Community Forums

bneukam · 08-23-2015, 05:51 PM

My 02 Intrigue 36' has been parked in storage for 6 weeks, went to start it this evening and everything is dead. I always turn off the main switch to both battery systems after I park. Its in covered storage but have no power source. Can anyone tell me what is the easiest way to get her running again, and with both switches for the batteries in the off position what if anything could have still been on that would have drained them. The covered storage that I am in has all three sides walled off and I am backed in.

samschudi · 08-23-2015, 06:33 PM

Does it have a generator? If your batteries are below 11.5 volts, many systems wont even engage. (Even your house generator for that matter.) My first action would be to find a portable generator, a battery charger that you can hook directly to the battery terminals, then charge it until you have something closer to 11.8 VDC or higher. Could take several hours. Then close your main switches and see what happens. Good Luck!

bneukam · 08-23-2015, 06:45 PM

Yes, it does have a generator. But everything is completely dead, the only sign of life is when i turn the ignition key the dash warning lights come on.

IASM · 08-23-2015, 06:57 PM

I would borrow or go to harbor freight type store and get a small generator and plug it in for a few hours.

IASM · 08-23-2015, 07:02 PM

One other idea I will throw out. A friend of mine had an intrique that was stone dead when I went out to check on it so I jumped the engine with my wifes car. Once I got the engine running after about 15 minutes I started the gen by holding the boost switch. I needed to have my wife hold the boost switch while I started the gen using the switch on the gen. Once running it charged the batterys so I could shut off the engine.

bneukam · 08-23-2015, 07:52 PM

Since I don't have access to the batteries to jump start it, because the coach is backed into the storage unit. I guess the best option is to go buy a small generator. Since I don't have no power in the storage unit, it would also be nice to have it to charge up the batteries this winter if its too cold to start the engine.

Does anyone have any ideas as to what could have drained them since I had both main switches in the off position

HeyHarr · 08-23-2015, 08:03 PM

I've discovered that if the inverter in turned on I have power to the 120 volt side even if the main breaker is off in my 2000 Intrigue.

bneukam · 08-23-2015, 08:12 PM

The main breaker was left on, its the main battery switches that are located in the very back compartment that were turned off. After turning these off in the past I have tried everything in the coach, and nothing would have power to them including the inverter.

HeyHarr · 08-23-2015, 08:37 PM

Brett, when I wrote "main breaker" I meant the switches in the last bay, sorry for the confusion.

bneukam · 08-23-2015, 08:53 PM

Ok, no worries. I am almost sure in the past when I had these switches off, that everything was dead. Ill be sure once i get her powered up again, to double check it. Thanks for the help

Miramichi · 08-23-2015, 09:12 PM

Well good luck in getting the coach going. Hopefully you can just borrow a gen and not have to go buy one.

I would consider a decent solar panel to keep things charged when leaving the unit for extended periods. Some of them produce really decent current now. Also maybe turning that rig around lol

Steph and Eden

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CJ7365 · 08-23-2015, 09:18 PM

If your not set on buying a generator, you could always pull the chassis batteries take them to an Autozone or Orielys and get them charged and checkout there

You could look at as daily excercise

jacmat · 08-23-2015, 09:37 PM

Did you measure the voltage on the batteries, I am surprised that chassis and house batteries are all dead. Check the voltage you might have a different problem.

nothermark · 08-23-2015, 09:39 PM

All batteries have an internal leakage current. The amount of current depends on the chemistry and size of the battery. For lead based storage batteries it is fairly large so storage times are typically weeks to a few months before they are discharged. That is why some kind of maintainer is always a good idea.