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Old 07-05-2020, 08:04 AM   #1
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Charging Chassis Batteries

Unless I am using my coach on a regular basis the chassis batteries tend to go bad. This happened last week on batteries that were less than one year old. I am considering putting a battery charger on a timer on them for 3-4 hours a day. The coach is plugged into 20 amp and is in a garage but the chassis batteries still tend to go bad if not regularly used. My thought was to use the positive and negative posts that have no additional wires to them to charge both batteries. I am not aware of any issues this would cause to the electrical system but if anyone knows of some please chime in as well as any information on the post I intend to charge with.
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Old 07-05-2020, 08:45 AM   #2
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By going bad, I'm guessing you mean discharging completely? If everything is working, you coach charges the chassis batteries when you're plugged into shore power. The BIM (battery isolation module) controls this, sending charge to the chassis batteries as needed. The BIM may not be working. On the other hand it sounds like your batteries may be discharging too fast, they shouldn't run down right away even without a charger. I'd figure out if you have some sort of short somewhere draining the batteries when you're parked before I would leave a charger hooked up to it unattended, could melt something, or start a fire. A mechanic should be able to easily diagnose if that is going on.
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Old 07-05-2020, 08:48 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ronlin11 View Post
Unless I am using my coach on a regular basis the chassis batteries tend to go bad. This happened last week on batteries that were less than one year old. I am considering putting a battery charger on a timer on them for 3-4 hours a day. The coach is plugged into 20 amp and is in a garage but the chassis batteries still tend to go bad if not regularly used. My thought was to use the positive and negative posts that have no additional wires to them to charge both batteries. I am not aware of any issues this would cause to the electrical system but if anyone knows of some please chime in as well as any information on the post I intend to charge with.
I always turn my Chassis battery disconnect off and never an issue in months of storage
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Old 07-05-2020, 09:15 AM   #4
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As mentioned, a coach that new should maintain the chassis batteries while on shore power.

I would fix the system that's supposed to do that before I started adding chargers and things.
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Old 07-05-2020, 10:03 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ronlin11 View Post
Unless I am using my coach on a regular basis the chassis batteries tend to go bad. This happened last week on batteries that were less than one year old. I am considering putting a battery charger on a timer on them for 3-4 hours a day. The coach is plugged into 20 amp and is in a garage but the chassis batteries still tend to go bad if not regularly used. My thought was to use the positive and negative posts that have no additional wires to them to charge both batteries. I am not aware of any issues this would cause to the electrical system but if anyone knows of some please chime in as well as any information on the post I intend to charge with.

I've always found the BIM management of chassis batteries to be pretty pathetic.



Since you say you have 20amp available here's what you do :


Get a 5amp battery tender like the 022-0157-1 or similar like 022-0186G-DL-WH . Put it on when parked and leave it. It's a multi step charger and will just hold everything at float and at 5amps will support any of the parasitic loads quite easily.


I use this 100% of the time even when connected to shore power at the campground.


Never have chassis battery issues and they tend to last a lot longer.
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Old 07-05-2020, 10:12 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fqberful View Post
I've always found the BIM management of chassis batteries to be pretty pathetic.



Since you say you have 20amp available here's what you do :


Get a 5amp battery tender like the 022-0157-1 or similar like 022-0186G-DL-WH . Put it on when parked and leave it. It's a multi step charger and will just hold everything at float and at 5amps will support any of the parasitic loads quite easily.


I use this 100% of the time even when connected to shore power at the campground.


Never have chassis battery issues and they tend to last a lot longer.
I second this approach. I dont find the need when on shore power using the MH but I do when in storage. I have a tender on both chassis & house battys permanently mounted & wired to a single extension cord.
I feel much better leaving a 1-4 Amp tender hooked up unattended than a high amp charger aboard.
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Old 07-05-2020, 10:19 AM   #7
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If the Precision Circuits BIM is working properly then your chassis batteries should be maintained just fine. If you are on shore power AND your house batteries are above 13.3v AND your chassis batteries are below 12.6v THEN your chassis batteries will receive a charge for 1 hour and repeat as required.

I would test your BIM for proper operation.
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Old 07-05-2020, 10:32 AM   #8
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It only takes once or twice of a really deep discharge for the batteries to sulfate and once that happens they are pretty well done, even if brand new.

There are some desulfating chargers on the market. Batteryminder is what I use. Some folks say it doesn't work, but I have revived sulfated batteries with them multiple times for friends and I just replaced the Sears AGM deep cycle battery in my boat after 10 years and it was still working and showed full capacity but I figured I had gotten my $$ worth out of it. It was kept on the Batteryminder most of it's life and no, I don't work for Batteryminder. I keep one on my airplane also.
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Old 07-05-2020, 10:46 AM   #9
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Where is the BIM located and what does it look like? Am I correct on the positive and negative post hookup? Thanks for the advice.
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Old 07-05-2020, 11:40 AM   #10
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Where is the BIM located and what does it look like? Am I correct on the positive and negative post hookup? Thanks for the advice.
The BIM is located behind a carpeted panel at the rear of the basement. It will say battery isolation manager on it. Your chassis batteries are hooked together in parallel. Use the positive post from one and the negative post from the other to charge with an external charger.

Here is the troubleshooting guide.
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