Chassis Batteries not charging. PERIOD
Here''s the deal, I was going to hook up the toad and take it on an inaugural test run. 2008 Winnebago Destination 39 feet with two slides Freightliner chassis Cummins Diesel pusher Got it ...
Forum Discussion
Big_Blue wrote:
All great advice.
Lessons learned:
Affirmatively charge the chassis batteries.
Battery boost is not a replacement for charged chassis batteries.
Shower power does not charge chassis batteries.
The roof solar battery charger is for the coach, not chassis.
RTFM.
The batteries have been pulled and are accepting charges from a ProLogic battery charger/conditioner.
All connections are being thoroughly cleaned because the manual says so.
A trickle charger is being researched and will be installed.
Big_Blue,
Well Sir, it sounds like so far, you may have slipped by in this incident with maybe just some scourned batteries. Since you've not stated that you've found anything else as the result of smoke from the dash area. And, I'm pretty sure you meant SHORE power instead of "Shower" power, unless you think your batteries need a shower.
There are so many folks that think the house battery charging system, be it a converter/charger or, in the case of most diesel pushers, an "Inverter/charger" also charges the chassis batteries.
Well, I'm not sure about many other brands/makes but, Winnes and Itascas had no such chassis battery charging system in place, from the factory, all the way up to around, early '06 or so. Many owners of those era coaches, remedied the situation with what's called the "Trik-L-Start". It's not a charger. It's simply an electrical mechanism that SIPHONS off, some of the intended charging for the house batteries, and sends it to the chassis batteries. And, the max it will give those is either .5 amps or, 5 amps, I can't remember.
I chose the route you're thinking of. I installed a three-stage NAPA battery charger permanently. I tied it into an un-used breaker in my 120VAC breaker panel. I then ran the leads through the side bulk head to the chassis batteries. And, that charger is controlled by a re-settable circuit breaker, just like the rest of the 120VAC components.
And, if anything should ever go wrong with the house battery charging system, (which can) the chassis batteries will still keep on charging, even when the charger is supplying the third stage, i.e. trickle.
Scott
