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04-22-2007, 04:17 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Mid Atlantic Campers
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: McVeytown, PA
Posts: 2,259
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Is it just me, or do ohters have this same problem. When ever I park the coach for 2 weeks I return to dead chassis batteries. My other coachs, as well as my other vehicles could sit indeffinetly without losing their charges. Is there that mush parasidic draw on these modern coachs???
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Steve, Pat, Hakbar, & Root Motor
2007 National RV Pacifica 36'
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04-22-2007, 04:17 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Mid Atlantic Campers
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: McVeytown, PA
Posts: 2,259
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Is it just me, or do ohters have this same problem. When ever I park the coach for 2 weeks I return to dead chassis batteries. My other coachs, as well as my other vehicles could sit indeffinetly without losing their charges. Is there that mush parasidic draw on these modern coachs???
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Steve, Pat, Hakbar, & Root Motor
2007 National RV Pacifica 36'
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04-22-2007, 04:51 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Texas Boomers Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: DFW Area, TX
Posts: 2,040
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There is a lot more that is driven off the chassis battery than you might think. For example, my jacks and my electric steps are on my chassis battery. I'm not too worried about either of those but would be concerned if any of the detectors are on a chassis battery circuit. It sounds like that might be the case for you.
It should be easy enough to figure out. Disconnect the house battery and everything that works on the chassis battery. I'd be willing to bet that you have a CO detector or an LP detector involved.
Our RV has set for 6 weeks in the winter without any starting problems.
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2000 Georgie Boy Landau 36' DP
2018 Equinox toad
KF5-NJY
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04-23-2007, 06:27 AM
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: West Palm Beach, FL. USA
Posts: 27,563
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Late model coaches have lots of electronics and a substantial parasitic draw. 2-3 amps is not unusual, even on the chassis batteries. They usually power the steps, maybe a detector or two, all the dash electronics, etc. If you have a chassis battery disconnect switch, you might try shutting it off (may be a mechanical switch back by the engine) and see what no longer works.
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Gary Brinck
Former owner of 2004 American Tradition and several other RVs
Home is West Palm Beach, FL
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04-24-2007, 02:57 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Wallaceburg,Ontario,Canada
Posts: 984
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Install a set of knife switches.I have them and no dead batt.if You use them..House and Bus I have a batt.minder also and 2-3 days and the voltage drops if switches are not used.co+propane,radio clock,also if the t.v.antenna is on all drain the system a little in cold weather drain is more why I am not sure but cold does make a difference..Bushman
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John&Jeannette Just enjoying life, camping, friends, sitting around the fire at night LOL life is good. Bye John the Bushman!! EH
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04-24-2007, 02:45 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Solon, Ohio USA
Posts: 424
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I just took delivery yesterday of a new, 2006, 39K Winnebago Journey on a Freightliner chassis. In the engine compartment, there is a knob that turns a switch which is the disconnect for the chassis battery. Part of the drain that you are experiencing is to keep the computers for the engine and the Allison transmission alive. If you turn the battery off, the computer will have to relearn its settings. There is a procedure in your manuals for this.
There are other parasitic drains - even the memory on your radio. Assuming that your batteries don't have a shorted cell, all of those drains together could bring your batteries down.
My dealer suggested that I start the motorhome at least once per month to recharge the batteries.
Good Luck
W8RLM - Bob
P.S. I have to change my picture from my Brave to the Journey. I forgot how!!!!
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2006 Winnebago Journey, Model 39K, 2013 Dodge Dart
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04-24-2007, 03:06 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Mid Atlantic Campers
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: McVeytown, PA
Posts: 2,259
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Thanks guys, and congrats on the new Journey Bob, very nice coach. Use it in good health.
I'm very aware of the possable draws from the sensors and what not, my major concern with a shut off switch for the chassis batteries is as you mentioned, the engine and tranny computers. I wonder how much of a pain it would be to reset them each time I wanted to go out. This coach would never make a month between starts, not even 2 weeks. I wonder if I have a battery problem, and, if the FCCC dealer could check the at rest draw on the battery pack? This situation is not good, since we did want to dry camp.
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Steve, Pat, Hakbar, & Root Motor
2007 National RV Pacifica 36'
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04-24-2007, 03:25 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Vancouver, Washington
Posts: 732
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I installed a Xantrex Echo-Charge so the chassis battery would charge when the coach is connected to shore-line. It's a smart setup where it only charges the chassis batteries if the house batteries charging and is above 13 volts. At 14.4 volts it goes into float mode. See the specs for more info.
However, finding a place to install it where it's weather protected can be a challenge depending on your exact configuration. The leads need to stay pretty short (2 feet). In the case of my 34H I ended up mounting it on inside the bedroom on the wall above the battery compartment and drilling a hole in the floor and filling in the gaps with silicone. After the fact it worked out pretty well.
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Vicki & Jon Pritchard
05 Journey 34H - CAT C7 - Toyota RAV4
3 doxies, 1 chihuahua - WIT, Escapees, FMCA
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04-25-2007, 05:39 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Signal Mtn TN
Posts: 126
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Another charging alternative is Trick-L-Start. Winnebago actually began installing them as a factory standard in '06.
Regarding the battery disconnect switch, I've not had to do any manual resetting of engine or trans computers after having been switched off. If there's any "relearning" done by the computers I've not been aware of it or seen any performance oddities...
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Steve B.
05 Journey 36G CAT C7
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04-25-2007, 06:42 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Wallaceburg,Ontario,Canada
Posts: 984
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by diesellabs:
Another charging alternative is Trick-L-Start. Winnebago actually began installing them as a factory standard in '06.
Regarding the battery disconnect switch, I've not had to do any manual resetting of engine or trans computers after having been switched off. If there's any "relearning" done by the computers I've not been aware of it or seen any performance oddities... </div></BLOCKQUOTE> I also suffer not from useing the off switch.Bushman
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John&Jeannette Just enjoying life, camping, friends, sitting around the fire at night LOL life is good. Bye John the Bushman!! EH
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04-26-2007, 10:50 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Vancouver, Washington
Posts: 732
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Regarding the battery disconnect switch, I've not had to do any manual resetting of engine or trans computers after having been switched off. If there's any "relearning" done by the computers I've not been aware of it or seen any performance oddities... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Steve,
Does your '05 Journey have a factory installed chassis battery disconnect switch in the engine compartment or did add a switch yourself?
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Vicki & Jon Pritchard
05 Journey 34H - CAT C7 - Toyota RAV4
3 doxies, 1 chihuahua - WIT, Escapees, FMCA
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04-27-2007, 03:04 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Southern CA
Posts: 334
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Personally, I got tired of resetting all my clocks after flipping both the disconnects. I recently had 3 110w solar panels installed (2 to the house batteries, and 1 to the chassis batteries). An expensive option, but so far so good.
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2008 Newmar Kountry Star 3943
2008 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited
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04-27-2007, 04:56 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Signal Mtn TN
Posts: 126
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Jon...
My '05 has the factory-installed switch in the engine compartment (I believe the brand is Guest). I really don't know if it was installed by Winnie or by FL as part of the shipped chassis.
Even with the switch set to off, there is power to the door and compartment locks and to the step, so they must be hardwired to the battery bank.
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Steve B.
05 Journey 36G CAT C7
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04-27-2007, 01:11 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Vancouver, Washington
Posts: 732
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Steve,
I'm thinking yours must have been built late in the '05 model year then. I've always thought it was a '06 model year item as mine and two other '05 Journeys/Meridians in my local WIT chapter do not have the chassis battery cut-off. My chassis was built in April '04 and the house in September '04.
__________________
Vicki & Jon Pritchard
05 Journey 34H - CAT C7 - Toyota RAV4
3 doxies, 1 chihuahua - WIT, Escapees, FMCA
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