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Old 09-21-2015, 10:51 PM   #1
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Why is dash light bar showing "low voltage"

On this trip we spent 5 days at one campground and no problem starting engine to leave there. Next CG was 7 day stay and no problem starting engine to leave there.
Been here 2 days after 150 mile drive to get here. Turned on ignition tonight to check outside temps and the light bar flashed from that information to "low voltage", and back to temperature. In 3 months of ownership I've never seen a "low voltage" message.
2015 DS with 5,000 miles on it. Never noticed the dash volt meter while driving but right now with the ignition on the dial shows between 8 and 13 volts. Too late at night right now to start the diesel engine here in the CG.

I've not touched any of the Magnum Energy buttons during this trip since I'm still trying to understand how all this works but right now it shows Float Charging 13.2V DC. Should there be someplace to check the chassis volts without starting the engine? Do the chassis batteries get charged while plugged into shore power?
In just a little over 30 hours could something have run down the voltage on the chassis batteries that didn't happen in the last two CGs during several days stay?
On my previous couch there was a toggle switch to check voltage on coach and chassis batteries.
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Old 09-21-2015, 11:06 PM   #2
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Alternator is going bad. Had that happen in our '02 DSDP. Cost me over $400 for a new one, then I had the old one rebuilt for $160. Cost was high as they found a bad front bearing too. Would have been about $100 if it had only been the diodes.
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Old 09-21-2015, 11:10 PM   #3
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A common cause of a low voltage warning is the inlet heater cycling. Older batteries can amplify the situation.


In 2004, I'm pretty sure that Winnebago had not yet added the Trik L Start to charge the starting batteries when plugged in.
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Old 09-21-2015, 11:38 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ernieh View Post
A common cause of a low voltage warning is the inlet heater cycling. Older batteries can amplify the situation.


In 2004, I'm pretty sure that Winnebago had not yet added the Trik L Start to charge the starting batteries when plugged in.
What is meant by the inlet heater, and how is it cycling? Batteries shouldn't be over 6 months old, unless Newmar installed some past dated batteries during manufacture.
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Old 09-22-2015, 12:01 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ernieh View Post
A common cause of a low voltage warning is the inlet heater cycling. Older batteries can amplify the situation.


In 2004, I'm pretty sure that Winnebago had not yet added the Trik L Start to charge the starting batteries when plugged in.
Never saw that in our '02 Dutch Star.
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Old 09-22-2015, 12:01 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wagonmaster2 View Post
What is meant by the inlet heater, and how is it cycling? Batteries shouldn't be over 6 months old, unless Newmar installed some past dated batteries during manufacture.
On newer diesel engines they don't have glow plugs, the put a heater grid in the inlet which is why you can't use starting fluid (ether) in them. Can cause things to go "boom" (expensive and dangerous too) if you do.
Anyway the engine sensors turn on the heating grid if the combined engine temp and air inlet are below a certain combined temp. Going by memory it seems that 65° is the magic number.
That's what's happening if you see the "Wait to start" light on, the grid is heating up and takes quite a bit of power.
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Old 09-22-2015, 06:50 AM   #7
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There are several things wired to the chassis batteries and perhaps those things were used more than normal. The steps, dash radio, some of the interior lights, front windshield shade, etc. all of those things plus cycling the ignition may be contributing. Perhaps a cb radio that was not turned off. The chassis battery may not be receiving the trickle charge when hooked to shore power which would appear to be a possible warranty issue.
I would be more concerned if the low voltage indication occurred while the engine is running (an indication if a faulty charging system).
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Old 09-22-2015, 07:07 AM   #8
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FWIW there have also been reports of new batteries getting prematurely aged by going flat sitting in a dealers lot or storage before sale. If it keeps happening I would put a Digital monitor on the battery voltage.
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Old 09-22-2015, 09:21 AM   #9
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Hi wagonmaster2,
Best I know there is no way to check the chassis batteries from inside the coach. Based on the OP, I would take this off your list of things to worry about. Yes the chassis batteries are charged when the coach is connected to shore power. The chassis batteries are maintained buy the solar panel on the roof (red light on dash somewhere) and via the BIRD/BIM or whatever Newmar has put in your coach to ensure both the coach and chassis batteries are kept charged when connected to shore power. If you want to do a bit of diagnostics consider:
1. Disconnect the chassis batteries from the coach and each other.
2. Take a voltage reading for each battery. 13.2 VDC or more?
3. With the chassis batteries fully charged do a load test. A load tester can be purchased at the auto parts store of your choice. My tester is rated at 130 AMPS. If you purchase a tester get one rated at 100 AMPS minimum. The test is quick and easy to perform. It will tell you the status of each battery.
4. Reconnect the batteries to each other and the coach .
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Old 09-22-2015, 01:50 PM   #10
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Wagonmaster, if the light didn't stay on and you seem to have sufficient power in the batteries is it possible that it was just a normal message during the engine startup routine?
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Old 09-22-2015, 02:39 PM   #11
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Having had several issues with low chassis batteries lately, and because I have a 2015 DS as well, I have another few suggestions.

First, if you see this again, push the single button on the level check panel (above the windshield) until it cycles to show battery voltage. Observe the measured voltage on the chassis battery and house battery banks. No need to bother with the analog gauge on the dash or the one that's buried in the triptek screen.

Next, if the chassis bank is reporting low, you should see it charge when on shore power or generator. The conditions under which the BIM cross-connects the chassis bank to the house bank for charging are somewhat complex. They are laid out on page 16 of this PDF:

https://comnet2.newmarcorp.com/insta...ctrical12V.pdf

Basically, though, if you're parked at a campground, it should connect in the chassis bank if the house battery is charging at >13.2V and the chassis battery is under 12.6V. Note that in the later stages of charging, with low amperage trickling into SLA batteries, the charge voltage may not be above 13.2, which means the relay won't engage, no matter how low the chassis batteries are. You're most likely to see the chassis batteries charging in the first hour or two after you park and plug into shore, when the controller is in bulk or absorb.

If, instead, you continue to see the chassis bank's voltage stay in the 12's whilst the house bank is being charged at 13+, that would suggest that BIM is not allowing chassis to charge. You'll want to check it several times over the course of an hour or so and see if it's acting properly.
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Old 09-22-2015, 07:17 PM   #12
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Many thanks for all the help. I've been having trouble getting on the internet due to the fact the CG owner changed security codes for access to his wifi and it took me till mid-afternoon to start asking questions which then I was given the new security code.

Early this morning I took my digital multi-meter and checked the voltage on the two chassis batteries combined, which was 12.80V. Then after getting on the internet and reading all the responses I used the Level Check for the house/chassis batteries and it was bouncing back/forth for the chassis batteries between 12.8-12.9.

Just hope I'm not having de-ja vu with another Freightliner's dash instruments. The first 5-6 years I owned my previous 2004 Itasca about twice a year the first time I'd start the engine after it'd been setting for several days all the instruments would be dead. A phone call to the nearest FL shop got suggestions to clean the battery posts, which by the time I did all that the dash instruments were working but didn't fix the problem. I managed to get the coach to a different FL shop twice while the instruments were dead but they were never able to find the problem. Several times the instruments were back working by the time I got to the FL shop and they could do nothing then.
After owning the coach for 5-6 years all this never happened again.

Glad to know I can check the battery conditions with the Level Check button. There is so so much about this 2015 DS I'm nervously uncomfortable not knowing what it's for or how to use it. But with the help of the Forum I'm slowly struggling through them.
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Old 09-23-2015, 03:17 AM   #13
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Good. If chassis bank is in approximately steady state (not cross-connected for charging, not under load, just "resting") then 12.8ish is full. I think that safely rules out the charging side, but perhaps check level each time before you crank just to make sure you're still okay.

I was having an issue with leaving my docking lights on: they would drain the chassis batteries, but after they'd been fully charged up via the BIM cross connect. The house bank for whatever reason stayed topped off and needed no more charging until the morning. Then the chassis bank was low in the morning! Duh.
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Old 09-23-2015, 05:52 AM   #14
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FWIW, I've had that happen maybe 5 times over the 2 2/2 yrs we've had our 2013 DS.
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