I replaced my 4 AGM house batteries last week and I know what you mean about "heavy" each battery weighs 75 pounds. As I disconnected my old battery cables, I drew a sketch of each battery location and of each cable connection for each battery so I knew which cables came off of each battery terminal. I was fortunate, my coach manufactuer identified each cable with a alpha letter and the ends were marked red or black for positive or negative. Easy to replace but they are really HEAVY when lifting them into the battery bay.
Buck62 wrote: I replaced my 4 AGM house batteries last week and I know what you mean about "heavy" each battery weighs 75 pounds. As I disconnected my old battery cables, I drew a sketch of each battery location and of each cable connection for each battery so I knew which cables came off of each battery terminal. I was fortunate, my coach manufactuer identified each cable with a alpha letter and the ends were marked red or black for positive or negative. Easy to replace but they are really HEAVY when lifting them into the battery bay.
My shoulders still hurt!
2007 Mountain Aire 4528
2006 CRV SE
Based in Memphis area
Re putting distilled water in hard to reach batteries. NAPA sells a device called a Battery Filler that is very handy and low tech. A plastic pitcher with a device on the spout that fills the battery to the proper level, just push the spout device into the cell opening and Shazaam! It's filled.
First just a note to anyone working on their batteries. REMOVE the GROUND cable 1st. This wwll compleatly disconnect the battery's. If doing the positive side you risk a short to ground with your wrench WILL wake you up. Also remove any rings, ect. Might save you a finger.
I replaced the stock sealed Freightliner chassis batterys and there are more cables tied to them then you can count. Still do not know where some of them go. Freightliner said "not ours", Winnebago said "not ours". I bought coach new and they are not mine. Ended up adding two buss bars to handle some of the smaller ones.
I also removed the 3 12v deepcycle?? batteries installed by Winn and replaced with 4 Trojan T105 6v deep cycle ones. They do JUST fit my battery tray, but require a little work but results are worth the trouble.
First just a note to anyone working on their batteries. REMOVE the GROUND cable 1st. This wwll compleatly disconnect the battery's. If doing the positive side you risk a short to ground with your wrench WILL wake you up. Also remove any rings, ect. Might save you a finger.
I replaced the stock sealed Freightliner chassis batterys and there are more cables tied to them then you can count. Still do not know where some of them go. Freightliner said "not ours", Winnebago said "not ours". I bought coach new and they are not mine. Ended up adding two buss bars to handle some of the smaller ones.
I also removed the 3 12v deepcycle?? batteries installed by Winn and replaced with 4 Trojan T105 6v deep cycle ones. They do JUST fit my battery tray, but require a little work but results are worth the trouble.
Vern Phoenix
2004 Vectra 40 AD Cummins 350 W/Banks power package
2004 PT Cruiser, GT, Turbo, w/5 speed
Blue Ox Avanta 3 & Blue Ox tow plate W/Brake Buddy
Good Sam, long time Thousand Trails, & now FMCA
Vern Phoenix
2004 Vectra 40AD, 350 Cummins with Banks Power Pack
2004 PT Cruiser, Turbo, GT, 5 speed
Brake Buddy, Avanta 11 tow package
Good Sam, long time Thousand Trails, FMCA
Adding a surface mount "on/off" switch (500 amps capacity at least) should not take more than a few minutes. You can run the cable (should be only one, plus the charger) to the one terminal of the "on/off" switch. You will need a new cable to go the the last terminal in the series connection of the 6 volt batteries.
One word of caution. Sams and Costco batteries are built to a price point. They may not have the capacity (or as much weight) as the original batteries. I perfer to use Trojan batteries--that way you always have the same size cables.
Bob Austin
2001 H R 30 Admiral
Toad 2003 Honda Pilot
1993 Roadtrek popular Dodge chassis
2000 Ford Excursion 7.3 Diesel
I am almost positive that you have a cut off switch somewhere in that 2007 Mountainaire. There are two compartments on most coaches, one is for all the twelve volt fuses and systems usually in front drivers side. Then most will have another compartment for the AC switches. Mine is on the passenger side toward the rear. Inside that compartment there should be two big switches. Turn them off when in dry storage and your batteries will not go bad with parasite draws.
Last time I changed mine out I did it in the parking lot of Camping World in about 20 minutes. My batteries sit in a drawer that pulls out. I bought the four new ones and just swapped them out and hooked them up like the old ones. The old ones went back inside in a shopping cart. Some motorhomes must be easier than others.
2004 National Tropi-Cal T-350, Class A, Triple slide, 330 HP Cat DP. 2006 Dodge Dakota 4x4 or
2002 Harley FLSTF Fat Boy on a Trailer or
2004 Polaris Quad on the Trailer
RayChez wrote: I am almost positive that you have a cut off switch somewhere in that 2007 Mountainaire. There are two compartments on most coaches, one is for all the twelve volt fuses and systems usually in front drivers side. Then most will have another compartment for the AC switches. Mine is on the passenger side toward the rear. Inside that compartment there should be two big switches. Turn them off when in dry storage and your batteries will not go bad with parasite draws.
I searched high and low for a disconnect and there isn't one! The 12 volt fuse boxes are in four different places:
In the middle bathroom above the commode
In the front compartment, outside, below the driver
In the electrical compartment where the main 50 amp hookup is located
In the basement, last compartment, center.
Plus, there are fuses scattered about the coach in wiring bundles, I found a couple here and there.
The 120 volt systems are all in the center bathroom, above the commode, except for the controls, which are located above the driver.
No hard disconnect switch I could find. If anyone has a Newmar tag model 2007+ and has located this switch, please tell me where it is!
I'm just disconnecting the main cable for now. It does the job.
Recommend you install the cut off switch and use a switch intended for this purpose which will minimize "bounce" voltage when you turn off and on. Some folks swear you should also turn off fridge, water heater and other 12VDC appliances when turning master switch on or off to prevent any possible (rare to be sure) damage.
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