Chassis Batteries Dead

[curley9946]

We recently winterized our 2005 Winnebago RV... We have it stored inside. Went there today to just start it up and batteries are dead. Why would my 2 chassis batteries go dead and my 3 deep cell coach batteries completely. Purchased in Jan. 08... Therefore the generator isn't working.

Thanks for any suggestions

John LeBeau

[wolfe10]

John,

Let me get the facts straight:

Is the coach plugged in with converter or charger working?

Are the house batteries staying charged (13.0+ VDC if charger on, 12.7 VDC if not plugged in?

Does your chassis battery charge from your converter or charger-- many do NOT?

And shore power and generator SHOULD charge the batteries exactly the same, since both "power" the converter or charger.

If not, you will need to install a TrikLCharger, Xantrex Echo charger, etc or a separate charger for the chassis batteries.

Brett

[vtbigdog]

How long was the coach stored? what part of the country are you in?

Concerning the chassis battery. The battery went dead because it was either not in tip-top shape (bad cell, not fully charged) or there is a drain on the battery. One item that will draw power from the battery is anything that is always on such as dash radio memory. Your coach should have a chassis disconnect switch. I would suggest charging the battery first and then settting this switch to OFF and then see if the battery goes dead. I am assuming this battery is maintenance-free and you cannot add fluid. Depending on your configuration, your chassis battery may not be charged when you are plugged into shore power or running your generator. That is why you need a Trik-L-Start device.

Same scenario for the house batteries. Drains on voltage can come from smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, your inverter, and other things. You should also have a disconnect switch for the house batteries. Make sure your batteries are initially charged and are topped off with distilled water and you check it monthly.

Also if your coach is stored indoors, a solar panel you have on the roof is not able to provide any charging, so even good batteries in tip-top shape will eventually go dead.