Thanks for all the replies!
westend wrote:
Most of these motorhomes have an isolation relay between the chassis battery and the house batteries. There could be an issue with that relay.
What I'd suggest to do is either call a skilled mobile tech or take the Chinook to an RV service shop and have them go through the different wiring issues, test the batteries, test the alternator, and test the isolation relay. Nothing in your coach needs to be wired "hot" except the radio memory. You have at least one misguided user's (previous owner) ideas about how to power devices.
I read somewhere that they hate to diagnose electrical stuff because it's expensive and when they hand the bill to the owner, they get a lot of grief. But it may come to that.
You can't take the Fisherman out of this Camper wrote:
I have exactly the same issue with my (recently purchased) used Chateau Citation. My engine battery will go dead if the motorhome sits in the driveway for more than a week. I've taken the battery out to have it load tested and it checks out fine. I've taken it on a 24 day trip with no issues because it was driven every day. It also has (what I think) is a recently installed Sirius Radio and that is where I will concentrate my efforts to see if I can track down this problem.
Ours has a detachable faceplate. We pulled that off, left it off, will see if it helps.
jolooote wrote:
This relay is impossible to find. Its located inside the bottom main chassis frame where the front bumper bolts on. I relocated it to the area above/behind the radiator.
Handy to know this info for future reference, thanks!
MrWizard wrote:
IT is VERY COMMON for the radio in an RV to be wired hot
this is SO you do not have to turn on the key to have music while parked
sounds like all the batteries are weak and no longer have much capacity left
and bleed down from internal shorts when sitting, and are ready for replacement
Yeah, I should have noticed that it was on...we didn't listen to it, but the display had more than just a time. I'm still surprised at the power windows, but I guess if you sit parked at a campground and have to put the keys in the ignition every time you need to roll down a window....
As for the coach batts, they show "good" (3/3) on the meter.
naturist wrote:
mystery switches are always scary. You never know when one might be for the ejection seat, or the missile launcher, eh?
So I gave up, and put a battery cut off switch under the hood. As long as I remove the battery from the circuit when I park it, the Jeep starts instantly every time.
You might consider doing the same at least until you figure out what is going on here.
Yes, imagine the egg on my face when it turned out to be the self-destruct button! :S
I may have flipped that heated mirror switch to ON and forgotten it, figured it was a non-working switch.
That kill switch could be a solution...simple but effective.
tarnold wrote:
Go to the ChinookRVOwners web site and post your problem. Lots of specific help there.
Yes, I should do that, haven't joined them yet. I just figured I was doing something generically boneheaded.
