Chassis battery question

Carnles · 05-26-2007, 07:05 PM

When we purchased our Tour it had been on the lot for close to a year and I guess all of that sitting did a number on the chassis batteries. They have not held a charge since we took delivery. In my most recent charge attempt I used a trickle charger and after about 30 hours of charging we were set to leave...the battery voltage showed 12.9v on the monitoring panel but still would not start the engine. I have had to use the auxiliary start feature every time I have started the coach. Currently the chassis batteries show 8.5v.

These are the original equipment batteries and I know Freightliner will replace them but it is hard making a service appointment when you full time.

I read somewhere (in this forum I think) that all 2006 and later models came standard with a Trik-L-Start charger for the chassis batteries. Is that correct? My chassis was actually manufactured in 2004 and is not equipped with any means to charge the chassis batteries. Should I remove the batteries and attempt to charge them with a higher powered charger? If I do, what will that do to the engine and transmission computers?

I will get the problem looked at by Freightliner when I get a chance, but so far those chances are few and far between and I have been using the house batteries to start the coach...will this shorten the life of the house batteries to continue doing this?

smlranger · 05-27-2007, 03:48 AM

While I am no battery expert, this is my opinion on the issue. If there is no provision for charging (maintainence charging) of the chassis batts on a FL chassis, the engine and transmission ECM's and other parasitic drains will deplete the batteries in several days (if the coach is sitting and not connected to shore power). That is why Winnebago started adding either battery disconnect switches and/or the trickle charge device. However, if you are regularly driving the rig, your chassis batts should be adequately charged. It does seem you have at least one (or maybe both) bad batteries, or perhaps a problem with the alternator or charging system. I would think any Winnebago dealer along your travel routes would replace them under warranty. Also, FL Oasis centers are fairly numerous.

You can disconnect the batts (or remove them) and put them on a good charger, then check them with a battery load tester to verify if they are bad. If you do disconnect the chassis batts, there should be no issue with engine or transmission ECM's...everything will reset when you reconnect. I had mine out to clean and paint the battery trays and everything was fine.

I have also copied your thread to the Freightliner Chassis forum. Hopefully some of the electrical experts will weigh in on your question.

FrankO · 05-27-2007, 05:59 AM

I have a 2006 gaser model and it did not come with a Trik-L-Start but I did add one and it works great. My coach batteries were toast when I got my used coach so i replaced them on my own with 2 6V golf batteries and they are great. The chassis battery seems to be fine, so far.
Frank O.

John_Canfield · 05-27-2007, 08:42 AM

Yup - sometime in 2006 Winnie started adding the Trik-L product. You need to add one as a matter of course. I installed the Xantrex Echo~Charge which is a little more feature-rich than the Trik-L product, but it is about 40 more bucks.

Every time you put your batteries through a charge-discharge cycle, you decrement the life of the battery by a certain amount. Batteries will have a finite life span based (among other factors) how often and how deeply you discharge the battery.

What does this mean when you use your house batteries to start the batteries? Each time you bridge the battery banks, the house batteries (in your case) will discharge into the chassis bank until they reach (or try to reach) a voltage equilibrium. Then when you engage the starter, current is discharged from all batteries into the load (the starter.)

So is your procedure a good thing or a bad thing

Probably not a big deal if you get your chassis batteries replaced as soon as possible.

If getting to a service center is a difficult proposition, you might consider replacing them yourself and eating the expense. Sometimes it is worth DIY even though some $$ are involved. We fulltimed for over a year and we never found it a big deal to sit in a service center lounge, but we're retired and have the time to waste

DonavonP · 05-27-2007, 09:36 AM

Just wanted to add that if your battery is shorted out, your alternator will be working overtime to charge the bad battery. Paying for new batteries out of your own pocket will be cheaper than paying for an alternator.

I learned this from an old, unreliable drunk geezer just before he passed out. So I went with it.

SCVJeff · 05-28-2007, 01:15 PM

I went to start the CAT this afternoon to find the batteries wouldn't crank the engine. So much for the solar panel and Trik-L-Start. I suspect it all works but the cute little panel just can't keep up.

Jestme13 · 05-28-2007, 05:07 PM

I was told by FL that for the newer XC chassis it is normal for them to go dead in 14 to 21 days with just the fl parasitic drains, not to mention the box builders drains, "even less days" I purchased the trickle start last week.

Jestme13 · 05-28-2007, 05:09 PM

Jeff are you sure you didnt leave something on ?

SCVJeff · 05-28-2007, 07:30 PM

These are the starting battries. Short of killing the main disconnect in the rear (which I don't), I'm not aware of anything that can be shut off. As for the coach batteries, I always kill the main house contactor before leaving. I was also there for 2-3 hours a few days ago and ran the genset, so I should have had a full 5A charge from the Trik-L-Start. I need to get out the amp-clamp, but I think all of the parasitic loads along with trying to keep 5 battries happy may be more than the OEM solar panel can handle. There's plenty of coaches equipped identically on this forum, so I'm curious what experience others have had with 4+ week storage.

richierich · 05-31-2007, 04:03 PM

What I understand, the solor panel will only maintain your batteries, not charge them. When I bought my 02 coach (new) in 03 the dealer had to replace all 5 of the oem batteries. Just layed to long, without being charged. I replace the coach batteries every 36 - 39 months. Interstate advised me on that. I did add the tric-l charge last year, works great. Charges the chassis batteries,everytime I plug into shore line power, takes the charge from the coach batts. I found out, its better to dip into your pocket and ease the hassel of trying to get a dealer to check your problem. Good Luck

Jestme13 · 05-31-2007, 06:38 PM

So true Richie.

KE0M · 06-01-2007, 04:19 AM

I am an advocate of the trickle start diode matrix. I agree with John. Replace your cranking battery bank. You don't want to go to wally world or sears - go to a truck parts dealer and get the same monster batteries the 18 wheelers use on their rigs. They are not that much more expensive. And, I also advocate replacing the deep cycle batteries with 6 volt Trojan T-105 or T-125. I hope this helps.
Best regards,
Larry

jtharley · 06-01-2007, 03:47 PM

On my '05 Journey, the dealer replaced all the batteries after 6 months....said they where not properly charged at set up and because of that the batteries where bad. Don't know about that excuse but I did get a letter from the dealer informing me to kill the chassis batteries if the coach was to sit for more than 5 days because of the parasitic drains.

On my vectra I am always in the habit of turning the coach and the chassis batteries off when it sits at home and don't have any problems starting when I kick them back on. Only problem is resetting all the gizmos when you leave. Much easier to do that than to deal with dead batteries all the time.