Visit our Popular Forums

Mr. B · 03-15-2016, 11:25 PM

***Marc )

Mr. B · 03-15-2016, 11:34 PM

I did not find in manuals (this was to Lily))) about the house batteries switch under the sofa, does anyone know more about this switch?
Yes, it automatically turns OFF when I switch OFF the button near sliding door pillar, and it is switched ON when I turn ON that button. But the switch itself has ONE MORE switching off position - when you turn it manually you can feel the final stop click. What that click does?

Also, though my house batteries are good, I want once in a while to connect my bus to shorepower. Do I need to leave the house batteries switch in the ON position in order to maintain batteries, or the shorepower will charge them regardless, i. e. even when the battery switch is OFF ?

Thank you everyone in anvance for sharing your experience!

Lily&Me · 03-16-2016, 05:26 AM

Manuals are a good thing, even when you can't find everything you need.

Maggie

Mr. B · 03-16-2016, 01:26 PM

Though, do you have an answer?

Lily&Me · 03-16-2016, 01:46 PM

My Interstate is 10 years old, and not like yours.

So....no.

Maggie

Protagonist · 03-16-2016, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. B

Also, though my house batteries are good, I want once in a while to connect my bus to shorepower. Do I need to leave the house batteries switch in the ON position in order to maintain batteries, or the shorepower will charge them regardless, i. e. even when the battery switch is OFF?

I've never tried to use the inverter/charger to charge the house batteries with the batteries switched off. Mainly because my house batteries are always switched on from the time I leave home until I return home— and I have no place to plug in at home in between trips.

This is something that would be easy enough to discover by experimentation, if you're interested in finding out. Please let us know what you discover when you try it.

Mr. B · 03-16-2016, 06:31 PM

Thank you. Absolutely. I will get back with an answer

Boxster1971 · 03-17-2016, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. B

I did not find in manuals (this was to Lily))) about the house batteries switch under the sofa, does anyone know more about this switch?
Yes, it automatically turns OFF when I switch OFF the button near sliding door pillar, and it is switched ON when I turn ON that button. But the switch itself has ONE MORE switching off position - when you turn it manually you can feel the final stop click. What that click does?

Also, though my house batteries are good, I want once in a while to connect my bus to shorepower. Do I need to leave the house batteries switch in the ON position in order to maintain batteries, or the shorepower will charge them regardless, i. e. even when the battery switch is OFF ?

Thank you everyone in anvance for sharing your experience!

Mr. B - the short answer to your question is YES you will charge your batteries with the disconnect switch OFF.

The long answer follows.

I don't know for sure which version of the owners manual you have for your 2014 Interstate. Their manuals have been a mess for many years.

Airstream did finally update their poorly written manual sometime in late 2014 or early 2015. The 2014 owners manual available on the Airstream web site is the same version I have for my 2013 model, which is not all that accurate. It does however have the information you seek regarding the battery disconnect switch. I've attached a copy of page H-12 for the 2014 Owners Manual. The important text on that page follows:
" Turning off the disconnect switch will cut power to 12 volt systems fed from the 12-volt distribution panel, but will allow the batteries to charge from the engine or inverter/charger."

Since you mentioned the remote disconnect switch near the sliding door you must have the later version of the 2014 Interstate. The manual that best matches your model is likely the 2015 Interstate Owners Manual. The applicable information is on pages 5-16 and 5-17 of the 2015 Interstate Owners Manual. A copy of those pages is also attached for your info. The important text is the same.

An nice addition to the 2015 and later manuals is the inclusion of wiring diagrams in the Maintenance section in the back of the manual. Page 9-20 is the diagram that shows how the "HOUSE MAIN DISC. SW M4d-1" is wired to only power the 12V Distribution Panel. Copy attached.

In my view the so called battery disconnect switch is useless and gives owners a false sense that they are saving their batteries by using it.

Hope this helps,
- - Mike

UKDUDE · 03-17-2016, 11:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Mr. B - the short answer to your question is YES you will charge your batteries with the disconnect switch OFF.

Unfortunately, to cloud the issue, if you have SB-164 installed, having disconnect in the off position will NOT allow the batteries to be charged when plugged into shore power.

Boxster1971 · 03-17-2016, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UKDUDE

Unfortunately, to cloud the issue, if you have SB-164 installed, having disconnect in the off position will NOT allow the batteries to be charged when plugged into shore power.

Ah! - yes UKDUDE that SB-164 mod puts in a solenoid to disconnect the inverter/charger from the batteries.

Of course all this discussion on charging with the batteries disconnected is a bit meaningless. If you have a charging source there is no need to disconnect the batteries.

Protagonist · 03-17-2016, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Of course all this discussion on charging with the batteries disconnected is a bit meaningless.

Knowledge is never wasted. You may never try to charge the house batteries while they're disconnected— I never have— but knowing whether or not you can do it still helps you better understand the Airstream Interstate's convoluted electrical system.

Mr. B · 03-17-2016, 10:59 PM

Thanks everyone!

Good question is good to be known by everybody.

And Protagonist is our philosopher, and again he is correct: the knowledge is never wasted.

Mr. B · 03-25-2016, 02:05 PM

Where all the fans of Airstream Interstate have gone ?

Aircruiser · 03-25-2016, 04:20 PM

Here's a new fan. We bought our 2012 Lounge back in the fall and love it. We put approx. 5000 miles on it in the first month. Getting ready for a trip to the Southwest in April. Had new nox sensors installed (under warranty), but otherwise no other problems. Can't beat the comfort and convenience. The only mod so far is a screen for the sliding door opening.

Mr. B · 03-25-2016, 05:05 PM

Welcome to the club )

unifreck · 03-25-2016, 06:57 PM

Aircruiser-- welcome to the forum. Check out Boondocking section and consider doing a short trip/learning experience (free) with Ray and Nancy Eklund . Ray really enjoys introducing easy and proper boondocking, that way you will really get to fully enjoy the Interstate and it's possibilities. Great people ! Boondocking for Greenhorns might just tie into your trip to the Southwest. AEW

Aircruiser · 03-26-2016, 08:03 AM

Thanks for the tip, unfreck. I have not browsed that section, yet, but headed there now. We'll have a few nights of no hookups on our upcoming trip. We would prefer doing all camping in the National Park campgrounds (no electric) but they seem to fill up way in advance of the season, so we'll stay in a private campground for a couple of nights. Definitely a lot to learn to become proficient campers.

Mr. B · 03-26-2016, 03:35 PM

Hello Gentelmen !

My sprinter V6 has 7 thousand miles today, but the oil color on the dipstick is very much darker than the used oil on my gasoline cars engines.

Is it normal that pretty fresh Diesel engine oil has a chocolate color?
Thank you !

toskeysam · 03-26-2016, 05:06 PM

Mine turns black much faster than my gas vehicles. Unnerving, but normal according to my Mercedes mechanic.

Sebtown · 03-26-2016, 10:38 PM

I always check the dip stick as soon as I get home from an oil change done by others. I too was surprise by the color of the oil in my Sprinter after the first oil change. I immediately called the mechanic who explained it as totally normal. I think he said it was carbon residue that washes off the diesel cylinder walls. Something about high compression and lack of a spark plug. But I'm with B that its disconcerting the first time you check the oil if all you have ever driven are gasser's.