I've recent;y purchased a 2008 Winnebago View and I'm running into a bit of a problem with the chasis battery and the battery boost switch. First some background - The chasis battery died about 8 weeks ago, yet I was able to use the battery boost switch to pull power from the shore battery and jump the chasis battery. I later tested the chasis battery and it was dead. All batteries, including the shore batteries appeared to have been the original batteries. I replaced all of the batteries and didn't have any problems, until yesterday...The shore battery was dead for some reason, and I wasn't able to jump using the battery boost switch. I can hear the selenoid switch when attempting to use the battery boost, yet for some reason it's not working. Obviously I'm concerned about the mysterious drain on the chasis battery, but I'm even more concerned as to why the boost won't work.Any help would be appreciated; I have limited knowledge mechanically speaking. Thanks!!

i think boost is only good one way. you maybe left something on in coach that you've heavily drained house batt. put house batt toggle to ON or USE and plug rv to shore power overnite then try. be sure to toggle house batt to OFF or STORE when MH is not in use. otherwise, maybe like my rig and maybe yours too - there is a BIRD relay that connects house batt to chassis, and as long as chassis batt is lower than house batt, the house will drain to chassis batt. a goofy thing, i think.the BIRD is one way like the dash boost toggle, but they are somehow different. i think the boost is for manual action in emergency. the bird allows shore power to charge both batteries, or this is what i make of the distinction, anyhow.

I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that the shore batteries were completely full. The drain appears to only impact the chasis battery and I'm still not sure why the boost wont work. As I mentioned, you can clearly hear the solenoid click over when you hit the boost switch. Between this and the fact that I had just recently used the boost switch really has me perplexed. Is it possible for the solenoid to be bad even though you can hear it click over?

Solenoid can be bad and still click. Easy fix under passenger seat. The chassis battery drain is a known "issue", if you will, on the Views/Navions/ERAs. Best practice is to disconnect the chassis ground under the dash if to be parked for more than a few days. That will take care of the chassis drain unless you've got something else going on.

This is great feedback, thanks so much! You mentioned disconnecting the chasis battery under the dash... Where would you go about doing this? I'm hoping I don't need to open the floor up each time it needs to be disconnected. Thanks again!!

you did say shore batt was dead before i posted. anyway, you have a chassis or engine batt, and one or two house or coach battery(ies). no such thing as shore batt. the shore power is from an AC cord plugged into RV.if you can, start genset (the onboard way to get AC) and have house batt toggled ON. now try your emergency start toggle (boost). if it works, the emergency start solenoid is OK.

Battery Boost Issue | Good Sam Community

Big_Daddy_72
Explorer
Apr 10, 2015
This is great feedback, thanks so much! You mentioned disconnecting the chasis battery under the dash... Where would you go about doing this? I'm hoping I don't need to open the floor up each time it needs to be disconnected. Thanks again!!
bobojay5
Explorer
Apr 10, 2015
Solenoid can be bad and still click. Easy fix under passenger seat. The chassis battery drain is a known "issue", if you will, on the Views/Navions/ERAs. Best practice is to disconnect the chassis ground under the dash if to be parked for more than a few days. That will take care of the chassis drain unless you've got something else going on.
Big_Daddy_72
Explorer
Apr 10, 2015
I'm sorry, I forgot to mention that the shore batteries were completely full.

The drain appears to only impact the chasis battery and I'm still not sure why the boost wont work. As I mentioned, you can clearly hear the solenoid click over when you hit the boost switch.

Between this and the fact that I had just recently used the boost switch really has me perplexed. Is it possible for the solenoid to be bad even though you can hear it click over?
burlmart
Explorer
Apr 10, 2015
i think boost is only good one way. you maybe left something on in coach that you've heavily drained house batt. put house batt toggle to ON or USE and plug rv to shore power overnite then try.

be sure to toggle house batt to OFF or STORE when MH is not in use. otherwise, maybe like my rig and maybe yours too - there is a BIRD relay that connects house batt to chassis, and as long as chassis batt is lower than house batt, the house will drain to chassis batt. a goofy thing, i think.

the BIRD is one way like the dash boost toggle, but they are somehow different. i think the boost is for manual action in emergency. the bird allows shore power to charge both batteries, or this is what i make of the distinction, anyhow.

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