battery life

no18yes · 03-13-2008, 08:44 PM

Bought a new engine battery in November. I have started the motor home each month for a warm up and condition check. This month the batter was dead. Took it back and they recharged it and check it for a bad cell. Everything was A OK. Is there a way to disconnect the engine battery with a switch like you can do with the coach batteries?

no18yes · 03-13-2008, 08:44 PM

Bought a new engine battery in November. I have started the motor home each month for a warm up and condition check. This month the batter was dead. Took it back and they recharged it and check it for a bad cell. Everything was A OK. Is there a way to disconnect the engine battery with a switch like you can do with the coach batteries?

CHIPPYSGT · 03-14-2008, 04:37 AM

I don't know your rig, bujt mine does not have a disconnect. I simply disconnect the ground on the battery when not hooked up to shore power and it's going to sit for a period of time.

Pueblo Dave · 03-14-2008, 05:49 AM

Here's an answer with a question. My engine battery has never held a charge worth a hoot since new. If driving every day, it's fine, but leave it for a few days and it's dead. Never been a problem though, I just push the "Boost" switch and the dual house batterys fire it right up. The alternator runs all the "truck" stuff and soon recharges the battery. THe dealer says I need a new battery. Why bother?
Dave

Gary the Wombat · 03-14-2008, 11:44 AM

I was having the same problem, so I attached Battery Disconnect from Camping World. It is a heavy duty knife switch that attached directly to the battery--same as disconnecting the ground cable, but faster and needs no tools once installed.

Al Spivey · 03-14-2008, 12:44 PM

Hi, I would agree with Gary the Wombat. I just discovered how much stuff actually runs off the Engine Battery. The back up camera, the entry steps and light, radio, temp/direction monitor, antena and seat belt monitor, all chassis lights, radio station set, and many other things. You should get the picture from those items. The knife switch is the only way to preserve the battery short of taking the think out of the box. You might try the knife switch but if your unit battery box is as tight as mine, it will be a BEAR to install. Good luck with your project. Al

CHIPPYSGT · 03-14-2008, 01:25 PM

I've put the battery diswconnect switches on all my neg posts. They work great but one is tight.

If your engine battery is dying get a Trik-L-start. Keeps it charged from your house battery(s) when plugged into shore power.

BigRedLancer · 03-14-2008, 01:25 PM

Get yourself a "TRIK-L-START" and your problem will go away. I put a knife switch on my coach battery but never needed to use it. The TRIK-L-START steals DC from the house batteries to keep the coach battery charged. Have left the MH sitting for months plugged in and the engine starts every time.

Cheers!

Gary the Wombat · 03-14-2008, 04:24 PM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by BigRedLancer:
Get yourself a "TRIK-L-START" and your problem will go away. I put a knife switch on my coach battery but never needed to use it. The TRIK-L-START steals DC from the house batteries to keep the coach battery charged. Have left the MH sitting for months plugged in and the engine starts every time.

Cheers! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Many people have recommended the TRIK-L-START so it must be good. In my case however (as may apply to many others), my storage facility has no electrical outlet available, so the battery disconnect is my only option.

I just got home from 10 days away, and while camping measured my chassis battery drop from 12.7V to 12.55 in just one week, so the phantom voltage draws for all the do-dads must be significant.

Hikerdogs · 03-14-2008, 04:41 PM

no18yes, we have the same coach as yours and it didn't come with any chassis battery disconnect. I added this battery disconnect from Flaming River a couple months after we bought the coach.
http://www.flamingriver.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=produc.../mode=prod/prd60.htm

I mounted it inside the battery compartment on the front wall (under the steps) 7 years ago and it's worked perfectly. It's not the cheapest but I'll bet it's one of the strongest and best built.

SCVJeff · 03-15-2008, 10:07 PM

Yep, the phantoms seem to kill the batteries. Even with all the phantoms off, the round number rule of thumb is that the batteries lose 1% of their charge per day. On mine it's about 4 weeks to fail to start in the summer (I leave the chassis batteries on to keep the CAT and Allison memories alive). Since I store in a place with no power, and the factory 15W panel was proving useless, I bought a real solar assembly to charge the house batteries, Trik-L-Start takes care of the starting batteries. Problem solved unless it snows here..