Parked Battery Life

[UKDUDE]

This is what the 2014 Owner's Manual says:

When storing your Interstate and leaving the house batteries in place it is recommended that the vehicle be plugged into a 110 volt 30 amp shoreline connection for 24 to 48 hours every 30 days. This procedure will properly maintain the battery charge and extend it’s life. DO NOT leave the vehicle continually plugged in and unattended while in storage.

Unfortunately this is way too optimistic: my batteries are completely depleted after one week with the isolated switch enabled, and everything else manually turned off.

[wayneskid]

Originally Posted by UKDUDE

This is what the 2014 Owner's Manual says:

When storing your Interstate and leaving the house batteries in place it is recommended that the vehicle be plugged into a 110 volt 30 amp shoreline connection for 24 to 48 hours every 30 days. This procedure will properly maintain the battery charge and extend it’s life. DO NOT leave the vehicle continually plugged in and unattended while in storage.

Unfortunately this is way too optimistic: my batteries are completely depleted after one week with the isolated switch enabled, and everything else manually turned off.

What do you mean by "completely depleted"? Are you saying this based on the voltage displayed on the little monitor supplied by Airstream? If yes, what voltage are you seeing?

[UKDUDE]

I'm referring to the Solar panel monitor display which displays the battery percentage. And I'm aware that 0% in true terms is less than or equal to 10.8V. However, the bottom line for me is that on 2 occasions after returning from a 2-week trip, everything in the coach was "dead" - meaning no power to even light a single led.
To me that is unacceptable. Isn't the battery isolator supposed to prevent that?

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by UKDUDE

Isn't the battery isolator supposed to prevent that?

The Battery Isolation Module only disconnects the house system from the chassis system to prevent both from being dragged down together, and reconnects them when the engine is running to allow both sets of batteries to charge from the alternator. The BIM has nothing to do with preventing the house batteries from being depleted by powered-up house systems.

For that, you've got to use the disconnect switch that shuts off battery power to MOST of the house systems. But some house systems can't be disconnected from the batteries (such as the solar panel's charge controller, which runs off the batteries, not off the solar panel itself) so there's always SOME parasitic drain. Ideally, the parasitic drains you can't shut off will be low enough that the solar panel (or whatever charger you use in its place) will keep up with them.

[73shark]

Originally Posted by UKDUDE

This is what the 2014 Owner's Manual says:

When storing your Interstate and leaving the house batteries in place it is recommended that the vehicle be plugged into a 110 volt 30 amp shoreline connection for 24 to 48 hours every 30 days. This procedure will properly maintain the battery charge and extend it’s life. DO NOT leave the vehicle continually plugged in and unattended while in storage.

Unfortunately this is way too optimistic: my batteries are completely depleted after one week with the isolated switch enabled, and everything else manually turned off.

I finally found it in my manual. I doubt that would keep the batteries up. Unless there's something wrong w/ the way the Tripp-Lite charges, not sure why one can't leave shore power connected.

[UKDUDE]

Originally Posted by 73shark

I finally found it in my manual. I doubt that would keep the batteries up. Unless there's something wrong w/ the way the Tripp-Lite charges, not sure why one can't leave shore power connected.

I agree. I have the Magnum Inverter/Charger and since I see some rave reviews on it, would have thought it can also provide the required trickle charge.
BTW, Protag, poor choice of words on my part. I meant to say I'm using the disconnect switch, not the battery isolator.

[MILATV]

Dead coach batteries, day 2 of trip.
Plugged in to 20 amp service for 72 hrs before trip.
Day 1-trailer lights plugged in
LP solenoid off
Antenna booster off
Inverter off
Coach internal lights off
- 14 hrs driving
Park for night in driveway, no electrical use

Day 2- trailer lights plugged in
Antenna booster on 12 hrs
Inverter on 12 hrs
Water pump on
LP solenoid on
Water heater on gas
Took two showers.
5" fan ran 8 hrs
TV ran 4 hrs
Router ran 12 hrs ( no connections to it, just comes on with inverter on)
Ran generator for an hour while running AC to cool down rig.

Watching TV, inverter shuts down, main battery at 12.75, Aux battery at 10.62

1) does generator charge battery?
2) could batteries be shot from prior drain (see post)

I have 2014 EXT, Magnum energy with two batteries under lounge + aux battery under hood.

Is this really all I can expect?

- - desperately needing solution - -

Added- I'm 3 days from shore power, and only day 3 of 14 day trip .....

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by MILATV

1) does generator charge battery?

Varies. Generator should charge house batteries AND chassis battery, as long as BIM has the two systems connected and you have enough power to start the generator.

However— on mine at least— the BIM is powered from the house batteries, and if house system drops too low, that causes an automatic disconnect at the BIM, so the alternator won't charge the house systems while the engine is running.

2) could batteries be shot from prior drain (see post)

Could be. Mine are, after being depleted to 9.9 volts by my dealer, who disavowed all knowledge of how that could have happened on his watch. They'll take a charge, but not hold a charge.

[MILATV]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Could be. Mine are, after being depleted to 9.9 volts by my dealer, . They'll take a charge, but not hold a charge.

Mine dropped to under 7v when I depleted them. , may be the drain from trailer lights but I can't imagine just that dropping them so fast!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by MILATV

Mine dropped to under 7v when I depleted them. , may be the drain from trailer lights but I can't imagine just that dropping them so fast!

I'm giving serious consideration, when I get my Lifeline Batteries (after the generator is repaired) to getting a permanently-installed jump-start kit for my generator. Plug-In Cable Kits

On the web page, that would be cable 3 attached to the house batteries, with the plug somewhere near the rear bumper, so that I can plug in cable 1 and hook it up to my toad. Then if my new house batteries ever get too depleted to allow the generator to start, I'll be able to jump-start the generator to charge them up.

[MILATV]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

I'm giving serious consideration, when I get my Lifeline Batteries (after the generator is repaired) to getting a permanently-installed jump-start kit for my generator. . . . Then if my new house batteries ever get too depleted to allow the generator to start, I'll be able to jump-start the generator to charge them up.

Do it Protagonist - if you don't need it, great - but if you do; you'll be glad you did.

Will that work to jump the chassis off the coach? My '14 has the emergency switch. CNN

2nd time I've had to run engine to start generator. I know the alternator charges the house battery, just wasn't sure if generator did (since it can't run TV and AC concurrently).

Have yo breakout the wiring diagrams to see.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by MILATV

Will that work to jump the chassis off the coach? My '14 has the emergency switch.

Should work. Just need a long enough cable #2 in the middle.

2nd time I've had to run engine to start generator. I know the alternator charges the house battery, just wasn't sure if generator did (since it can't run TV and AC concurrently).

That's weird. I've run the rear television and the air conditioner at the same time in mine, when using the generator to charge the house system— last time my generator actually ran, that is. Generators work best when loaded to 50%~75% of rated load, so I was using the a/c as a load bank and had the television on because I was bored just sitting there waiting for the batteries to charge.

But now, I have to wonder if my BIM is dead, too. On my last trip, I started off with the house batteries at 95% after pre-cooling the fridge overnight, and by the time I got to the campground, a five-hour drive away, the house batteries were down to 75%. No charging from the alternator at all!

[David M]

Protagonist,

Do you park your AS in a parking garage or outside? If outside, I would think that a solar panel upgrade would solve most of your electrical problems (I also have a Viper 5704 2-way paging alarm).
David

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by David M

Protagonist,

Do you park your AS in a parking garage or outside? If outside, I would think that a solar panel upgrade would solve most of your electrical problems (I also have a Viper 5704 2-way paging alarm).
David

Outside, in my apartment complex's parking lot. Until the house batteries got depleted at the dealer, I never had much problem; house batteries stayed at 100% charge day in, day out during storage due to my present solar panel. Once I get my generator fixed, and get the damaged batteries replaced, I should be good— although I still need to check the BIM to see if it's working.

The Viper alarm system is wired into the chassis battery, not the house batteries, which allows me to keep the house system switched completely off while in storage.

[MILATV]

Update: drove 2 miles, parked in Sunny spot, house batteries show 50% and charging from solar - didn't bother to start generator (even with my new muffler installed its annoying, drowns out the birds and cicadas). Will fire up once the laptop dies.

Looks like I'll consider a bank on 6v iron Phosphates and upgraded panels. Need to find the drains first though.

[David M]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Outside, in my apartment complex's parking lot. Until the house batteries got depleted at the dealer, I never had much problem; house batteries stayed at 100% charge day in, day out during storage due to my present solar panel. Once I get my generator fixed, and get the damaged batteries replaced, I should be good— although I still need to check the BIM to see if it's working.

The Viper alarm system is wired into the chassis battery, not the house batteries, which allows me to keep the house system switched completely off while in storage.

Got it. We have a different philosophy of use, which is not a bad thing. The solar panel upgrade is on the top 3 Interstate mods for me because I leave my fridge running 24/7, never turn off my antenna booster or the battery cutoff switch, and don't plug in to shore power by choice (my AS is a daily driver). Good luck with your generator and BIM repairs.
David

[joemikeb]

I thought I had the various switch settings all figured out, but now I find myself thoroughly confused. This afternoon I went out to my AI to check on something and out of habit I hit the overhead light switch as I went in. To my great surprise they came on. So I rechecked the battery disconnect switch by the side door and no matter if the disconnect switch was on or off the overhead lights remained ON. No wonder my house batteries were not holding their charge as well as they should!

So I dove under the lounge for the main battery cutoff located there. The switch was aligned almost, but not completely vertical. According to the manual that is ON? So, with some effort, I rotated the switch counterclockwise through a detent, at which point an electric motor took over and rotated the switch to the completely horizontal or ON position. Now the battery cutoff by the sliding door appears to work normally, but with a few seconds delay apparently while a relay is switched under the lounge.

Now, if I attempt to manually operate the battery cutoff under the lounge I have to turn it against resistance from a motor, a red light comes on behind the switch and the interior lights com on regardless of the battery disconnect switch by the sliding door. Now I cannot rotate the battery cutoff far enough clockwise to get past the detent or remove the knob as the manual says I should be able to do and when I turn the switch to or near the vertical position it apparently disables the battery disconnect by the door and the battery power is always ON.

From everything I had read here and in the manual I had gathered that the battery disconnect under the lounge was a secondary switch for a more complete battery disconnection than the battery cutoff switch by the door. But it now appears the Battery cutoff under the lounge only enables the battery cutoff at the door. Is this correct? If it is not correct, then what am I missing and how is the %£& thing supposed to work?

[AtlantaCpl]

The way it was explained to me for our 2013 1/2 is the switch by the sliding door simply operates an electric motor that turns the manual switch back under the lounge. It's just a convenience to keep you from having to bend down in the back to flip the disconnect by hand.

The delay is simply the time it takes the small electric motor to turn the manual disconnect switch. My guess is you aren't supposed to operate that switch manually at all. It will risk misalignment and put you on the wrong side of gearing against the motor.

Possibly you have an alignment issue or broken gear teeth causing it not to rotate far enough. After setting it on or off I would make sure it rotates (using the switch to operate the electric motor) to the correct on and off positions and if not take it in for repair.

Brian

[73shark]

On my 2011 model, the battery disconnect switch is on when the handle is horizontal which is just the opposite of the owner's manual.

[bennu36]

just got notice that the batteries came today so this weekend I will install them. If all goes well I should be back to full strength soon.