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Bill & Luz · 07-30-2008, 07:37 PM

Went to do generator maintenance today and could not, chassis battery totally dead. Coach has been in storage for about three weeks since our last outing. Battery is a year old Sears Die-hard, water level is ok.
What are some of the things that could have drained it so fast?
I think I may need to put a battery disconnect switch for the chassis battery like the one for the house batteries. The house batteries were fully charged still.

Bill & Luz · 07-30-2008, 07:37 PM

Went to do generator maintenance today and could not, chassis battery totally dead. Coach has been in storage for about three weeks since our last outing. Battery is a year old Sears Die-hard, water level is ok.
What are some of the things that could have drained it so fast?
I think I may need to put a battery disconnect switch for the chassis battery like the one for the house batteries. The house batteries were fully charged still.

KC1BUD · 07-30-2008, 08:36 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bill & Luz:
Went to do generator maintenance today and could not, chassis battery totally dead. Coach has been in storage for about three weeks since our last outing. Battery is a year old Sears Die-hard, water level is ok.
What are some of the things that could have drained it so fast?
I think I may need to put a battery disconnect switch for the chassis battery like the one for the house batteries. The house batteries were fully charged still. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bill,

You could try a knife switch for the battery. The first winter I stored mine I needed to jump it to get it out. This year it started without being too drained.

On mine there is a clock in the radio, and I believe the radio itself can run with the key off. Is it possible that your radio was on but turned down? Just a couple of thoughts.

george henry · 07-31-2008, 04:11 PM

Sorry to hear that. been there done that . When out and bought a battery minder. there was a drain somewhere ? then we just flip all the breakers off by the invertor and the entrance door switch when the M/H is not being use it . After a year it is still going strong.

Bill & Luz · 08-03-2008, 03:09 AM

Well the good news is the old battery took a charge and is holding steady at 13.3 volts out of the motor home.
I am going to install a battery disconnect switch before putting the battery back in.

george henry · 08-03-2008, 06:39 AM

Glad to hear the battery is still good.

Retird2Golf · 08-04-2008, 12:27 AM

Hey Bill and Liz, had the same problem. Found two cutoff switches in the forward compartment, curb side. One for house, the other for engine.

Mine is a GulfStream, but I would think that other coached have them ??

Chandler · 08-04-2008, 05:02 AM

A friend of ours a few sites up had the hood open on his Southwind and the engine running when I walked by the other day. I asked him if he was going on a trip and he said that he was charging the battery. It seems that his starting battery died after three weeks sitting. It had never done that before. I came back with my multimeter and disconnected the negative battery terminal. I measured 2 amps draw. That's a light bulb. We looked everywhere and finally when I was ready to admit it could be something else, Bob said that he found it. Under the hood, tucked back against the fire wall was a light. It was dirty but it was on. Bob looked for a switch but couldn't find one. We pulled the bulb and checked the draw. .3 amps. That's probably the radio but it's low enough so the battery should be fine.
I'm guessing that your coach was not plugged in while in storage? The chassis battery should be charging while plugged in. (Bobs Southwind apparenty doesn't)

If you can, measure the amp draw. It will tell you a lot.

Chandler

george henry · 08-04-2008, 08:26 AM

Chandler , excellant advice on checking the battery draw.
My wife thinks i am over protectect. What I do is also flip all the circuit breakers where the panel is at the invertor by the bed . this shuts down everything , Also we flip the 2 switches coming into the M/H

Hogwart · 09-01-2008, 04:16 AM

This has happened to me several times! Each time I discover that I left something on to drain the battery.

John-D · 09-26-2008, 08:31 AM

There are several things in a motor home that do not turn off unless you disconnect the batteries. Step controller, Engine Control Computer (Emmissions control computer it may be called) Transmission computer in some cases, radios (memory) and assorted other things,

These can suck as much as an amp out of your battery

Many starting batteries are 100 amp hours or LESS, Usually LESS

Oh, and I call that battery that Sears Sells the "Die Easy" cause.. They do

Suggestions

1: If you have a GOOD 3-stage converter/charger such as an Xantrex XDAC or Progressive Dyanmics Intella Power 9200 series or, well it's a long list. And your battery control system charges both house and chassis batteries PLUG IN (If you have an older single state do not do this)

2: Disconnect

3: Battery Minder/Tender products and PLUG IN

I use method 1 on the MH and 3 on the towed