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Charging Chassis Battrey

Yahoo Message Number: 11510
My son & his wife have a 2004 Gulf Stream Yellowstone (Model W6316YK) on a 2004 Chev C5500 chassis.

The chassis battery does not maintain a charge while on shore power. It takes a couple of weeks for it to go very low. The AUX start will start it when it's too weak for the chassis battery to start the engine.

Is there a function that keeps the chassis battery charged while on shore power? If not, how does one keep the battery charged when the engine isn't running and it sits on shore power?

Rocky

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11511
I believe the simple answer is no. If you want to charge the Chassis batteries - you have to do something special, at least in my year coach which is the same vintage.

You have some options from simple to complex. And some options using DC or AC.

I believe Craig told me about the Trik-L-Start - that uses DC. Hooked up to the chassis batteries this gives them a charge on shore power by stealing from the converter. He also had a solar charging system and DC was his choice.

Some folks just use a charger plugged into DC from the coach, and then run this to the chassis battery compartment if they are going to be stationary for a while.

I went a tad overboard and ran AC from the GFCI circuit up to the front bin next to the batteries, installed an AC battery minder and hooked that up to the Chassis batteries. I will send you a pdf under a separate email. Of course if this could have been done with a simple extension cord, but I wanted a more permanent install for those extended stays...

Kevin KF5FUZ (2006 Jayco on a 2005 chassis)

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11512
We simply disconnected the battery. Frankly, I don't know why most manufacturers don't observe and improve. Only one of our four motorhomes (41 ft Ambassador DP) had a kill switch for the 4 house batteries and the 2 coach batteries. We disconnected our chassis battery of our Kodiak when sitting in use in Florida for the winter and only put the trickle charger on it once for a short period. When we headed north it started immediately.

Now, I have a kill switch on the negative battery post and simply disconnect it when it is sitting at a storage yard.

With all the complaints I've seen on this over the past 10 years it leads me to believe that most manufacturers don't pay attention to users - or they would have set up the electrical system to provide a charge for the chassis battery.

I've seen dealers wedge paper into the house to chassis battery cut over switch when the chassis battery dropped too low and had to be charged. When we had problems with a short in a Trojan battery I asked Trojan about doing that to keep the chassis battery charged (which was not one of theirs) and their tech people responded with a huge NO.

I think now I understand what their concern was. When you get house batteries that are in different condition it can cause charging problems and damage batteries. I think that may be the issue when you then run off power to the chassis battery - but that is just a guess on my part. I don't have battery expertise on my CV. :)

Don


On 2013-07-17, at 7:45 PM, Rocky r.rockholt@...> wrote:

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11513
Thanks Kevin & Don,

If I disconnect the battery for extended lengths, will that cause the engine computer to do strange things? Some rigs lose their memory if disconnected.

My first remedy was to put an on-board automatic battery charger that plugs in a 110vac outlet and keep the chassis battery charged whenever it is on shore power. I think I can install this type of charger using the existing 110vac system in the coach without a lot of difficulties.

My second option was to install a battery shutoff switch to kill all power to the chassis when parked, and manually engage it whenever the engine needed to be started.

Before either of these options, I needed to see how y'all handled this problem. Thanks, I really appreciate the fast response.

Rocky

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11514
When I reconnected the Kodiak battery I had to redo the radio presets. Often I didn't even bother because we have a portable SiriusXM and use it 100% of the time. The other item that supposedly takes time to realign itself after the battery is reconnected is the Allison transmission "driver style memory." We didn't find that to be a problem.

We have a Battery Minder that will keep a trickle charge to the chassis battery but we don't use it too often. We don't take our MH to Florida any more so in the winter we remove the chassis and house batteries. This past year I trickle charged them once over the winter as they lost very little of their voltage. The Battery Minder (which must be about 8 years old now) also has a desulphate button.

Don

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11515
I use a solar panel that I put in the sun roof that charges the chassis batteries to the cigarette lighter and it works just great

Larry Payne  ⛳

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11516
Hey Rocky.

We had a little Medical Emergency with one of my daughters 2011, and after the Rally in Kerrville we hung up our spurs and put our RV in storage. Hit the disconnect in the coach. (Note there is at least one coach light notcontrolled by this switch - specifically the light in the pump house.)

On the chassis side...

I disconnected the power lead under the hood and bagged it. Lots of power here so removing rings etc. a good ideaprior to messing with this.

For my coach - a Jayco - I also had a mystery wire that goes back to the coach (it is shown in the PDF). Because of this wire - a disconnect under the hood is not enough for an extended absence. ) I think this is for the steps. For really long departures you would probably do better to disconnect the batteries all together. Climate controlled storage also is good for battery life, and so would be leaving them on a minder, because even with no load there is a slow discharge.) So I was disappointed to find that this had done a slow discharge while in storage. So I blew it. Still the batteries came back with the battery minder and seem to be OK.

Interested in hearing what other folks have done with possibly more success!

Kevin

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11517
Thanks Don,

I think I'll install a permanent on-board charger that's activated whenever they're connected to shore power, or generator. I think that would be the simplest remedy for the kids keeping the chassis battery continually charged.

Thanks for all the info.

Rocky

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11521
Larry,

What size wattage solar panel do you have? Are there any controls needed to be installed? Where did you get it?

Rocky

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #10 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11524
Ours has a battery minder that also charges the coach when needed (don't know when Jayco started using them) it is in the compartment with the house batterieds. Of course you need to be connected to shore power.



Dave

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #11 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11527
Rocky
Auto zone or a lot of auto part stores. The controls are built in. It has a nice long cord to reach cig lighter

Larry Payne  ⛳

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #13 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11532
Why not just start the coach say 1X per month. That is all I do and its probably good for the belts, hoses, engine etc etc etc

Be well,

~
Victor - KI6IM
Kodiak Diesel Dutchmen 34H Bunkhouse

From: Rocky
To: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 7:30 PM
Subject: [KodiakChassisClassC] Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #14 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11540
I was going to say that, I do take out more often than most I guess at least once a month I go somewhere if not twice, but like July not going anywhere, so I just run the engine every other week and the generator as well, that charges and keep it charged, and as Victor says, it runs everything else.
Doing this for years and never had an issue, when parked house batteries are disconnected and that is about all I do.

Thanks
Mo

From: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com [mailto:KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Victor Burns
Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2013 9:57 AM
To: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [KodiakChassisClassC] Re: Charging Chassis Battrey



Why not just start the coach say 1X per month. That is all I do and its probably good for the belts, hoses, engine etc etc etc



Be well,

~
Victor - KI6IM

Kodiak Diesel Dutchmen 34H Bunkhouse



center
From: Rocky r.rockholt@...>
To:KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 7:30 PM
Subject: [KodiakChassisClassC] Re: Charging Chassis Battrey



Thanks Kevin & Don,

If I disconnect the battery for extended lengths, will that cause the engine computer to do strange things? Some rigs lose their memory if disconnected.

My first remedy was to put an on-board automatic battery charger that plugs in a 110vac outlet and keep the chassis battery charged whenever it is on shore power. I think I can install this type of charger using the existing 110vac system in the coach without a lot of difficulties.

My second option was to install a battery shutoff switch to kill all power to the chassis when parked, and manually engage it whenever the engine needed to be started.

Before either of these options, I needed to see how y'all handled this problem. Thanks, I really appreciate the fast response.

Rocky

Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #15 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11543
I don't know what GM would advise but over the past 10 years we've phoned the Ford RV department and the help desks at CAT and Cummins and got the same instructions. If it is going to sit DON'T even start it unless you are planning to take it for a lengthy drive. They say idling it for 15 or 20 minutes does more harm than good - especially in cold weather. That is when moisture gets in with the oil apparently. Thus, in Florida we've let ours sit and don't even turn on the ignition. At home in storage for the winter - batteries are removed. In the summer in storage they batteries stay in but we don't start it other than when we are using it.

Don

Quote

On 2013-07-18, at 9:56 AM, Victor Burns vburns1@...> wrote:

Quote

Why not just start the coach say 1X per month. That is all I do and its probably good for the belts, hoses, engine etc etc etc

Be well,

~
Victor - KI6IM
Kodiak Diesel Dutchmen 34H Bunkhouse

From: Rocky r.rockholt@...>
To:KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2013 7:30 PM
Subject: [KodiakChassisClassC] Re: Charging Chassis Battrey


Re: Charging Chassis Battrey

Reply #16 –
Yahoo Message Number: 11545
I guess we live in Cali too - I am not really worried about a little condensation in the block, plus we have only let our coach sit for maybe 45 days between uses. I told my wife that thing sits 90 day its outa here! Since we use it so much I have been greenlighted to buy an Embark!!

Be well,

~
Victor - KI6IM
Kodiak Diesel Dutchmen 34H Bunkhouse

From: Don Leslie
To: KodiakChassisClassC@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Thursday, July 18, 2013 3:50 PM
Subject: Re: [KodiakChassisClassC] Charging Chassis Battrey