Automatic dual-battery charge control unit not working

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12ItSun30A

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Joined
Mar 24, 2012
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I have a 2012 Itasca Sunova 30A. I am suppose to have an automatic dual-battery charge control unit. Where is it located? How can you tell if it is working? I am plugged into 120VAC shore power. I push the battery button on my powerline control unit to read the chassis and house batteries. The house batteries read okay but the chassis battery reads low. I start the engine and then the chassis battery reads okay and charging. I understood that the dual-battery charge control unit was to charge the chassis and house batteries when plugged into shore power or when driving down the road. Is this correct? I could use some feedback.

Thanks, Ron
 
12ItSun30A said:
I have a 2012 Itasca Sunova 30A. I am suppose to have an automatic dual-battery charge control unit.
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Give Winnie Owner Relations a call and ask them if that means your chassis batteries will be charged when plugged into shore power.  If you do have such a unit, the house and chassis batteries will read about the same voltage.
 
We have 2011 Sightseer and called owners relations and they said if you where going to leave your coach sit more than a week you should use the chassie shut of switch inside your door so the start battery would not go dead. We let ours sit for three weeks and went to start it and it was dead .I used the coach battery switch to start it up.My old 2003 I could let sit for a month and no problems but I guess these new ones with all the toys installed really drain the start battery.We have a battery minder and am thinking of installing it in the batter box so this does not happen. I like to keep my trip and radio stations set and when you turn off the battery you lose all that.I do not like having to reset the radio.
 
Unless it has changed for 2012, I don't think the Sunova has dual battery charging, at least not on shore power. It does from the engine alternator, though. A call to Winnebago would verify what you have in a 2012 Sunova.
 
Update information from Winnebago Adminstration Services:
My new 2012 Itasca Sunova 30A has a automatic dual-battery charge control unit. The chassis and house batteries will charge when I am driving (alt.). When I am on shore power or the generator the chassis and house batteries will charge. The chassis battery will trickel charge or not as much as the house batteries do. I will be checking this function with my meter to make sure everything is working correctly. I guess I will not need a Trik-L-Start unit.

Thanks, Ron
 
I just compared the specifications  for the 2012 Sunova and the 2003 Adventurer that I have. It mentions automatic dual battery charge control for both. I know that on mine, that means only when being charged by the alternator. I couldn't find a wiring diagram for the battery charge circuits for the 2012 Sunova. regardless of what Winnebago said, I doubt it has a Trik-L-Charge installed.
 
Update:

  I did some voltage checks myself and found out for sure that when the engine is running (alt.) all three batteries (two house and one chassis) are charging. I guess this is what Winnebago calls the automatic dual-battery charge control unit.

  When I am on shore power or the generator only the house batteries will be charged and NOT the chassis battery.

  So I bought and installed a Trik-L-Start unit and now all three batteries are charged when on shore power or the generator. The Trik-L-Start unit is very easy to install. Now I got the best of both worlds.

  I don't understand why Winnebago does not factory install a Trik-L-Start unit on all their RV's and valve extenders on the dual wheels. The cost of these items are not very much but make a big difference.

Safe and happy camping,  Ron
 
Ron, don't feel to bad my Monaco Diplomat does not charge the Chassis Batteries when on Shore or Generator power.  I solved mine by installing an AC outlet in the Battery Locker and use a 750 mamp Battery Tender to keep the Chassis batteries topped off.

I used to unplug the Battery Tender when driving, now I don't bother.  The Battery Tender was less than $30 and the materials for the AC outlet less then $10.
 
12ItSun30A said:
..  I don't understand why Winnebago does not factory install a Trik-L-Start unit on all their RV's and valve extenders on the dual wheels. ..
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Ron - leaving features out that were previously standard, or not building them in is euphemistically called "value engineering."  Not your value, but the manufacturer's.  :D
 
I think they would make it back plus on warranty repairs by upgrading a few things at time of manufacture. They could also add the Trik-L-Start as a factory option and make a lot of people happy. I wonder how many hundreds of calls they get about the chassis battery discharging.
 
John Hilley said:
...I wonder how many hundreds of calls they get about the chassis battery discharging....
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That apparently became such an issue Winnie started putting a chassis battery disconnect on at least the upper-end models (we have one in the engine compartment) and then in 2006 they added the Trik-L-Start to the pushers.

Options undoubtedly complicate the production process which is probably why there are a limited number available for each model.  Bling sells units, not useful and practical hidden features or features that might not be well understood or appreciated by RV shoppers. 

And of course they are manufacturing each model to a certain competitive price-point with an adequate profit margin.  Lots of important facets for the product planners, engineers and the bean counters to juggle to produce a marketable product that will fulfill its intended purpose.
 
John,

Thanks for your feedback. I understand your point about Winnebago. I guess it is my engineering background coming out. I have read my operator's manual and supplement manual many times. My DPI man spent a lot of time with me going over the operation of the equipment in my RV. He told me that he spends a lot of time with everyone that buys a new RV. That one day was like a brain overload. I feel that the more I know about my RV the more comfortable I am with its operation and maintenance. My wife tells me that I should be selling RV's. No, just want to enjoy our time on the road with little to now problems. I also read this forum quite a bit to keep up with what is going on with fellow RV'ers.

Thanks, Ron
 
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