Chassis batteries go dead - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: Chassis batteries go dead (/showthread.php?tid=4631)

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Chassis batteries go dead - Margie909 - 11-30-2018

When in storage my chassis batteries go dead unless I have the battery boost switch turned on.
Is this normal?
My previous coach a Newmar had bi-directional relay sometimes called a bird relay which managed the charge from the charger or the alternator to both sets of batteries.
I don't find one on the Newell
Any idea if Newell has one ?

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RE: Chassis batteries go dead - encantotom - 11-30-2018

howdy.

do you turn the chassis battery switch off in where the batteries are?

tom

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RE: Chassis batteries go dead - Trainer - 11-30-2018

Margie,

As you have learned, the inverter charger only looks after the house batts.

My choice is to have a Battery Tender brand battery maintainer wired to my start batts. I arrived with them topped off by driving and the Battery Tender keeps them that way when plugged in.

Turn batt switch to off as Tom suggested when not plugged in.

Hope this helps.

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RE: Chassis batteries go dead - Richard - 11-30-2018

Hi Margie,

Glad you finally broke the ice with a question.

Newell does not have the BIRD switch you had on the previous coach.

There are two ways to keep the chassis batteries charged while in storage. One is keep the merge switch on. The disadvantage to this method is that if the coach power is interrupted for an extended period, both the house and chassis batteries will go dead.

The second method is to add an echo charger to the system. The echo charger is a device that charges the chassis batteries from the house batteries IF the house battery voltage is above a certain threshold. This is a better method. You might want to check to see if your coach already has such a device.

It would help us help you, if you would add your coach number and year to your signature.

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