Dead Lithium Batteries

[gdm1634]

I have a 2021 Interstate GT24. I have the Lithium battery and solar panels installed. My touch screen control panels were not operating and I could not operate my RV. It would start and run, but nothing in rear was operational. I took it to Mark Wahlberg in Cleveland which I do not recommend. They changed both the converter under the driver's seat and the batteries. They told me everything worked. When I picked it up, the touch screen panels were not working again. They said whoever detailed it the day before had the lights on and everything worked. They said they did not have a dc-dc charger, but everything would charge either on my way home or when I plugged it in. Well... it has not. I have dead control panels still. I am concerned the new batteries never got a full charge and were drawn down during detailing. Is there any way to charge the batteries if this is the case. Otherwise, I'm no better off than when this whole thing started over a month ago. Again, I would not recommend Mark Wahlberg in Cleveland. Any ideas welcome.

[wulfraat]

Can you put a volt meter on the batteries and take a reading? What voltage are they showing? It sounds like they are disconnected from the system.

[LilPeanut]

You can’t kill lithiums that way. You can’t even kill new AGMs that quickly. AGMs won’t like it but they will still be better than what you describe.

Check voltage at the batteries. Then look for a bad ground somewhere. My guess is the batteries are OK and either a fuse/circuit breaker is bad or shorted or there is a bad ground so a 12v line is not making a full circuit. Something is loose somewhere.

[Wazbro]

Sounds like your batteries are discharged to the point the BMS disconnected them. Unfortunately all the onboard systems need to read voltage from the batteries or they wont charge them. You need to use some other method to charge the batteries. Probably the other batteries were also fine and just needed to be charged and everything else was functioning "as designed".

[Wazbro]

Another thread about this problem.
https://www.airforums.com/forums/f24...ut-238420.html

[gdm1634]

Originally Posted by Wazbro

Sounds like your batteries are discharged to the point the BMS disconnected them. Unfortunately all the onboard systems need to read voltage from the batteries or they wont charge them. You need to use some other method to charge the batteries. Probably the other batteries were also fine and just needed to be charged and everything else was functioning "as designed".

Thanks. This makes sense to me because they told me when I picked it up after they changed the batteries that they had someone detail it inside and everything worked. I am guessing whoever detailed it drew down the batteries and now I can't charge them with the onboard system. Now I have another question. I know the batteries are under the van, but not sure where. I will get under and look, but if you know where they are located and how to check them, that would be helpful. I have a multimeter, just not sure how to access batteries. Their location is not listed in owners manual, just a wiring diagram.

[Wazbro]

Unfortunately I don't know exactly where the batteries are on newer Interstates. Airstream really needs to give owners a detailed procedure on how to get out of this situation.

[gdm1634]

Thanks. This appears to be a significant design flaw I have been fighting for a good while.