carson
Well-known member
Don't forget that Pork and Beans are very potent. 
Keeping chassis batteries charged up
- Thread starter rotzla
- Start date
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rsalhus
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Is that the voice of experience talking? Yeah, I've heard that flatuence will do it too, but probably not the case in any of our false alarms (unless the wife isn't 'fessing up!)
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
Rolf,
The only 'active' component in there is the electrically heated sensor. It's a round, less than dime sized component with a wire mesh covering. If that gets dirty and the heat from it causes whatever contaminants on it to generate gas, that could be the cause. There's also a small potentiometer there to adjust the sensitivity. The unit is cemented together, so you'd need to open it with a razor blade run around the circumference, and re-seal it with cement or hot glue when you're done. You can clean the mesh with a soft toothbrush (no solvents!) and adjust the pot. only if necessary. A butane lighter will supply the gas for testing quite nicely.
The only 'active' component in there is the electrically heated sensor. It's a round, less than dime sized component with a wire mesh covering. If that gets dirty and the heat from it causes whatever contaminants on it to generate gas, that could be the cause. There's also a small potentiometer there to adjust the sensitivity. The unit is cemented together, so you'd need to open it with a razor blade run around the circumference, and re-seal it with cement or hot glue when you're done. You can clean the mesh with a soft toothbrush (no solvents!) and adjust the pot. only if necessary. A butane lighter will supply the gas for testing quite nicely.
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
Just saw your last post. Do you have a dog?
rsalhus
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No, no dogs.
Tom
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Picked up the coach from storage this morning and, as expected, the chassis batteries were dead. As I was checking/topping off electrolyte, I remembered that there are a couple of loads that are wired directly to the chassis batteries. So, turning off the battery switch doesn't isolate those loads. Haven't figured out what the loads are yet, but will when I get the schematics out later.
Using the boost/crossover switch didn't provide enough oomph to start the engine because the coach batteries were down. Fired up the generator, let it run for a couple of minutes to charge the coach batteries, and I was able to start the engine.
Using the boost/crossover switch didn't provide enough oomph to start the engine because the coach batteries were down. Fired up the generator, let it run for a couple of minutes to charge the coach batteries, and I was able to start the engine.
Tom
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Rolf,
Here's the info for our coach and inverter/charger:
Year Mfg: 2003.
Coach Model: Monaco Camelot.
Charger/Converter Model: Trace RV2012-B20.
Max. Charging current: 100A (3 stage).
Charges both Coach and Chassis Batteries: No.
Here's the info for our coach and inverter/charger:
Year Mfg: 2003.
Coach Model: Monaco Camelot.
Charger/Converter Model: Trace RV2012-B20.
Max. Charging current: 100A (3 stage).
Charges both Coach and Chassis Batteries: No.
carson
Well-known member
Tom, here is what I would do:
When your chassis battery is charged, lift off one of the cables and put your multimeter in series (start with the 10A position) to find out what the residual current drain is.
That will certainly give you an idea why it is draining so rapidly. If it is significant, more than a few milliamp, sumthin' doesn't smell right. Do the same for the house batteries.
At least you'll know what you are dealing with; then find the problem.
carson FL
When your chassis battery is charged, lift off one of the cables and put your multimeter in series (start with the 10A position) to find out what the residual current drain is.
That will certainly give you an idea why it is draining so rapidly. If it is significant, more than a few milliamp, sumthin' doesn't smell right. Do the same for the house batteries.
At least you'll know what you are dealing with; then find the problem.
carson FL
Tom
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Thanks Carson. It's just as easy to look at the schematics ;D
This coach is no different than our prior coach or friends' coaches I've worked on in this respect. There's not really anything smelly about it, and I doubt there's a problem per se; It's just that there are a couple of loads connected directly to the chassis batteries and, over a period of several months in storage, they discharge the batteries. There are additional loads that drain the batteries if I don't turn off the battery switch/isolator, and they discharge in less than a week.
I may decide to rewire the first two loads to the other side of the switch, or I may add a separate switch. OTOH I may decide to leave as is.
This coach is no different than our prior coach or friends' coaches I've worked on in this respect. There's not really anything smelly about it, and I doubt there's a problem per se; It's just that there are a couple of loads connected directly to the chassis batteries and, over a period of several months in storage, they discharge the batteries. There are additional loads that drain the batteries if I don't turn off the battery switch/isolator, and they discharge in less than a week.
I may decide to rewire the first two loads to the other side of the switch, or I may add a separate switch. OTOH I may decide to leave as is.
rsalhus
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Tom,
Congratulations, your entry is the newest coach in the poll! (Glad to hear that you were able to get it started.)
OK, we have a grand total of 10 entries in our poll now (shown below). So far, 50% of the coaches polled didn't come from the factory with the capability to charge the chassis batteries. Still too early to project a winner ??? ??? but the poll will stay open indefinitely. So keep those entries coming in everyone and I'll keep updating the totals.
2001 Rexhall Vision, MagneTek 950, 50, YES
1997 Fleetwood Bounder, PD-9055, 55, YES
1999 Fleetwood American Eagle, Freedom 2500, 130, YES
1996 Fleetwood Bounder 38Z, Freedom 20, 100, ADDED
2001 Dutch Star, Freedom 2500, 130, YES
2001 Tradewinds, Xantrex Freedom 2000, 50, YES
1997 Holiday Rambler Endeavor LE, Freedom 20D, 100, NO
1993 34' Itasca Suncruiser, Hart Freedom 1000, 50, NO*
1995 32' Winnebago Adventurer, PD9145, 45, NO
2003 Monaco Camelot, Trace RV2012-B20, 100, NO
Congratulations, your entry is the newest coach in the poll! (Glad to hear that you were able to get it started.)
OK, we have a grand total of 10 entries in our poll now (shown below). So far, 50% of the coaches polled didn't come from the factory with the capability to charge the chassis batteries. Still too early to project a winner ??? ??? but the poll will stay open indefinitely. So keep those entries coming in everyone and I'll keep updating the totals.
2001 Rexhall Vision, MagneTek 950, 50, YES
1997 Fleetwood Bounder, PD-9055, 55, YES
1999 Fleetwood American Eagle, Freedom 2500, 130, YES
1996 Fleetwood Bounder 38Z, Freedom 20, 100, ADDED
2001 Dutch Star, Freedom 2500, 130, YES
2001 Tradewinds, Xantrex Freedom 2000, 50, YES
1997 Holiday Rambler Endeavor LE, Freedom 20D, 100, NO
1993 34' Itasca Suncruiser, Hart Freedom 1000, 50, NO*
1995 32' Winnebago Adventurer, PD9145, 45, NO
2003 Monaco Camelot, Trace RV2012-B20, 100, NO
Tom
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Rolf,
There's obviously no simple answer to this one; Every one will be different to some extent.
Our boat is considerably different; It came with separate 3-stage chargers for starting batteries and bow thruster (24V) batteries. I added 10 golf cart batteries and a Heart 3000W inverter/charger (140A) so I could power the numerous/large appliances while on the water. But the Heart definitely does not charge the starting batteries, and doesn't need to.
FWIW Xantrex bought most of the inverter companies several years ago. So, the Heart, Xantrex, and a few others in the list are all really Xantrex now.
There's obviously no simple answer to this one; Every one will be different to some extent.
Our boat is considerably different; It came with separate 3-stage chargers for starting batteries and bow thruster (24V) batteries. I added 10 golf cart batteries and a Heart 3000W inverter/charger (140A) so I could power the numerous/large appliances while on the water. But the Heart definitely does not charge the starting batteries, and doesn't need to.
FWIW Xantrex bought most of the inverter companies several years ago. So, the Heart, Xantrex, and a few others in the list are all really Xantrex now.
Since my cig lighters, awning, and jacks all run off the chassis battery we learned quickly to run the rv after each item is used for any reason or the batteries will soon go dead. And in most cases we do put the awning out on nice days and take it in on windy days.
rsalhus
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Tom,
10 golf cart batteries? Now I'm curious, what kind of appliances are you powering on your boat?
Lee,
I'm assuming that you can't charge your chassis batteries from your coach's charger/converter. Can you send an entry for your coach that I can add to the poll?
Karl
Moderator Emeritus
Well let's see.... There's the 180" flat screen HDTV, the walk-in wine cooler, the suckling pig rotisserie, the electric flag halyard, the weather station (with on-board atomic clock and Doppler radar), heli-pad landing lights, bow thrusters and other 'boat stuff', and last, but not least, the CO2 laser disintegrator head and baby wipe disposal unit.
Did I forget anything, Tom?
Tom
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[quote author=rsalhus]... what kind of appliances are you powering on your boat?[/quote]
Large side by side refrigerator and freezer, microwave and kettle/coffeemaker in the galley. (Stove is 240V and not powered by the inverter.) Refrigerator on the bridge. 32" TV in the salon and TVs in 2 of the 3 state rooms. At least one PC always on. Some 110V lights, although most are 12V. More stuff, but they're not necessarily on. If one of the other battery banks is down, I might run the respective charger, although I prefer to do that from shore power or generator. Occasionally I'll run a ceramic heater, but again prefer to do that from external power. Miscellaneous appliances the chef has plugged in.
Thanks for the reminder Karl; The chef sometimes runs the rotisserie.
1100AH doesn't go that far
Large side by side refrigerator and freezer, microwave and kettle/coffeemaker in the galley. (Stove is 240V and not powered by the inverter.) Refrigerator on the bridge. 32" TV in the salon and TVs in 2 of the 3 state rooms. At least one PC always on. Some 110V lights, although most are 12V. More stuff, but they're not necessarily on. If one of the other battery banks is down, I might run the respective charger, although I prefer to do that from shore power or generator. Occasionally I'll run a ceramic heater, but again prefer to do that from external power. Miscellaneous appliances the chef has plugged in.
Thanks for the reminder Karl; The chef sometimes runs the rotisserie.
1100AH doesn't go that far
