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05-05-2016, 02:07 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Coastal Campers Carolina Campers
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 560
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FINALLY, a resolution for our chassis battery draining problem!
The gremlin hiding in our beloved Bay Star has been outed. As hard as it was to believe, pulling the fuse for the dash radio finally stopped the sucking sound that was the chassis battery draining dead in 2-3 days. Apparently even in the "off" position the radio was still pulling power. Kudos to the guys at Independence RV in Winter Garden, FL who definitively diagnosed it.
Our first work-around had been to set up a trickle charger to keep the battery from draining. However, that required being plugged into shore power (not a problem when at home or most sites where we stay, but a problem at some locations--like the infield at a NASCAR race). Then we added a battery disconnect switch to the chassis battery, and that was also an acceptable workaround.
It is nice to know the source of the problem. We never use the dash radio for anything other than the USB port while traveling, and I can get a plug-in for the 12V for that. I checked with Newmar and they confirmed the dash radio fuse only powers the radio. So I think for now we will leave the fuse out. For extended dry camping we will also throw the disconnect switch as an overcheck. The trickle charger will also continue to travel with us, as will the battery cables. Not going to take any chances...
__________________
2019 Newmar Bay Star 3626
(Replaced our 2014 Newmar Bay Star 3308)
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05-05-2016, 02:30 PM
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#2
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Junior Member
Newmar Owners Club Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 12
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Put in an interrupter switch so you can use your radio and turn off the toggle switch when you stop somewhere. It is easy to do. I had the same issue on my Mountain Aire. The fan on the radio ran all the time even with the radio off. Now it is nice and quiet at night with it completely off.
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Gary and Betsy Johnson
2011 Allegro Bus 43QGP
Central Florida
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05-06-2016, 06:02 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 13,599
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Hi Patti Brown,
It may not make you feel any better but you are not the only one. For some unknown reason Newmar (and dealers) have been wiring this way for over a decade.
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
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05-06-2016, 06:15 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 165
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryKD
Hi Patti Brown,
It may not make you feel any better but you are not the only one. For some unknown reason Newmar (and dealers) have been wiring this way for over a decade.
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More than a decade. Our 1996 Winnebago Adventurer suffers from this, as well.
Rick
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05-07-2016, 07:05 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Fairview TX
Posts: 2,453
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What happens when you turn off the key to your car? All systems shut down. So the answer is simple....wire that radio to your coach ignition.
__________________
Slabman
2019 Newmar Ventana 3717
2007 Lexus LX470 Toad
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05-07-2016, 07:45 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 299
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I don't know what kind of radio you have. I had a radio with a removeable face plate and I could shut the whole radio down by removing this face plate. If you have a removable faceplate that might be an easy solution.
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Sonny, Anita and Phoebe
2005 MADP 4304, 2005 Ford Crew Cab F150 toad, 2009 Harley Ultra Classic
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05-07-2016, 09:14 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Tiffin Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Byhalia, MS
Posts: 3,367
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Mine is the same way. I see that in a lot of newer coaches there is a dash switch labeled as radio. Presumably to fully off the radio.
jt
2005 Newmar Kountry Star gas 3742, Workhorse 8.1L w/Allison 5 speed.
Sent from my iPhone using iRV2 - RV Forum
__________________
2019 Tiffin Phaeton 40IH
2005 Newmar Kountry Star Gas (Sold)
2022 JL Wrangler 4xe or 2017 Harley Ultra in tow
JT, Em & the boys, Kong & Baxter (rescued grey tabbies)
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05-07-2016, 10:08 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Foley AL
Posts: 7,138
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Quote:
Originally Posted by slabman
What happens when you turn off the key to your car? All systems shut down. So the answer is simple....wire that radio to your coach ignition.
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Generally speaking, RV manufacturers wire the dash radio so that it will work without having the ignition key on or in ACC so that folks can listen to the dash radio/CD player without turning the key. Usually, without some power, the radio loses the preset memory.
__________________
2005 Newmar Essex 4502, 2013 Caddy SRX
1997 HR Endeavor 37, CAT, 1996 Geo Tracker
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05-07-2016, 11:35 AM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Central Indiana
Posts: 37
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All electronic radios have 2 hot leads, one to the ignition and a 2nd to an always hot source. If it didn't, you would lose the clock time and the pre-set radio stations. Having installed a few and wiring a few street rods, I know this to be true.
Apparently RV manufacturers think you might want to use the radio with out having the ignition or acc. on, so they wire into a 12v house circuit. The only way to kill the drain on the house batteries is to disconnect the battery.
It works for me.
__________________
Phil & Deb Thompson
Our faithful companion, Delila the rescue dog
2000 Damon Daybreak
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05-07-2016, 07:26 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Coastal Campers Carolina Campers
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 560
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldrod 47
Apparently RV manufacturers think you might want to use the radio with out having the ignition or acc. on, so they wire into a 12v house circuit.
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Except in our coach they wired it into the CHASSIS battery, not the house battery.
__________________
2019 Newmar Bay Star 3626
(Replaced our 2014 Newmar Bay Star 3308)
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05-07-2016, 07:45 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Tiffin Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Byhalia, MS
Posts: 3,367
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Chassis battery here as well.
jt
2005 Newmar Kountry Star gas 3742, Workhorse 8.1L w/Allison 5 speed.
Sent from my iPhone using iRV2 - RV Forum
__________________
2019 Tiffin Phaeton 40IH
2005 Newmar Kountry Star Gas (Sold)
2022 JL Wrangler 4xe or 2017 Harley Ultra in tow
JT, Em & the boys, Kong & Baxter (rescued grey tabbies)
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05-07-2016, 07:48 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Texas
Posts: 12
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Still an Issue? Really?
My uncle had a motorhome about 20 years and the battery kept draining overnight. We were looking at it and he touched the radio and it was hot. As yours was, it was still drawing power. Fortunately for him, his radio had a removable face place so he only had to remove that we he closed things up.
__________________
Finally retired but still looking. As we all know, things change when you least expect!
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05-08-2016, 11:46 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 450
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On our 2004 DutchStar the radio is wired to the coach batteries. Radio doesn't work unless the overhead "Store/Use" switch is in the use mode. And yes, I lose the presets and time functions whenever the switch is set to "Store".
__________________
2004 DutchStar DSDP3812, Cummins ISL 370Hp, Spartan MM Chassis, 2017 Chev Equinox toad, Blue Ox Aladdin Tow Bar, FMCA #F451747
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05-09-2016, 04:36 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,125
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Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!
Thank You for posting this. We have a 2014 Bay Star 3103, and I have been looking for the source of the chassis battery drain. Since just having back surgery in January, I haven't been able to do much more than look from the outside. I had thought that the Chassis battery had followed the path of the House batteries, and had it replaced in March. I brought the coach home from storage (it's kept on a 20 amp circuit there), and the next day, the chassis battery was down to 12.6 volts. I would think that if the radio is turned off (in our case, you push and hold the volume button, until the unit turns off), that should kill the major power draw of the unit. Looks like I maybe be looking for a replacement for that radio. I already replaced it once under warranty. The size is called a double DIN correct?
Thanks again.
__________________
Bill & Denise
2014 Bay Star 3103 - 5 Star Tune, CHF, Magne Shade
2017 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara
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