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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
Another poster (Tenn Stud)made reference to the chassis batteries supplying power to the engine and transmission computers even if the chassis battery disconnect switch is engaged (disconnected.) If this is true, the assumption would be that having that supply availble is a neccesity for some reason. If this be the case, then would disconnecting the battery for an extended period of time not create a problem with the engine and/or transmission computers?
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ReadytoRide
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10/12/08 01:34pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
I've pretty much determined that I am going to need new starting batteries. I am hoping to pull them tomorrow, get them tested just to verify they are bad, and then install replacements. I may leave the replacements disconnected until I get a maintainer. I live in a high-rise apartment with no balcony, so I'm not sure that keeping the batteries inside the apartment on a maintainer is a good idea. I am working on alternatives perhaps the Trik-L Start DC maintainer that Winnebago is apparently installing now. I can run the genset a couple of hours a week to keep the charge up on the house batteries.
I appreciate all the good feedback I got on this thread - definitely some things I had not thought of or known about.
The current starting batteries were "maintenance-free" - should I get replacements that allow/require refilling of water, etc?
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ReadytoRide
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10/12/08 11:03am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
The coach came with a small solar panel on it, but not sure if it goes to the chassis or the house.
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 06:45pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
Thanks, jimansue60. I know for a fact I don't have one of these in my coach. Mine is an early model year 2007 - it was the first 2007 coach delivered to my dealer, so possibly Winnebago was not putting them on at that time. This may be the route for me to go, after I get new chassis batteries. I guess I should make sure that my house batteries are still good before I put a draw on them like that.
wny_pat: Ft AP Hill also has a nice famcamp - it's just difficult to do those on a weekend. Friday afternoon traffic south out of Alexandria is no fun, and coming back in on a Sunday afternoon isn't a picnic either. As for the warranty, the batteries are Alliance brand (OEM made by Freightliner), and I'm not sure about the warranty period, but I think it was 12 months. I can't remember specifically from my FL manual - I know I couldn't find the battery specs in it.
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 05:22pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
The coach is just over 2 years old. I'm not sure how old the chassis batteries are. The labels are a bit dirty. I doubt the chassis is a lot older than the coach is. The house batteries were manufactured in Apr 06, and I purchased the coach in Jul 06.
When we first purchased, plans were for a lot more use, but things changed. DW and I lived in it fulltime for about 6 months, but had to move into an apartment (courtesy of the Army). It has seen limited use since then. It is stored within a few miles of where I work, so getting to it on occasion and running the genset or letting the engine idle for a while isn't a problem. I could go by on my way to the office and start it, let it idle for 2-4 hours and go back and shut it down at lunch - the engine or the genset (or both). Not sure how much fuel it would use, but still cheaper than ruining batteries continuously.
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 03:53pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
Not nearly as often as I would like. My goal is once a month from Mar - Nov, but didn't make that this year due to numerous other conflicts. I am supposed to take it out Veteran's Day weekend for a couple days, and I'll winterize until probably March.
We found a nice campground about 10 miles away to use for little weekend trips for next year.
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 03:26pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
wny_pat: That is my dilemma here with a battery tender. They require juice from somewhere. I have no source of power where my RV is stored, except from the RV itself. I would have to suck juice from the house batteries to run the battery tender to maintain the chassis batteries.
Is my best option to just start the engine and let it run occasionally? If so, how often, and for how long? Isn't prolonged idling also bad for a diesel?
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 03:10pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
So, is this a losing battle?
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 02:47pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
rayw: Yes, I know the genset doesn't charge the chassis batteries. I was running it hoping that the coach batteries would charge up enough to use the battery booster to start the engine. I had the chassis battery disconnect turned off, but according to another post, it still feeds the tranny and engine computers.
I have been doing maintenance on my house batteries, water, etc. I even used a charger to desulfate them before our summer outings and they had been doing fine. This is the first time I have had a problem with them.
I am going to pull the batteries tomorrow or Monday and get them load-tested, although I am confident they will fail. If so, I will get replacements, and see about getting a battery maintainer.
For those who recommended the Battery minder or tender? Do these require 120V AC? At my storage location, I don't have access to any power. I will have to see if any of the outside plug work off the inverter to plug it in if so...and will this not cause a problem for the house batteries?
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 02:36pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
Couldn't start the MH to move it out of storage. I used the first option of trying to run the genset for a couple of hours to charge the house batteries...I didn't think I would have enough time to get the batteries out, find replacements, and get them in with enough time left to get to the campground, check-in, and get setup before it got dark. It was supposed to be a weekend to relax and de-stress, so just decided it wasn't worth it at that point.
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 10:51am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Batteries cancelled my outing
The chassis batteries have been recharged several times. They simply don't hold the charge. My coach even has the switch to disconnect the chassis batteries when in storage to stop any parasitic draw. Still they discharge when they sit. So I am pretty sure the chassis batteries are shot. Maintenance free so I can't check water or specific gravity on them.
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 10:36am |
Class A Motorhomes
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Batteries cancelled my outing
I have been having trouble with my chassis batteries (original batteries - Alliance brand by Freightliner) holding a charge for several months, but have generally been able to start the MH using the "battery boost" to "jump it" from the coach batteries. Well, as I was preparing to head out to my planned outing for the long holiday weekend yesterday, I checked my battery voltages on my monitor panel. The chassis batteries were 7.? volts - pretty much dead. The coach batteries were at 11.1 volts. Not enough to start the engine. I ran the genset (barely got it started) for almost 2 hours, but could never get enough charge up to start the engine.
I know I need to replace the chassis batteries - but not sure what I need to get. The labels on the batteries don't give a lot of information.
If I can get the correct batteries for the chassis I can at least get it out next month for a final trip before winterizing - and will probably replace the coach batteries in the spring with AGMs.
Question - does anyone know what batteries I need for the chassis, and what brand would be recommended?
I have a 2007 Itasca Ellipse with a 400 HP Cummins on a Freightliner Evolution chassis.
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 10:11am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: SE Gas Shortage
Just spoke with my sister who lives in SE Ga (w. of Savannah) and gas is <3.00 a gallon there now...so apparently no shortage.
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 09:45am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Great Detail Job On MH For $125.00!
I paid $270 in Myrtle Beach while vacationing in August to have my 40' MH washed and waxed. I don't have anyplace to do it myself, so I make it part of my annual trip to MB to have this guy come and take care of it for me. Getting the wheels done was extra, so I passed on that this time. If I could get it done around here for $125, I've have it done at least twice a year.
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ReadytoRide
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10/11/08 09:30am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: What are the advantages of Apple over PC?
Can't run Parallels on a PPC Mac...
I use Windows Vista, Windows XP, Linux, and a Mac Powerbook. I prefer the Linux, and if it ran all the stuff I needed, I would probably use only the Linux. In my current job, we have several apps we have to use that are Windows-only. A couple of guys with the newer MacBooks run parallels for those apps.
Oh - Macs can be hacked, and they can get viruses....
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ReadytoRide
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09/28/08 01:37pm |
Technology Corner
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RE: Traveling Armed
Yes, I do. Have I ever needed to use it? No, and I hope I never do. 25 years of law enforcement, and I never had to use one either, although pulled it more times than I can count.
Times have changed...I'm sure several years ago the need for personal protection weapons in a campground was hardly a consideration - but they weren't in a church either. Yet, we still read of people walking into churches and shooting it up. It only takes one time needing it and not having it.
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ReadytoRide
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09/28/08 01:14pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Towing double question
In FL, this is not legal, except for certain Commercial Motor Vehicles. I'm sure you don't want to go down the road of making your RV commercial...but then, maybe you don't plan to go FL and therefore don't care what their law is.
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ReadytoRide
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09/28/08 12:25pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Winnebago Journey 34H 2007
I believe Neway is a type of chassis airbag.
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ReadytoRide
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09/27/08 02:15pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: How often is length an issue?
If you are planning on being out for very long with no other transportation other than the MH, I think no matter if you have a DP, a class A, or class C...disconnecting, raising jacks, pulling in slides, etc. every time you want/need to go somewhere will get old very quickly.
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ReadytoRide
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09/20/08 03:02pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: CoachNet Big Surprise
My daughter locked her keys in her car (actually my car, but she drives it) - in the driveway of my parent's home - on a Sunday. Called Coach-net...they send out someone to unlock the door. No charge.
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ReadytoRide
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09/15/08 07:31pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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