BatteryMinder included on 2021 AI Nineteen 4x4?

[billstrong]

My information packet includes an owner’s manual for a BatteryMinder 12-Volt 128CEC1 Standard Maintenance Charger-Desulfator. It states it is not for use on Lithium batteries. I cannot find anything about this in the manual or on Google? I notice that when I plug into shore power the starter battery monitor voltage increases a few tenths for my fully charged starter battery. Does anyone know anything about this? Thanks

[wulfraat]

Google is your friend.

This is the first hit on google that is not an ad when you enter "128cec1 batteryminder":

https://www.batteryminders.com/batte...er-desulfator/

I actually have this exact model of battery charger. I installed it under the hood of my tow vehicle truck to charge it's two starter batteries. I plug in the charger when the truck is sitting idol for days/weeks when not in use and the batteries are charged up and kept charged.

Its a really great charger actually.

Your manual is correct, this is most definitely NOT for lithium. It handles Wet Cell and AGM lead acid batteries.

[mike2016]

They are for charging the chassis batteries(AGM/Wet), not the coach batteries.

whenever you are hooked up to shore power, they keep the chassis batteries charged. there's another module that is hooked up to 1 of the 4 solar panels, for charging the chassis batteries. on the Interstate 24, there are 4 solar panesl, 1 for chassis batteries, 3 for coach batteries.

[Rocinante]

Assuming you have a properly operating battery separator / combiner in your coach (we just learned that ours was not working properly and we'll be replacing it shortly), a battery minder hooked up to terminals under the hood will keep your engine battery charged but will do little or nothing for your coach batteries. Under the right circumstances, that would actually be a goal.

Given we have lithium batteries in the coach now, we don't have to worry about them dying as long as we turn off the new BRS (Big Red Switch) to disconnect them from the van, but we do need to pay a little attention to the engine battery to make sure it stays happy. So, if we're storing for a while we may in fact plug in and hook a battery tender / minder to the engine battery terminals under the hood just to ensure it stays happy instead of getting all lonely and weak while we're not there to keep it busy by driving the van.

[billstrong]

After over two months of trying different battery maintenance routines I have concluded that there is no Battery Minder and that the chassis battery battery will go dead in less than week if not left on a charger. This is very bothersome for overnighting away from a charger. I haven’t totally figured out the coach battery situation yet but I leave the van plugged into 120 because I don’t trust it.

[WeekendBob]

Originally Posted by billstrong

After over two months of trying different battery maintenance routines I have concluded that there is no Battery Minder and that the chassis battery battery will go dead in less than week if not left on a charger. This is very bothersome for overnighting away from a charger. I haven’t totally figured out the coach battery situation yet but I leave the van plugged into 120 because I don’t trust it.

First thing you should do is check out the AS website and download the latest manual for your 19'. Unfortunately the printed manual I received for my brand new 24GT was out of date, but there was a more current one online.

That said, the batteries and charging systems on your 19' and my 24' are very similar and I spent the last 2 months trying to learn them. I have 2 Battery Minders under my drivers seat. The SCC180 charges the chassis battery via solar, and the 128CEC1 charges the chassis battery via shorepower. Neither are designed for lithium.

For the Litium house batteries, the Magnum inverter/charger charges when plugged into shorepower or the generator is running. The Victron MPPT charges them under solar, and the Victron Buck-Boost DC-DC converter charges them when the engine is running.

Now here's something interesting, I went to confirm both BatteryMinders where indeed under the driver's seat before I typed this, and I noticed a blinking red "Bad Cell" warning on the 128CEC1. I'm currently plugged into 120V shorepower but the BatteryMinder won't charge under that error condition. I'm not sure why I have a bad cell on a new rig, will have to investigate further, but you might check under your seat and see if you have a blinking red light while on shore also.

Finally, and you may know this but make sure your Magnum control panel has "charging" turned on when plugged into shore.

[Zach05855]

Originally Posted by billstrong

After over two months of trying different battery maintenance routines I have concluded that there is no Battery Minder and that the chassis battery battery will go dead in less than week if not left on a charger. This is very bothersome for overnighting away from a charger. I haven’t totally figured out the coach battery situation yet but I leave the van plugged into 120 because I don’t trust it.

The sprinter has a chassis battery disconnect right above the accelerator pedal.


The Sprinter Manual instructs that if you do not drive the van for more than a week then you should disconnect the battery.


It should be in your manual depending on year of your chassis.

[Babs802]

Originally Posted by billstrong

After over two months of trying different battery maintenance routines I have concluded that there is no Battery Minder and that the chassis battery battery will go dead in less than week if not left on a charger. This is very bothersome for overnighting away from a charger. I haven’t totally figured out the coach battery situation yet but I leave the van plugged into 120 because I don’t trust it.

There is a known issue with some early AI 19 2021 that is currently being diagnosed by Airstream

[jamm19]

We have a new 2022 Interstate 19 with the same Batteryminder under the drivers seat. It has not been charging the starter battery. Today I saw your post and checked under the seat and it too has a blinking red Bad Cell light on. Did you ever figure out what the issue was with your battery or the charger itself? I am now using a Batteryminder 2012 connected to the starter battery with the jump start connections under the hood. That charger is not showing a bad cell and is slowly charging the battery.