clicking noise

[nancyo]

hi,
i have a 2012 airstream sprinter..... there is a clicking noise in the back next to battery. It does not click all the time. Does anybody have any suggestions as to why it is clicking? Thank you in advance.
nancy

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by nancyo

hi,
i have a 2012 airstream sprinter..... there is a clicking noise in the back next to battery. It does not click all the time. Does anybody have any suggestions as to why it is clicking? Thank you in advance.
nancy

Because clicking is its mating call?

But seriously… it's probably your Battery Isolation Module (BIM) relay activating and resetting itself. Mine does that sometimes. As near as I can tell, it's harmless, and will stop itself when any kind of load is applied to the house system.

[richinny]

it might also be a solar panel controller if you have solar panels.

[Bikerbill]

As Protage aid, its more than likely the BIM, battery isolation monitor. Its jobs is to compare the voltage in the house-rv batteries and the engine start battery. The house batteries will keep the start battery charged when you are plugged into shore power and/or the solar is topping off the house batteries. Normal sound and it will go away.

[wayneskid]

Well, maybe it is the BIM. Can you tell us how often the click happens? The BIM in my Interstate will click from time to time but the click should not happen frequently. Also, the click is not very loud; you have to really listen to hear it. The BIM is a high current relay that is controlled by an internal microprocessor. Its basic functions are to:
1) charge the coach battery (if it/they are low) when the Sprinter alternator is charging the chassis battery.
2) charge the chassis battery if the inverter/charger is charging the coach battery.
3 allow the coach battery to start the Sprinter engine if the chassis battery is dead (this is not implemented in all Interstates)

Since the BIM monitors battery voltages over long periods of time it closes/opens quite infrequently. For example, if you are driving and the coach battery is low it will charge the coach battery from the Sprinter alternator for not more than an hour and then it will shut off (open) to prevent overcharging of the battery. If the clicking you hear is more frequent than once every 30 minutes or so, you may have a problem somewhere.

Notice that my Interstate is a 2010 model year. Other MY Interstates may have different BIMs which may be implemented differently.

[UKDUDE]

On this one I'll have to disagree with Protag and some others. I believe it's the solar charge controller. The reason I say it is because I hear the clicking only when I move my Interstate into sunlight. Totally quiet in the garage, whether plugged into shoreline or not.
On mine is a Sunexplorer PVCM25D solar controller, and the manual does mention clicking on and off.
Assuming yours, Nancy, does have solar.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by UKDUDE

On this one I'll have to disagree with Protag and some others.

I don't mind. If we all agreed with each other, these threads would all be like Rush Limbaugh radio shows. Ditto. Ditto. Ditto.

[73shark]

I had the same problem in that the BIM was rapidly clicking. Dealer first replaced the BIM and no fix. Then they replaced the solar controller and that fixed it.

[Bikerbill]

On ours I know the clicking is the BIM since it happens at night with no sun. And I've been down in the electrical area with the rear cover off working on wiring and I could not only hear it I could feel it, and it was inside my garage when it was doing this. So mine is sure not from the sun.

BTW, Rush IS right!!!!

[73shark]

The BIM was what was clicking on mine, it just wasn't the problem. And it did happen at nite.

Agree on Rush . . .

[nancyo]

this forum is "the bomb", thank all for speedy responses

[73shark]

Lets us know what you find out.

[bennu36]

My factory solar charge controler did that it would click of an on with the sunlight if a cloud went over it would click also if the batteries were near full it would click off and on . the new one I got when I have the new panels install doesn't do that.