Jump Starting 2007 Monaco Executive

[tzscales]

We own a 2007 Monaco Executive that is parked in a covered space in a storage facility. There is no electrical hookup to run the onboard charger inverter. There are three chassis batteries (12 volt AGM) and 8 house batteries (6 volts each and wet cell).

When it is cold, I have a time trying to start the engine and sometimes I am successful and other times I have no luck. When I jump start, I hook the jumper cables (heavy duty) to my truck's battery (650 Cold Cranking Amps (CCAs)) and to two of the three batteries (950 CCAs each). There are two batteries that have the positive and negative connected so that I can jump them properly. Yes, I know that the CCAs are not compatible, but sometimes I am lucky.

I am researching the feasibility of a jump starter with 1400 - 1800 CCAs that I can use to assist in this effort. Based on some of my readings, there is one school of thought that endorses a portable jump starter and another school of thought that says that it is a waste of time.

In the past, I have removed all three chassis batteries and charged each individually at home; however, this is just a pain and I do no relish performing this task.

I am soliciting your sage advice and/or recommendations as to any heavy duty jump starter or if I am wasting my time. The ones I have researched so far comprise either two or three group 31 AGM batteries and the total package weighs from 289 - 300 pounds.

Please excuse the long post and Happy Holidays!!!!!!

[wolfe10]

Best advice is to use your truck battery to jump start the GENERATOR and let it power your inverter/charger to bring up the coach batteries.

If your inverter/charger does not charge the chassis batteries, need to make some arrangement for it to do so (boost switch with CONSTANT DUTY relay, manual switch between the two, etc.

Can you use solar to keep them charged?

Letting batteries deeply discharge will materially shorten their lives.

[kaypsmith]

How far away from an entry door or window which wires can be run for solar to help keep them charged? Also, there is a 12 volt generator with auto start that senses your batteries, and if they fall below whatever percentage you set it for will start up and bring to full load, it starts off of your batteries, so there is no other battery to maintain.

Kay

[tzscales]

Thanks for the replies. I do have Automatic Generator Start and need to start using it. I'm almost one hour and ten minutes from where the coach is stored and so I have just left it alone. The batteries discharging is a real concern of mine.

[hermanmullins]

TZ,

Another alternative would be to disconnect the batteries when you store your coach. If you store it just after you return from a trip your batteries should be fully charged. By removing the cables you are assured you won't have a mystery drain. But this would depend on having good batteries to start with. Having your auto start on might not be a good idea in a confined area.

Herman

[wildebill308]

I would not use the auto start if you are not there like Herman said. Take the negative cables off and hook them up when you are there to start exercise your generator. Then disconnect them when you leave. If your batteries are badly discharged bring a book because it will take a while to bring them back up.

Have you tried using the battery connect switch to ty your batteries together to start your coach?

Bill

[kaypsmith]

I was not referring to autostart on the ac generator, as I referred to a 12 volt (dc) generator. This is a very small unit and can be placed outside the building, covered of course to prevent rain damage to generator.

My coach is a 24 volt unit, therefore I use 24 volt dc generator. This unit is designed to be used in conjunction with solar panels which in turn charge a bank of batteries that in turn power a 120 volt inverter. If the sun is not shining enough on some days, and of course at night, the generator will serve to keep the battery bank sufficient to run the inverter. It is a very small and very quiet generator because it is slow turning.

As Herman mentions, if you disconnect the battery terminals the batteries will maintain a charge for a much longer time, unless there are faulty cell/cells in any of the batteries.

[tzscales]

The last three replies are noted. Removing the negative battery cable from all "battery banks" would be the most feasible for now once I can get this Cummins ISX engine started.

[wildebill308]

Well if I was going to start my coach when it is cold and I thought the batteries were low. The first thing I would do is start the generator. Next turn on the engine heater. I would let the generator run for about two hours then start the coach.

Bill

[obedb]

I use our block heater with very good results on our CAT 330. As has been suggested, start the genset and turn the block heater on but I honestly don't know how long to be effective. Most places that I have parked big rigs over the years did not have electric. An ISX is a big rig engine. My guess is no manifold heater. Would be new to me if a large displacement engine uses one. Good batteries started my 12.7 liter Detroit Series 60 or my 15 liter CATs on zero degree days with short crank times. No experience with an ISX, but if your batteries are even in reasonably good shape it should start. Big companies use them and would not put up with a lot of no starts.

[tzscales]

UPDATE!!

I was able to start the coach after charging the batteries for two hours via the generator and turning on the engine block heater. The engine started on the first start. I took it out on a 91 mile round trip and did not turn the engine off until I returned to the storage facility. Before departing I disconnected all negative cables from the house and chassis batteries. This was probably overkill, but I wanted to make sure there was no parasitic drain on all eleven batteries.

I will be returning probably the first of next week to find out if this method works and hopefully starting the engine.

Thanks much to everyone's input.

[wildebill308]

If it is cold I would repeat the method you used this time. I would not start the engine unless you were going to drive it long enough to get it good and warmed up.

Bill

[tzscales]

If it is cold I would repeat the method you used this time. I would not start the engine unless you were going to drive it long enough to get it good and warmed up.

Bill

I will take note of your recommendation. When I start the engine, it is for the specific purpose of taking it out on the road for its long exercise. I plan to do just that again next week.

Thanks!!!!

[wolfe10]

Good advice. If you can't drive it long enough and under enough load (read that minimum of 25 highway miles) to get the OIL, not just coolant up to operating temperature, you are better off not starting the engine.

If you can't get the oil up to operating temperature, running it only adds MOISTURE TO THE CRANKCASE.

[bm02tj]

If you need to boost your rig from a car or truck:

Hook the cables up and let you boost rig surface charge the battery's for 20 to 30 minutes.

Shut off boost vehicle so not to damage electronics from voltage spike then start your rig.

[Fijidad]

We own a 2007 Monaco Executive that is parked in a covered space in a storage facility. There is no electrical hookup to run the onboard charger inverter. There are three chassis batteries (12 volt AGM) and 8 house batteries (6 volts each and wet cell).

When it is cold, I have a time trying to start the engine and sometimes I am successful and other times I have no luck. When I jump start, I hook the jumper cables (heavy duty) to my truck's battery (650 Cold Cranking Amps (CCAs)) and to two of the three batteries (950 CCAs each). There are two batteries that have the positive and negative connected so that I can jump them properly. Yes, I know that the CCAs are not compatible, but sometimes I am lucky.

I am researching the feasibility of a jump starter with 1400 - 1800 CCAs that I can use to assist in this effort. Based on some of my readings, there is one school of thought that endorses a portable jump starter and another school of thought that says that it is a waste of time.

In the past, I have removed all three chassis batteries and charged each individually at home; however, this is just a pain and I do no relish performing this task.

I am soliciting your sage advice and/or recommendations as to any heavy duty jump starter or if I am wasting my time. The ones I have researched so far comprise either two or three group 31 AGM batteries and the total package weighs from 289 - 300 pounds.

Please excuse the long post and Happy Holidays!

I have a 2001 Monaco Windsor DP, so based on my model, two thoughts: 1) There should be a switch on dash on the left side of the steering wheel (marked Aux. Start) that allows you to use your house batteries to start your engine. I've used it on my rig and it works great...assuming your house batteries are charged. Turn the ignition to "ON" and engage that switch to turn over the engine. 2) In the electrical compartment in the basement of our rig are two rotary switches; one marked "House Disconnect" and one marked "Chassis Disconnect". The owner's manual says to turn these to the "OFF" position if you are storing the rig for any length to time to eliminate parasitic losses during storage. Hope that helps.