Engine battery dead

[Land Sailer]

When boondocking, devices from the coach seem to be draining the engine battery. Dead. Battery is fine when battery disconnect is off. Isolator not wired correctly? I have additional solar and batteries. Inverter fuse also keeps blowing. Is there a connection? Ideas?

[BurntAsphalt]

Dena,
Sounds pretty serious. I'm not much help but agree you need to find a Five Rivet dealer who can do the warranty work.

You should be able to boondock a couple days with the extra capacity. The chassis battery should not be draining for sure. The only time I drain mine is if the vans dome lights stay on because the front doors are open multiple times without driving it. My bet is the tech who wired the extra solar and extra batteries miswired the isolator?

Good luck. I hope you don't end up having to drive to Ohio to get it fixed.

[troubadour1]

Originally Posted by BurntAsphalt

Dena,

Sounds pretty serious. I'm not much help but agree you need to find a Five Rivet dealer who can do the warranty work.

I heard about this rivet rating system. Do you have any idea how it works? Tried to find a thread on it

[Tstidstfm]

Had the same problem...2017 Grand...technician found 150amp fuse blown that is located next to the main battery compartment under driver seat. Other issue...when checking tank levels got intermittent readings, etc., etc. the circuit is open causing the main battery to drain over a couple of days.

Good luck,
Tom

[BurntAsphalt]

Originally Posted by troubadour1

I heard about this rivet rating system. Do you have any idea how it works? Tried to find a thread on it

I've only seen some Airstream press releases online. A 5 rivet dealer has been recognized by the JC mother ship for outstanding service and parts support. The rumor on Airforums is that these dealers agree to work on Airstreams that were not purchased at that dealership, which is sometimes an issue if you bought the rig from a place with a poor service department.

[Rig Rat]

This was published by Wachuko a few weeks ago. If you search, his reply was to a power shade problem.

I think they discussed Airstreams intent for creating 5 rivet dealers, to give good service to rigs that they did not originally sell!

Good Luck!

Mark

[FlyFishinRVr]

Hi Dena,

You say you have extra solar and batteries. Who installed these? I ask because that's the first place I'd check for a problem.

Next, can you list the things you have "on" during the night? Propane switch, fridge, furnace, etc? The fridge on the GT is a power hungry beast, but if you have the "boondocking package" that some dealers install, your house batteries should last through the night no problem and the chassis shouldn't get run down at all....unless 1) during the package install they messed up the battery isolator, or 2) you are one of the "lucky winners" and got a mis-wired Fusion that pulls power 100% of the time from the chassis battery instead of the house batteries. There's a possible option 3 and if the installer messed up (and I mean REALLY messed up) the solar install, depending on the controller they used and where they tied it into your electrical system, during the night the chassis battery could be backcharging INTO the solar panels.

Anyway, sorry for so many questions and "guesses", but the list of things a tech could have done wrong during an electrical system "upgrade" is pretty long, so without a lot more information, your best bet is to head to a 5 rivet dealer and see if they can sort it out. A stock GT in good working order should have no issues with the chassis battery lasting through the night.....

P.S. See if the AirForum mod can smash your two posts together. Having essentially the same info in two threads is going to make it harder for people to help and/or follow.

[Protagonist]

Likely culprit is the Fusion entertainment system in the dashboard. There are several threads here on the AirForums regarding high parasitic draws by the Fusion system on the chassis battery, including how to stop said parasitic draws.

[AirstreamInc]

Hi Dena m,

We're very sorry to learn about the battery draining in your 2017 Interstate Grand Tour Ext. Please send me a direct message with your contact information and the last 6 digits of your VIN so we can share it with our Customer Service and Technical Support team.

You can also reach Airstream Customer Service and Technical Support at customer_support@airstream.com

We look forward to helping you get this resolved.

[Land Sailer]

Actually, I have been working with a 5 rivet dealer. The problems have been occurring since I purchased the rv over a year ago. One last trip coming up.

[Land Sailer]

You've presented a couple new ideas. Thank you. I've had electrical problems with this rv since I bought it. Isolator has been replaced. That helped somewhat. Took it to Mercedes thinking it was their radio unit. Their technician said radio turned off intermittently, there is a draw on the battery from somewhere in the coach. Everything was turned off as was the battery disconnect. Of course Mercedes could not fix the problems because it all involved Airstream. Currently, the engine battery only dies when battery disconnect is on. I only run the frig. No TV, nothing else. Magnum fuse has been replaced once. Now it's dead again. Thinking all this is somehow connected.... Magnum inverter and engine drain when battery disconnect is on. Your option 3 is an interesting one to explore as is 2 that perhaps original solar panel is not wired correctly. Additional panels and batteries could have just been connected to original bad wiring. Mercedes gave good info too. Wish I could have left it with them.

[Land Sailer]

Originally Posted by AirstreamInc

Hi Dena m,

We're very sorry to learn about the battery draining in your 2017 Interstate Grand Tour Ext. Please send me a direct message with your contact information and the last 6 digits of your VIN so we can share it with our Customer Service and Technical Support team.

You can also reach Airstream Customer Service and Technical Support at customer_support@airstream.com

We look forward to helping you get this resolved.

I have emailed your requested information to you.

[FlyFishinRVr]

Originally Posted by Dena m

Actually, I have been working with a 5 rivet dealer. The problems have been occurring since I purchased the rv over a year ago. One last trip coming up.

Sorry to hear this.

Hopefully AS Cust Service can get you sorted now that they've chimed in.

[Land Sailer]

Hi Dena,

You say you have extra solar and batteries. Who installed these? I ask because that's the first place I'd check for a problem.

Next, can you list the things you have "on" during the night? Propane switch, fridge, furnace, etc? The fridge on the GT is a power hungry beast, but if you have the "boondocking package" that some dealers install, your house batteries should last through the night no problem and the chassis shouldn't get run down at all....unless 1) during the package install they messed up the battery isolator, or 2) you are one of the "lucky winners" and got a mis-wired Fusion that pulls power 100% of the time from the chassis battery instead of the house batteries. There's a possible option 3 and if the installer messed up (and I mean REALLY messed up) the solar install, depending on the controller they used and where they tied it into your electrical system, during the night the chassis battery could be backcharging INTO the solar panels.

Anyway, sorry for so many questions and "guesses", but the list of things a tech could have done wrong during an electrical system "upgrade" is pretty long, so without a lot more information, your best bet is to head to a 5 rivet dealer and see if they can sort it out. A stock GT in good working order should have no issues with the chassis battery lasting through the night.....

P.S. See if the AirForum mod can smash your two posts together. Having essentially the same info in two threads is going to make it harder for people to help and/or follow.[/QUOTE]

[Land Sailer]

Thank you so much. I’m betting at this point that my problem could be coming from bad wiring done on the Fusion system. For some reason, the dealer technicians have been avoiding working on this even though turning the thing off has always been an issue. “Airstream won’t send us the wiring diagrams.” Etc. perhaps Airstream needs to approve a company that installs auto stereo systems to fix this. There is a reply from Airstream to someone on this forum that they offered to approve an outside fix it place. Perhaps they will do that for me. Would save them money in the long run.

[Land Sailer]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Likely culprit is the Fusion entertainment system in the dashboard. There are several threads here on the AirForums regarding high parasitic draws by the Fusion system on the chassis battery, including how to stop said parasitic draws.

This could be the problem. Behavior if this system has always been fluky.

[FlyFishinRVr]

Originally Posted by Dena m

Thank you so much. I’m betting at this point that my problem could be coming from bad wiring done on the Fusion system. For some reason, the dealer technicians have been avoiding working on this even though turning the thing off has always been an issue. “Airstream won’t send us the wiring diagrams.” Etc. perhaps Airstream needs to approve a company that installs auto stereo systems to fix this. There is a reply from Airstream to someone on this forum that they offered to approve an outside fix it place. Perhaps they will do that for me. Would save them money in the long run.

Check out this thread started by Don000:

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f240...on-171644.html

He did a really good job of digging into his issue with the Fusion and came up with both the "smoking gun" (mis-wired Fusion) that AS now admits happened on "some" units and will address in a Service Bulletin (i.e. will fix it under warranty) as well as a solution that has totally resolved his chassis battery drain issue. Push that post under the nose of your dealer's service manager and ask them to diagnose your unit as a likely candidate for being mis-wired, and if you want to go the final step, ask them to install a cutoff switch like Don did that completely removes power to the Fusion.

Summer's coming and you want to enjoy your coach without battery worries. I think another day or two in the shop with the right tech and you'll be in great shape.

[Land Sailer]

Originally Posted by BurntAsphalt

Dena,
Sounds pretty serious. I'm not much help but agree you need to find a Five Rivet dealer who can do the warranty work.

You should be able to boondock a couple days with the extra capacity. The chassis battery should not be draining for sure. The only time I drain mine is if the vans dome lights stay on because the front doors are open multiple times without driving it. My bet is the tech who wired the extra solar and extra batteries miswired the isolator?

Good luck. I hope you don't end up having to drive to Ohio to get it fixed.

Thank you. I don’t feel safe driving my myself to Ohio in an RV that I know could leave me stranded, so I’ll work from here.

[Land Sailer]

Originally Posted by AirstreamInc

Hi Dena m,

We're very sorry to learn about the battery draining in your 2017 Interstate Grand Tour Ext. Please send me a direct message with your contact information and the last 6 digits of your VIN so we can share it with our Customer Service and Technical Support team.

You can also reach Airstream Customer Service and Technical Support at customer_support@airstream.com

We look forward to helping you get this resolved.

At this point, it seems that the Fusion system has never turned off well. The shop manager and I spent time trying how to turn the thing off. Key in, key out, etc. I have never been sure if it was off even when the stand by button was black. It comes on at the earnest times. From the forum, sounds like Lisa wiring has been a problem in others. The technicians have been avoiding dealing with this even as per my request. “Airstream hasn’t sent wiring diagrams.”, etc. please approve s company who’s business is to install entertainment systems in cars to work on my RV. Think it will save Airstream money in the long run.

[Land Stitchy]

Hello Dena,

We have the same coach same year. New to use 2 months ago. I have just found an electrical problem that is draining the main (MB) batteries as well. Just found the problem out this weekend so no answers yet. Not trying to hijack your thread but maybe my discovery will spark additional ideas from the group.
I am plug into shore power at home. Both main and aux batteries holding at 13v. On Friday afternoon I ran the coach air conditioner for a few hours - it pulls 15 amps. That drained my main (MB) batteries to the point where I could not start the coach without a jump start. Since I had a big trip on Saturday morning I was in a panic Friday night that I had to cancel. Jump started and all was well Saturday AM.
During the drive we ran the generator for an hour to run AC and cool my guests in the back. When I parked the main batteries were down to 11.0 volts. Fortunately it started a few hours later.
I replicated the problem at home on Sunday. Today I ran the hot water heater and within one hour the main batteries were down to 11.7 volts, put the key in the ignition and it dropped to 11.2 volts. Still enough to start the engine.
Why would running a high amp 110 item drain the MB main batteries? House batteries are untouched at 13.0 volts.