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Billshop · 05-27-2013, 09:03 AM

Am I correct to assume that the MB Chassis has two batteries? one under the driver foot well, and one in the engine compartment... as well as two batteries in the rear for the coach power?

lewster · 05-27-2013, 09:12 AM

If you have the auxiliary battery option on your chassis. My '11 service van has this option, with the main chassis battery under the driver's feet and the auxiliary chassis battery on the driver's side of the engine compartment.

Your house batteries will be located elsewhere.

wayneskid · 05-27-2013, 09:43 AM

Lewster is correct; the 2nd chassis battery is an option. If you have purchased a new van, an MB dealer can provide you with a list of the MB options. Or, send me your VIN by PM and I will pull your data card and send it to you.

Protagonist · 05-27-2013, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billshop

Am I correct to assume that the MB Chassis has two batteries? one under the driver foot well, and one in the engine compartment... as well as two batteries in the rear for the coach power?

Airstream doesn't buy them with the second chassis battery. But you can add one on your own, or get a Sprinter dealer to do it if you're all thumbs.

Being all thumbs, I may have MB install a second battery when I get the Schedule A maintenance done, which will be the next maintenance required as long as I don't break anything.

aa9zz · 05-27-2013, 05:09 PM

What is the process of adding a second battery? I would like to do that. Are there instructions or what information would I give my Freightliner dealer?

Phil, AA9ZZ

Billshop · 05-28-2013, 08:16 AM

Wayne provided me with the data sheet for my unit, and it appears that it does have two batteries for the cahssis. I can see the one in the engine compartment, and it seems that the main battery is under the DS foot well.

Protagonist · 05-28-2013, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billshop

Wayne provided me with the data sheet for my unit, and it appears that it does have two batteries for the cahssis. I can see the one in the engine compartment, and it seems that the main battery is under the DS foot well.

Lucky devil. Mine only has the battery under the driver's foot well. Which is something I will have to change because my alarm system puts a hefty load on my chassis battery while the unit is in storage. I have to make a point of starting mine at least once a week, because if I let it go two weeks I need to jump-start it.

Unplugging the battery disconnect down by the accelerator pedal is not an option because that kills the alarm as well.

pattonsr · 05-28-2013, 01:07 PM

Protagonist,

I assume you will connect your alarm system to the second battery in the engine compartment. The second battery connects via a relay to the first battery when the engine is running.

So I would assume the alarm would drain the second battery only and not affect the starting battery under the driver's feet. Given that, how long do you think the alarm would last in storage before the second battery runs out of juice?

The choices might be different if the Interstate is stored with a power connection. I am not certain what the Interstate uses to separate/combine the starting battery and house batteries. If the Interstate is plugged in, the combining relay would only charge the starting battery. The second engine battery only gets charged by the alternator (engine running). In a plugged in storage state, the alarm might be better off staying hooked up to the starting battery.

If I am all wet, I am sure Lew will set me straight.

Barry

Protagonist · 05-28-2013, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pattonsr

Protagonist,

I assume you will connect your alarm system to the second battery in the engine compartment. The second battery connects via a relay to the first battery when the engine is running.

So I would assume the alarm would drain the second battery only and not affect the starting battery under the driver's feet. Given that, how long do you think the alarm would last in storage before the second battery runs out of juice?

The choices might be different if the Interstate is stored with a power connection. I am not certain what the Interstate uses to separate/combine the starting battery and house batteries. If the Interstate is plugged in, the combining relay would only charge the starting battery. The second engine battery only gets charged by the alternator (engine running). In a plugged in storage state, the alarm might be better off staying hooked up to the starting battery.

If I am all wet, I am sure Lew will set me straight.

Barry

Actually, no. With both batteries connected in parallel, I'll double (or more) the amount of time that I can let my Interstate sit idle with the alarm set, without running the batteries down too far to start the engine. If I was allowed to drive everywhere the boss sends me, it wouldn't be a problem, because I'd be able to start the engine and recharge the batteries on my own schedule. Unfortunately, while I still work for a living, when the boss says go, I have to go, and when the boss says take a plane instead of driving two or three days to get there, I have to take a plane, and leave the Interstate behind.

If I could leave it plugged in while it's unattended, I'd do it. But I live in an apartment complex, with no place to plug it in. And paying a monthly fee to store it off-site, where there's no one to respond to the alarm if it does go off, is not terribly palatable, either.

Such is life for a single guy in the big city.

richinny · 05-28-2013, 05:11 PM

got solar? :-)

pattonsr · 05-28-2013, 05:24 PM

Protagonist,

I believe a relay sits in-between the two batteries and the relay is triggered when the engine is running. So you might find that the two batteries are not in parallel when the engine is off. So you possibly won't get the power from two batteries for the alarm as you are currently thinking.

But I may be wrong. Lew, can you help me out here. I plan to have an alarm too so I really would like to know if a second battery would help out on the slow drain.

Barry

lewster · 05-28-2013, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pattonsr

Protagonist,

I believe a relay sits in-between the two batteries and the relay is triggered when the engine is running. So you might find that the two batteries are not in parallel when the engine is off. So you possibly won't get the power from two batteries for the alarm as you are currently thinking.

But I may be wrong. Lew, can you help me out here. I plan to have an alarm too so I really would like to know if a second battery would help out on the slow drain.

Barry

I'll check mine out tomorrow and let you know how it is connected. I suspect that there is a direct parallel connection between both batteries, as they are exactly the same. I haven't seen any charging controls, but tomorrow will tell......

pattonsr · 05-28-2013, 11:26 PM

I think this is still the current layout for a second battery.

Protagonist · 07-09-2013, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pattonsr

I think this is still the current layout for a second battery.

My Sprinter dealer says there's no such thing. Must have been phased out when Mercedes took over the Sprinter marque from Dodge.

xrvr · 07-09-2013, 03:51 PM

AS installed during build? Jim

Protagonist · 07-09-2013, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zigzagguzzi

AS installed during build? Jim

Hopefully Billshop will chime in, because he might be the only one around with a second chassis battery under the hood of his Interstate. I'd sure like to see pictures of an actual install so I can go to my Sprinter dealer and say, "See? This!"

wayneskid · 07-09-2013, 05:03 PM

I pulled Bills Data Card and it showed the Option Code. I'll look it up later today and post. The code did show in the Options Book. It was factory installed in Germany.

Protagonist · 07-09-2013, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wayneskid

I pulled Bills Data Card and it showed the Option Code. I'll look it up later today and post. The code did show in the Options Book. It was factory installed in Germany.

Darn! I don't want the auxiliary battery badly enough to ship my Interstate to Germany to get one!

lewster · 07-09-2013, 05:16 PM

Just checked the Sprinter.

The auxiliary battery #2 which is under the hood is attached as follows:
• battery ground to chassis
• battery positive directly to positive heavy duty fuse panel of battery #1 located under driver's feet. (Heavy red cable entering on left side at 12:00 on bottom photo)

Note that the primary heavy duty fuse panel with the high amperage fuses is NOT located under the driver's seat, but is attached directly to the positive terminal of battery #1 under the floor.

Pics are attached.

Also noted that the 2 batteries were in a simple parallel connection with no other devices between them. Both batteries are identical.

pattonsr · 07-09-2013, 06:44 PM

Protagonist,

Per the 2013 3500 Cargo Van Order Guide, PY1 Package includes E28, Aux battery and E36, cutoff relay. In the 2014 3500 Cargo Van Order Guide the package name is now X27 but the E28 and E36 stay the same.

Barry