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chassis battery

thegriffins
Explorer
Explorer
We have a 2005 Winnebago Journey. Even when the motor home was new the chassis batteries would lose charge and have to be recharged every 5 days. I can't figure out what is draining them. Can anyone help?
Live each day as though it were your last!
12 REPLIES 12

thegriffins
Explorer
Explorer
Thank each of you for the quick and useful information! Thank you again to Fire Up Scott and Karla!
Live each day as though it were your last!

SCVJeff
Explorer
Explorer
From the only other guy on this thread with this coach, Scott has it exactly correct. This is a Freightliner problem that Winnie simply fixed. The engine and Allison transmission both have CPU's in them and they will drag the starting batteries down between one and two weeks. My coach has a Trik-L-Start for cross charging but you have to be plugged in for it to work. This is the main reason I installed Solar; because I didn't want to shut the coach batteries off (mine has a switch for that too) because the Allison will lose its driving memory and I'd have to teach it how I drive all over
Jeff - WA6EQU
'06 Itasca Meridian 34H, CAT C7/350

Gjac
Explorer III
Explorer III
I would check what your parasitic draw is by disconnecting the neg cable from the battery and put your multimeter to 10 amp scale and see what the reading is. .5 amps and under is in the normal range. An amp or more I would trace down the circuit by pulling fuses until you see the amperage drop to the normal range. From what you describe you have a fairly large amp draw to kill a battery in 5 days. It should be easy to find.

tropical36
Explorer
Explorer
thegriffins wrote:
We have a 2005 Winnebago Journey. Even when the motor home was new the chassis batteries would lose charge and have to be recharged every 5 days. I can't figure out what is draining them. Can anyone help?

Whatever it is, it shouldn't be going down that fast and certainly not if you're plugged in and the converter is meant to charge the chassis battery as well. Given as that might be the problem then you need to put a trickle charger on it.
Either way, you should probably pull one of the term. connections off and intermittently touch it on it's post to see if and how much sparking you might be getting. This is an indication of the size of the load being put on it and if all else fails, then start pulling fuses until this phenomenon disappears. This way you'll at least know where the culprit is.
"We are often so caught up in our destination that we forget to appreciate the journey."

07 Revolution LE 40E_Spartan MM_06 400HP C9 CAT_Allison 3000.

Dinghy_2010 Jeep Wrangler JKU ISLANDER.

1998 36ft. National Tropi-Cal Chevy Model 6350 (Sold)

FIRE_UP
Explorer
Explorer
thegriffins wrote:
We have a 2005 Winnebago Journey. Even when the motor home was new the chassis batteries would lose charge and have to be recharged every 5 days. I can't figure out what is draining them. Can anyone help?


thegriffins.
First off, you need realize that your coach, an '05 Winne, like all other D/P Winnes and Itascas in the '05 and earlier versions, was not equipped with any form of keeping the chassis batteries charged while on shore power. Your coach is more than likely on a Freightliner chassis and, IS equipped with the Dimensions 2000 watt Inverter/Charger. And the charging side of that Inverter is what keeps the HOUSE BATTERIES ONLY charged while on shore power.

But, Winne and Itasca both recognized this problem of dead and dying chassis batteries in late '05 and decided in '06 to start installing what's known as a "Trik-L-Start" system. Long story short, it IS NOT A BATTERY CHARGER!!!!!!! It is simply a small computer, about the 1/2 the size of a pack of cigarettes, that simply diverts some of the charging being sent to the house batteries, and divert it to the chassis batteries.

It will do this when it sees a .5V difference between the two sets of batteries. And, the maximum amount of amperage it will allow to be sent to the chassis batteries is 5 amps. It is not very hard to install. There are many ways of doing it but, there is a Winnebago TSB web page that tells you EXACTLY how they do it and would like aftermarket installs to be done.

Anyway, you now know HOW to setup your chassis batteries for charging while on shore power and generator power. But, you still have to investigate what's taking them down in the first place. As has been stated, there are several forms of "parasitic" draws that can take down chassis batteries while parked. Some would be radio channel memories, Engine ECMs, Tranny TCMs, Gas detectors, maybe steps, and more.

There are simple ways of testing which circuit(s) may be doing this but, I don't know how technical you are. One way is simple. If you have a test light, all you need to do is, disconnect the chassis battery ground and, place the test light in between the ground post and, the cable. It should light up if you've got a draw on the chassis batteries. Now, all that needs to be done is, with that test light in position and lit up, start pulling, one at a time, your interior 12V fuses and see if that test light goes out.

If it does, after you've pulled a certain fuse, then that circuit is the primary cause of your chassis batteries drain. You'll have to investigate a remedy for the problem. Hope this helps some.
Scott
Scott and Karla
SDFD RETIRED
2004 Itasca Horizon, 36GD Slate Blue 330 CAT
2011 GMC Sierra 1500 Ext Cab 4x4 Toad
2008 Caliente Red LVL II GL 1800 Goldwing
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You_can_t_take_
Explorer
Explorer
Couple of other things to check. 1) Do you have an electrical switch inside the freezer door jamb (usually on the top when you open the freezer door). If so turn it off.. It's only needed to reduce condensation around the freezer door opening. You don't need it for normal use. 2) How about your TV antenna amplifier switch.. do you turn it off when not in use? 3) Does your rig have an engine heater for winter use? Found that a friend of mine had one on a breaker and it was on all the time (even in the summer!). This may not drain your battery but it will usually take some 120V. power.
1960's: Tents.. 1970's: Soft top & Hard top P/U.. 1980's: 17' RV.. 1990's: 24' RV.. 2000's: 2002 Cougar 276EFS; 2005 Laredo 29GS; 2002 GMC 2500HD Ext Cab 4x4; 2015: 2006 Class 'B' Chateau Citation; "(Nfld/Labrador-Yukon/NWT/Alaska-Gaspe', Que./Florida!!)

ksg5000
Explorer
Explorer
In my rigs the steps and alarms were major chassis battery drainers - I ended up moving those over to the coach battery and added Trik L Start.
Kevin

Blaster_Man
Explorer
Explorer
My coach will not charge the chassis batteries unless the coach batteries are being charged at least at 13.3. If that is the case, the coach batteries will let the charge go through to the chassis batteries...if not, no charge and dead chassis batteries...BTDT.
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Chum_lee
Explorer
Explorer
You have to go through the main fuse box circuit by circuit pulling the fuses until you find the hot circuit with a load on it. A volt/amp meter is your friend. You may have several different fuse boxes so be patient.

Chum lee

wa8yxm
Explorer III
Explorer III
He said Chassis battery..

Radio may be drawing power, Steps, and a few other things. Some of the disconnect systems draw power when connected,, Others do not.

And mistakes happen as well.
Home was where I park it. but alas the.
2005 Damon Intruder 377 Alas declared a total loss
after a semi "nicked" it. Still have the radios
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midnightsadie
Explorer II
Explorer II
your frig needs 12volt even on shore power ,and the smoke det and gas det, are just some of the things that draw on a battery. is your converter doing its job?