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Old 05-27-2018, 05:19 AM   #1
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House vs chassis batteries

Just got back from 3 week trip. Had one night off grid where both house and chassis batteries sunk very low. Turned on engine, both cranked back up. Now home 2 days. Unplugged and flipped switch at sliding door to off for 24 hours(I think that does disconnect house batteries). This morning, flipped switch back on and house batteries fine, but chassis drained. Does this mean possibly bad battery in chassis...see Mercedes? Thanks
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Old 05-27-2018, 07:53 AM   #2
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Suggest you review all of Dena's posted under "Engine Battery Dead" that is about 10 below yours.

In the 2017 most of my main battery drain is from the Fusion system that you cannot turn off without modifying with a switch. I also have an additional drain that I am going to find with the help of a Sprinter mechanic in the next two weeks.

On the 2017 if you turn the battery disconnect switch off and you are plugged into shore power the battery charger will NOT charge your main battery. Mine is parked in my driveway and always plugged into shore power so I keep the battery switch on and turn everything else off. This overcomes the 1.6 amp drain on the main battery and keeps it charged.
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Old 05-27-2018, 08:03 AM   #3
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Just got back from 3 week trip. Had one night off grid where both house and chassis batteries sunk very low. Turned on engine, both cranked back up. Now home 2 days. Unplugged and flipped switch at sliding door to off for 24 hours(I think that does disconnect house batteries). This morning, flipped switch back on and house batteries fine, but chassis drained. Does this mean possibly bad battery in chassis...see Mercedes? Thanks
Yes, that switch disconnected house batteries. Yes, it seems bad chassis battery, but I am baffled because you drove from that one night all way back home and that would've been enough to top it off (just assuming for now alternator is doing it's job). Unless that last act of heroism from the battery took it way beyond coming back to fully charged state. I would just slow charge it first and go through multiple starts throughout course of a couple days to see if it cranks easily. Even if it starts everytime but feels labored, battery could be in trouble. The chassis battery would be MB. There was discussion regarding some units having already compromised chassis batteries even before delivery to 1st owner due to time they sit in AS lot before getting built (just don't remember the thread). Good example is I have a 2018 but my MB chassis is 2017. Not sure how long my unit was sitting in AS lot waiting for build-out. So, I watch my chassis battery very closely for any signs of weakness.
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Old 05-27-2018, 09:26 AM   #4
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That makes sense. I'm a 2018 also. I'll have mercedes check it out. Thanks
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Old 05-27-2018, 10:33 AM   #5
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Thanks. I have a feeling its the fusion. There were a couple of nights I woke up and fusion had come back on. I'll get it checked out at JC in July. I think its defective, speaks broken English, gets lost, etc. I use my regular garmin or phone for navagation because I can't rely on it.
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Old 05-27-2018, 11:08 AM   #6
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Thanks. I have a feeling its the fusion. There were a couple of nights I woke up and fusion had come back on. I'll get it checked out at JC in July. I think its defective, speaks broken English, gets lost, etc. I use my regular garmin or phone for navagation because I can't rely on it.
That was your Fusion? I know I seen that report of Fusion speaking jibberish or broken English, just did not remember it was you. In that case, you definitely have a case for suspecting Fusion, as I've learned it has caused many a problem, small to enormous. Best of luck at JC.
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Old 05-27-2018, 05:25 PM   #7
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That was your Fusion? I know I seen that report of Fusion speaking jibberish or broken English, just did not remember it was you. In that case, you definitely have a case for suspecting Fusion, as I've learned it has caused many a problem, small to enormous. Best of luck at JC.
Yes, thats my fusion. It acts like there is some kind of short. It does this loop thing ( a circle spinning in the middle) and just says stay on current road until you reset it, speaks with breaks in language, gets lost, the occasionaly blip I get that is very fast is a school zone warning. There is a little sign at the top, but it disappears quickly. And it has come on by itself at least 2 nights that I know of. I go to bed with lights off and wake up with fusion on.....possessed! I always check when I turn off ignition to make sure it goes off, but many times I have to physically turn it off after the engine is turned off.
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Old 05-28-2018, 11:24 AM   #8
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I have been following this discussion with great interest. The Fusion has no true ON/OFF button. That "on/off" button in the upper right corner is for the screen only. When the main house battery is activated the Fusion comes on and stays on regardless if you are connected to shore power or not. The owners manual mentions no other button or button sequence that will completely turn off the Fusion. Why build such a unit without a way to completely turning it off? I am now very interested in learning how to install a Fusion Kill Switch.
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Old 05-28-2018, 01:07 PM   #9
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I bought my 2018 AI December 2017. Until this trip, I had to store it, but I brought it home every weekend and plugged in for at least 24 hours, ran air, heat and batteries were never low. Since I had one night on this trip where I could not hook up, with fridge and fantastic fan on, both house and chassis were "red" low by morning. They both recovered quickly when I cranked engine and luckily it did crank right up. Now sitting overnight unplugged with nothing on, house batteries were ok, chassis were low. I'll let you know what Mercedes says, but I think it has to be a marginal chassis battery. I'm afraid to store it 5-6 days like I did before fearing it won't start and I'll need a jump. I don't know if they would be able to install a kill switch on the fusion, but I'm pretty sure my fusion is defective anyway and will have airstream check that out at my service appt. In july.
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Old 05-28-2018, 01:40 PM   #10
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I'm afraid to store it 5-6 days like I did before fearing it won't start and I'll need a jump.

Unless they removed it on the '18, you should have a momentary switch on the dash (left side) that will connect the house batteries to the chassis battery. If you ever find that your chassis battery has gone flat but you still have charge in the house batteries, hold that switch down for a bit to get some charge into the chassis battery and then give the key a turn. It should be enough to get the beast started and that big alternator will take care of the rest.
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Old 05-28-2018, 02:06 PM   #11
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Unless they removed it on the '18, you should have a momentary switch on the dash (left side)
Confirm, still there on my 2018. My only nit-picky gripe is with all the empty switch slots all over, AS has to drill another hole for switch. Why oh why do they do stuff like that

BTW, MANSDERM161 if nothing else but to alleviate anxiety of dead chassis batt, why not just remove fuse for Fusion (as posted on DENAM's Dead Battery" saga) until you get it sorted out by JC?
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Old 05-28-2018, 02:10 PM   #12
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I bought our 2017 GT second hand three months ago and have gone through the same head-scratching process that you are describing. There are far more experienced Rivet Masters that can chime in but here is what I have experienced and found:

When we first brought it home I thought it would be best to leave the coach unplugged and off while in the driveway. After all, it has a solar panel that should keep it up. The night before out first big trip I was running AC and Frig and loading everything. Tried to start the engine and battery dead! Jump started and all was well on our first weekend. I thought we had a big drain associated with running the frig and AC but apparently the coach battery was already dead and I did not notice.

A few weeks went by and we kept the coach plugged in. Then I realized the GFI at my house on the outlet with the coach plug had kicked off and power to the AI was out for many days. Chassis battery dead. 3 volts. However, with the main battery dead I could play a CD on Fusion. So I drew the incorrect conclusion that Fusion was wired (only) to the aux batteries - wrong. It is wired to both main and aux.

I had the battery replaced thinking it was spent from too many full discharges. Brand new main battery.

Next I followed the steps to test the BIM charging system. The solenoid to charge the main battery and aux battery were working properly. So it was not a charging problem.

Then I borrowed a friends meter that could record DC amps. That takes a good, expensive meter - not the common household unit that you buy from The Depot. With everything off and the Fusion off (meaning the screen was blank) I had a 1.6 amp draw on the main battery. I started pulling fuses from the panel by the left foot of the driver. Pulled one fuse and the Fusion went completely dead. That also cut my mystery draw down to 0.6 amps. So Fusion was pulling 1.0 amp from the main battery when not in use. Play a CD and the draw jumps another amp. I was able to isolate the other 0.6 amp to the fuse related to the driver door. Not sure if it is related to the side camera, the locking system or something else on that circuit. Next week I will work with a Sprinter Expert to narrow down the draw and install a new Fusion switch.

I do not know exactly why the Fusion needs this constant power - maybe something related to the GPS or keeping the memory active. I guess I will know more when I install a cut-off switch and find out what happens each time it is powered up.

So I keep the coach plug in 100% of the time. If you need to go unplugged there is a main battery cut off that is right above the gas pedal. This is in the MB manual. It is basically a quick-disconnect for the main battery negative cable. Very simple to pull out.
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Old 05-28-2018, 03:03 PM   #13
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Thanks for all the info. It really helps.
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Old 05-29-2018, 01:04 PM   #14
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Just got back from Mercedes. They replaced my chassis battery so hopefully I'm ok for a while. It looks like my house batteries are doing ok after the one night that they drained. I mentioned that the fusion constantly draws and they mentioned that winnebago has a module that shuts everything off engine battery shortly after the engine is turned off. I also discussed DEF and they said don't let it run low or you start to have the emission problems, they topped mine off as it was at 1/2 tank. They said they only charge the price of the DEF fluid, no labor so I can stop in any time. They said they can also do the tire rotation when its time. I also need generator oil change and Ive been referred to a truck service center. Will definitely look into modifications so I don't run into all this again when hook up is not available.
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Old 05-29-2018, 01:20 PM   #15
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Just got back from Mercedes. They replaced my chassis battery so hopefully I'm ok for a while. It looks like my house batteries are doing ok after the one night that they drained. I mentioned that the fusion constantly draws and they mentioned that winnebago has a module that shuts everything off engine battery shortly after the engine is turned off. I also discussed DEF and they said don't let it run low or you start to have the emission problems, they topped mine off as it was at 1/2 tank. They said they only charge the price of the DEF fluid, no labor so I can stop in any time. They said they can also do the tire rotation when its time. I also need generator oil change and Ive been referred to a truck service center. Will definitely look into modifications so I don't run into all this again when hook up is not available.



Thanks for the update. Glad your service visit went well.
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Old 05-29-2018, 03:49 PM   #16
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Very interested in understanding the Winnebego mod if anyone has more information. I am one week away from bringing ours to a Sprinter expert to get into the dash and further diagnose. He does not have any Airstream experience so I may have to coach him on what I want to do.
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Old 05-29-2018, 06:17 PM   #17
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I do not know exactly why the Fusion needs this constant power - maybe something related to the GPS or keeping the memory active.
No, it is not the GPS. Due to high complexity, these devices have an embedded computer with lots of software. If you shut power off completely, you have to wait for them to "boot up." Since this is inconvenient for users, the power supply doesn't really shut down the unit but rather, shuts off display and such.

Regardless, it is a pretty poor design. Home units have a setup function where you can leave them up this way or not. They should have the same option.
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Old 05-29-2018, 07:41 PM   #18
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No, it is not the GPS. Due to high complexity, these devices have an embedded computer with lots of software. If you shut power off completely, you have to wait for them to "boot up." Since this is inconvenient for users, the power supply doesn't really shut down the unit but rather, shuts off display and such.

Regardless, it is a pretty poor design. Home units have a setup function where you can leave them up this way or not. They should have the same option.
AMIRM - Gotta agree with you on everything you said. Not sure if you followed DENA M's Engine Battery Dead thread. Kinda wished there was a way to mash that with this thread. But DENA ended up having kill switch installed to FUSION. I have not found which side they put it on, the two +12Vdc inputs to Fusion or GND. LAND STITCHY is pretty up on that thread and I think looking to do the same kill switch. So far, all seems to make sense up to this point. BUT my confusion is this, if you check the AI wiring diagram to Fusion (pdf attached below), it has +12Vdc Switched connected to Ignition. Then it has +12Vdc Constant connected to coach. How and what (incorrect) wiring permutation would lead to the Fusion drawing from chassis battery when ignition is off? Because in all reported cases, with Ignition off, Fusion turns off when house Main Disconnect is Off (i.e. batts disconnected). It kinda proves it is wired as designed (poor as that may be). A miswired Fusion that may behave this way would be if BOTH +12Vdc Constant & Switched are wired to chassis batt. But if that were the case, house Main Disconnect would have no effect on Fusion. Was that confusing enough or what? I know I am I do not have time to break apart my unit due to upcoming trip. But once back mid-June, I will break it apart and determine once & for all how this thing is wired.

Manual (1).pdf
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Old 05-29-2018, 07:56 PM   #19
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When I do house disconnect...turn switch off at sliding door, my fusion can stay on meaning it is on the chassis battery. I often have to turn off the screen. Im concerned also because I had 2 nights sleeping in it where fusion came on by itself in middle of night. My house batteries were also on, as I was camping. But i wonder if it can come on like that when I store it with house batteries off.. I've never done the chassis disconnect while storing because I go get it every weekend and hook up at least 24 hours.
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Old 05-29-2018, 09:09 PM   #20
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When I do house disconnect...turn switch off at sliding door, my fusion can stay on meaning it is on the chassis battery. I often have to turn off the screen.
OK, that is definitely different than how mine is wired. When ignition is off and House Disconnect switch is off, Fusion is COMPLETELY dead, non-responsive, no amount of button pushing will turn it on.
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