Augh - I should offer a prize for this correct diagnosis!!

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Lou Schneider said:
Disconnecting the battery will  power cycle every computer in the vehicle.  You probably did this while cleaning the battery terminals.

The engine computer will reset to it's default values and will have tol re-learn the optimum parameters for your engine the next time you take it for a drive.

I never gave this much thought but I disconnect the batts all the time so they don't go dead from a parasitic draw.  Food for thought.  thanks
 
KandT said:
I never gave this much thought but I disconnect the batts all the time so they don't go dead from a parasitic draw.  Food for thought.  thanks

I put a float charger on mine  they sell really cheap solar and plug in ones at Harbor Freight...between $5 and $20.  they work fine.
 
sightseers said:
I put a float charger on mine  they sell really cheap solar and plug in ones at Harbor Freight...between $5 and $20.  they work fine.

Thanks.  Mine sits at a storage lot so I will have to figure a way to get a solar charger working that no one messes with.  So weird that Winnie put a small charger for the house batts and left the chassis batts alone. 

Now that solar panels are better and cheaper maybe I could replace their (5 or 10 watt I forget) with a 50 watt panel and just leave all 5 batts charge.  T

he problem I have is my batts are in different conditions with my house batts being about used up and my chassis batts being a few months old.  I don't think chargers react well with batts of different conditions.  But then I am not a battery expert.
 
Harbor Freight has a small portable solar panel battery float charger ( about 15" square" ).

they sell for $14.00,  throw it up on the inside of the windshield and plug it into the cigarette lighter on the dash ...you're done.

https://www.harborfreight.com/15-watt-solar-battery-charger-68692.html
 
sightseers said:
Harbor Freight has a small portable solar panel battery float charger ( about 15" square" ).

they sell for $14.00,  throw it up on the inside of the windshield and plug it into the cigarette lighter on the dash ...you're done.

https://www.harborfreight.com/15-watt-solar-battery-charger-68692.html

Oh wow!  Awesome.  Thank you!  :)) :))

I never thought about it but the cigarette lighter wiring makes sense.

Oh how I love to make things complicated!! ::)
 
Make sure the cigarette lighter socket stays on when the ignition is turned off.  Some don't and if it doesn't,  the solar panel won't be connected to the battery.
 
Lou Schneider said:
Make sure the cigarette lighter socket stays on when the ignition is turned off.  Some don't and if it doesn't,  the solar panel won't be connected to the battery.

Easy to miss - thanks!!
 
My question would be is a 15 amp solar panel big enough to charge up 2-6 batteries you would have on board. I thoughts would be something about 40 watts would do the job. I may be wrong though.


Bill
 
billwild said:
My question would be is a 15 amp solar panel big enough to charge up 2-6 batteries you would have on board. I thoughts would be something about 40 watts would do the job. I may be wrong though.


So it would be for 2 - 12 volt chassis batts.
Would a cigarette lighter handle 40 watts??  I would guess so since they send enough electricity through to make the old school cig lighters awefully hot

Bill

edit: moved close quote to proper location
 
Usually cigarette lighter sockets are fused for 20 amps.  20 amps x 12 volts = 240 watts.

So yes, it will easily handle 40 watts.
 
I've seen a lot of folks confuse amps with watts. So, please check what you're posting. Those little portable panels you put on your dash are most likely 15 watts -- not 15 amps. 15 amps would require a large solar panel on the roof. And yes 15 amps will fully charge 2 12 volt batteries. 15 watts -- not likely unless the batteries are connected only to the solar panel and nothing else. Even then, it might take weeks.
 
My trailer came with a 10 watt panel and in the summer it not only keeps the 2 6 volts topped up and handles all the parasitic draws such as the propane detectors etc. but will actually charge them slowly over time. In the winter when sunlight is several hours less a day it helps but does not quite keep up. I do live in the desert though so 300 plus sunny days here. :)
 
Harbor Freight has a small portable solar panel battery float charger ( about 15" square" ).

they sell for $14.00, throw it up on the inside of the windshield and plug it into the cigarette lighter on the dash ...you're done.

Question: Would this charger cause problems if rig is plugged into shore power during storage?
 
Provided the panel has a reverse current protection diode NO (not all do)
If the panel does not than it will run the battery down when it's not bright out.

If there is a charge controller between panel and battery There is protection
 
Two comments
First you need to read the engine codes.. Depending on the On Board Diagnostic (OBD) connector you might be able to read them with a blue tooth adapter and your cell phone

Second. Sometimes when that stop engine light comes on it means RIGHT NOW. other times.... As you already found out... it might not be serious.
 
Just to clarify, you said you have a "jake brake", Is it in fact an exhaust brake instead? Reason for asking is our exhaust brake stuck closed and it acted as if a potato was stuck in the exhaust. I removed it and wire brushed all the built up carbon....works perfect now.
 
Not at all. But it's also unnecessary if the rig is plugged into even minimal power.
I agree but the chassis battery goes dead after about a week even when on shore power with house batteries "in use". We've had it in for service 3 times but Camping World doesn't seem to know what the problem is. Had chassis battery checked by both Ford dealer and RV dealer - they say it's fine. RV dealer said the isolator is fine (I'm dubious about that). There are several comments on this forum with others having very similar problems & have resorted to the solar charger. The chassis battery does start with the emergency start button from the house batteries (usually, except last month both house & chassis batteries were dead -- had to call road service). Could it be a circuitry issue? Any ideas RV Wizard? Sure would like it. Thanks.
 

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