your house batteries, the chassis battery should be within .2 to.3 volts of the house batteries. If they drop below 12.5 volts two things could be happening. One is there is some kind of parasitic draw on the chassis battery that is more than whatever connects the house batteries to the chassis batteries can provide, or the chassis batteries are not getting anything.

The normal sequence is, when disconnected from a shore power source for a period of time, when you connect to shore power the charger will bring the house batteries up first to a certain level, usually around 13.2 v and then the BIRD will come on and charge the chassis battery.

The other possibility is there is a trickle charge unit that comes on when connected to shore power.

When you use the boost start and get it started, do the chassis batteries come up to normal voltage?

Also when running is it also charging the house batteries?

You need to get the VOM out and start checking where you have voltage and how it changes when disconnected, when on shore power, and when running.

bneiva · 10-10-2021, 08:20 PM

Unless I'm having another senior moment, I don't think you mentioned the age of your existing chassis battery. It just might be that time to replace it. Sadly, batteries only have a three year warrantee today, in lieu of 5 years.

Oh, and stick with the same amp hr battery that came with that engine!

Bill

fhmac · 10-10-2021, 08:49 PM

Please enlighten this ornithophile. What is an RV BIRD?

ChrisSupple · 10-10-2021, 10:32 PM

It’s time for a new one! My current battery is a Duracell with CA 1035 & CCA 875. I installed it June 2016!

Arch Hoagland · 10-10-2021, 10:36 PM

https://www.amazon.com/WirthCo-20128.../dp/B000CQFWLY

Install a battery cutoff switch, that will solve the problem.

ChrisSupple · 10-10-2021, 10:39 PM

I don’t know what DIRD is? I think the dash radio is always on, even when I turn the main power switch to STORE! Also I think the CO2 monitor stays on! I would think that, when plugged into 30A power, the chassis battery wouldn’t be draining? Am I wrong?

Baystar 1 · 10-10-2021, 11:18 PM

Hi Chris I have 2012 newmar baystar ,when I bought the moterhome the guy I bought it from showed me the paper for the stock Jensen stereo that has a draw on battery that drains chassis battery after couple days,so he pulled fuse fixed the problem.so I had to see for my self put fuse back in worked really good for couple days and dead battery that could be your problem.

dlmorris · 10-13-2021, 12:05 PM

Battery Isolation Relay Delay (BIRD). Manages charging of both house and chassis batteries from multiple charging sources (engine, shore,generator). Some coaches have a BIM (Battery Isolation Manager)

RVStitchy · 10-13-2021, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dlmorris

Battery Isolation Relay Delay (BIRD). Manages charging of both house and chassis batteries from multiple charging sources (engine, shore,generator). Some coaches have a BIM (Battery Isolation Manager)

And should also isolate the drain so the house usage cannot drain the chassis and vice versa.

Those BIRDs/BIMs can go bad with time. Our BIM was bad right from the factory

x2 on the dash radio as well. Our Airstream Interstate (class B) had this problem so I had someone wire in a small dash rocker switch that kills power completely.