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03-19-2021, 02:18 PM
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#1
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2 Rivet Member
2017 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Loudon
, Tennessee
Join Date: Nov 2020
Posts: 36
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When to Plug in ??
We have a 2017 AS Interstate and are newbys
Our AS is in covered storage with all the power turned off. We have it plugged in but I am wondering if we should be plugged in all the time? Would that have any effect on battery life over time?
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03-19-2021, 02:33 PM
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#2
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4 Rivet Member
2015 Interstate Ext. Coach
Columbus
, Ohio
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 430
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We keep our 15 lounge plugged in whenever it’s not in use & has not hurt our batteries!
Our year charges the batteries with the switches in the off position.
Am not sure it that’s true for your 17 as well!
__________________
Adventure before Dementia!
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03-19-2021, 03:23 PM
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#3
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Living Riveted since 2013
2016 Interstate Lounge Ext
Green Cove Springs
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 8,201
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In my experience, the best way to keep your coach and chassis batteries happy in storage is to keep the coach plugged in and the chassis battery connected to a battery tender. We pay a small monthly premium at our storage location so we can use an outlet there for this purpose. Check your coach to see whether it has to be in "Use" position for it to charge the batteries. That seems to vary by model year and, possibly, by configuration as well. I know some like to disconnect the chassis (engine) battery while in storage, but doing that cuts off power to the radio memory, which means I'd have to program it all over again when I reconnect...so, I don't do that. Instead, I use a battery tender.
__________________
Rocinante Piccolo is our new-to-us 2016 Interstate Lounge 3500 EXT
(Named for John Steinbeck's camper from "Travels With Charley")
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03-19-2021, 05:38 PM
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#4
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2 Rivet Member
2017 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Western
, Tennessee
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 73
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On my 2017, I kept plugged in at all times with battery switch off, will charge the batteries for the Airstream part. This method did not charge my "start the MB engine" battery. I connected a "Battery Tender" to the start battery, plugged this into the "coffee" plug as it is live anytime plugged in to shore power. The "coffee" plug is the one over the stovetop.
As was said earlier, this varies by year and versions within a year. Don't trust the manual on this. Need to check voltage in MB battery and AS batteries, until you can determine the correct method for your AS.
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03-19-2021, 05:55 PM
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#5
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1 Rivet Member
2021 Interstate 19
Seattle
, Washington
Join Date: Mar 2021
Posts: 19
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Perhaps a different strategy for the newer Lithium models with the Battleborn batteries. This video with BAttleborn would suggest getting the house batteries to a full charge and then have them sit disconnected up to a year.
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03-19-2021, 06:06 PM
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#6
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Rivet Master
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Tampa
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 7,638
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JosieNurse
We have a 2017 AS Interstate and are newbys
Our AS is in covered storage with all the power turned off. We have it plugged in but I am wondering if we should be plugged in all the time? Would that have any effect on battery life over time?
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2017 was the last year of the single stage converter. So, No, don't leave it plugged in.
My work around is to purchase a trickle charger, I like the NoCo Genius 3500, which has a "float" setting, so once the batteries are charged, it stops charging. Plug that in and don't plug the trailer in. The NoCo Genius 3500 comes with a harness to permanently attach across the batteries so you just snap the cables together.
Note: many like Deltran "Battery Tender" trickle chargers. I've had six of them on motorcycles and over time all failed.
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03-19-2021, 06:35 PM
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#7
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Rivet Master
2014 20' Flying Cloud
Sag Harbor
, New York
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 17,523
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mollysdad
2017 was the last year of the single stage converter.
. . .
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Are you sure this is true for the OP's 2017 Airstream Interstate motorhome?
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03-19-2021, 07:03 PM
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#8
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Living Riveted since 2013
2016 Interstate Lounge Ext
Green Cove Springs
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 8,201
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Excellent point re: Lithium coach batteries. If you can be confident that you've killed all phantom drains on your lithium coach batteries, you can skip plugging in the coach because they will be fine when you come back. We did that every winter with our travel trailer. We'd charge the batteries, disconnect from all drains and power, and when we picked the trailer up several months later, the batteries were still at 100%. Finding and eliminating phantom drains can be a little trickier in an Interstate unless you have a BRS (Big Red Switch) that physically disconnects those batteries from the coach.
Given the chassis battery is conventional, I would still recommend a battery tender for that one.
__________________
Rocinante Piccolo is our new-to-us 2016 Interstate Lounge 3500 EXT
(Named for John Steinbeck's camper from "Travels With Charley")
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03-19-2021, 07:48 PM
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#9
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Rivet Master
2017 26' Flying Cloud
Tampa
, Florida
Join Date: Feb 2017
Posts: 7,638
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OTRA15
Are you sure this is true for the OP's 2017 Airstream Interstate motorhome?
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My bad.
I saw 2017 and that's the year of my FC.
I apologize.
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03-19-2021, 08:44 PM
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#10
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2 Rivet Member
2017 Interstate Grand Tour Ext
Castle Rock
, Colorado
Join Date: Feb 2019
Posts: 31
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This is not true for an interstate.
Quote:
Originally Posted by OTRA15
Are you sure this is true for the OP's 2017 Airstream Interstate motorhome?
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