Community Forums

abray · 12-18-2007, 10:55 AM

I just got my rig back from the dealer after 5 weeks and low and behold, the starting battery is low. Does anyone have a good source for the Echo-charge unit that has been talked about so highly here?

abray · 12-18-2007, 10:55 AM

I just got my rig back from the dealer after 5 weeks and low and behold, the starting battery is low. Does anyone have a good source for the Echo-charge unit that has been talked about so highly here?

Robin_M · 12-18-2007, 11:04 AM

I got mine at Jack Rabbit Marine. They had the best price at the time and likely still do.

The Echo~Charge does the job of keeping the chassis batteries charged, but you realize, of course, that it works in tandum with the on-board charger, so the coach has to be plugged in for it to work. I only mention this because when I take my coach to my dealer, they leave it outside for 5 weeks not plugged into any source of power.

Roland · 12-19-2007, 06:00 AM

You may want to consider "Trik-L-Start". It performs a similar function to the Echo-Charge. Cost about half of the Echo-Charge. Installed in about 15 minuets. I have had mine for about a year and it appears to work fine. I understand that Winnebego is putting them in their units. I got mine from "www.LSLProducts.com".

Green lights and soft breezes,

Corkey · 12-19-2007, 06:24 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Roland:
You may want to consider "Trik-L-Start". It performs a similar function to the Echo-Charge. Cost about half of the Echo-Charge. Installed in about 15 minuets. I have had mine for about a year and it appears to work fine. I understand that Winnebego is putting them in their units. I got mine from "www.LSLProducts.com".

Green lights and soft breezes, </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I have the Trik-L-Start, and like you for 1/2 to 1/3 the cost it does the same job as the Echo Charge. The big difference is 5 amps for the Trik-L-Start vs 15 amps for the Echo Charge.

I find 5 amps to be more than enough to keep my system in shape. Oh, and the lable on the Trik-L-Start says "Product of Winnebago Industries".

Our Time · 12-19-2007, 08:25 AM

I also use the Trip-L-Start with no problems. As previously noted, only a few minutes to install and your battery worries are over. I got mine from "rvupgrades.com" which is also one of the sponsors of this forum.

Chuck

abray · 12-19-2007, 10:02 AM

Thanks all, Just ordered a charge wizard for the intelipower unit and a trik-l-start for the starting batteries. Hope this solves my problems. I never had batteries go down so far in just 5 days, and yes I really have checked to see that everything is off.
Thanks again

Sixpack98 · 12-19-2007, 01:01 PM

abray,
It is pretty normal for the engine batter to go dead in about a week or so. Things like the smoke and CO detector, radio and a whole bunch of other things are a constant drain on the batteries. The Trik-L-start is 5 amp while the echo charger is 15 amp. 5 Amp is probably more than enough. Before I installed the Trik-L-Start I had a BatteryMinder-Plus and its 1.4 amp kept the engine batteries at full charge. A good place to install the Trik-L is in the battery compartment. You can install it across the big lugs of the isolator or to battery distribution lugs on either side. Try not to install directly on the batteries, the small wire and unprotected lugs tend to really get eaten up by corrosion.

UPS 34 · 12-19-2007, 03:35 PM

I had echo charge installed and works great. This should be oem. The coach needs it. Wonder why it is not just part of the system.

Robin_M · 12-19-2007, 05:54 PM

You are right, UPS. It ought to be installed on every coach. It's a small, but very necessary item that retails for $100, that Monaco could probably buy by the case load for half that much, or less. Why can't they stick one on a coach that sells for a quarter of a million bucks? Doesn't make much sense, IMHO.

Sixpack98 · 12-20-2007, 11:17 AM

Bean counter told the electrical power group to cut x%. You're right it ought to be standard equipment on every model that the charger wont charge both banks of batts. The Trik-L-start is standard on Winnies.

Oh well, gives us all something to complain about and something to do.

Phrog Driver · 01-19-2008, 11:06 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Sixpack98:
A good place to install the Trik-L is in the battery compartment. You can install it across the big lugs of the isolator or to battery distribution lugs on either side. Try not to install directly on the batteries, the small wire and unprotected lugs tend to really get eaten up by corrosion. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sixpack98, Can you post a picture of how you connected your Trik-L charger in the battery compartment. I have a Echo Charger hooked up to the sides of the solenoid in the battery compartment and it doesn't seem to be working?

SacsTC · 01-19-2008, 11:15 AM

See simultaneous thread Here

Phrog Driver · 01-19-2008, 11:53 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by SacsTC:
See simultaneous thread Here </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Sorry, but I am trying to hook up the echo charger in the compartment with the Chassis and Coach on/off switches. This compartment is located aft of the battery compartment. I don't want to connect the echo charger directly to the batteries because of corrosion issues. I should not have used "battery compartment" in my post.