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Old 03-23-2013, 02:42 PM   #21
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Harry,
There was no incinuation of "dumb" here. I never, ever try and make anyone feel dumb or, remotely incinuate anything like that. By the looks of your posts, you're far from that definition. I do, sometimes, engage the fingers on the keyboard prior to the brain putting in "input". Sorry for any misguided remarks here. Surely not intended.

And, what you said about anyone finding a faulty Trik-L-Start or, building a system from scratch, yep, the more modern one, with the 0-15 amp capability would be a way to go. Although, if, like I stated earlier, your chassis battery system is in good shape, then a regular TLS system should keep everything topped of, correct?
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Old 03-23-2013, 05:12 PM   #22
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Hi Scott, sorry, I didn't make it sound like you were insinuating that I was dumb ...I already know that!

Writing doesn't always accurately convey one's intentions. My comments were purposely self-deprecating as I do tend to not only say dumb things on this forum but post inaccurate information most of the time. I didn't mean to make it sound as if it was you that was accusing me of being dumb. I appreciate your comments, however.

As to the subject at hand, yes, the Trik-L-Start is definitely adequate for most applications, I'd assume. No need to upgrade to the Amp-L-Start if the Trik-L-Start is working correctly. However, the description of that Precision Circuits Battery Isolation Manager sure sounds ideal. It's good to hear that Winnebago is using that as standard equipment in all (?) their coaches now. That is a no-brainer and for the little it costs to include, you'd think that all motorhome manufacturers should include it right from the factory ...or maybe they do now?

-harry
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Old 03-24-2013, 12:31 AM   #23
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Update

So on Friday, I went over to my coach to take it in to the dealership for some work. I went to start it and the chassis batteries were dead So I decided to remove the chassis batteries and take them home to fully charge them. I used a volt gauge and tested the batteries before charging them. Result: 10.5V. Crap I thought...they're stone dead. So I put a charger on them at 40 amps. They took a charge and left it for 2 hours. I let them rest for one hour and tested again. They had come up to 12.3V. So I then waited a day and put them on a two hour charge again, rest for an hour and they are now at 12.8V. I think they are good now and on Monday I'll put them back in the coach and hope it starts. My only problem is I don't know what kind of load they can handle. So I'm going to ask the dealership to load test them for me. They are sealed so water level isn't something I can check.

Unfortunately where I am temporarily storing the Mh, I can't plug it in. I'm pretty sure if I could have plugged it in, the Trik-L-start would have done its job and kept the chassis batteries at the proper level.
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Old 03-27-2013, 10:33 AM   #24
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On Monday I reinstalled the batteries. Hooked up all the wires, turned the key and she fired right up. I checked the battery monitor panel and it said the chassis batteries were charging at 14V. At least I know the alternator is doing it's job. It'll be at the dealership about a month so hopefully when I get it back they won't be dead again. But I think I'm still going to remove them again and put another good charge into them. That way they'll be ready for when we go camping in early may.
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Old 03-27-2013, 10:46 AM   #25
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Deucenut, you can just have them disconnect the ground cables from the battery sets (after they are charged) while it's sitting for any length of time, and they'll be fine. Even in cold weather. Maybe not all winter in -40° temps, but below zero for quite a while. The electrolyte keeps them from freezing.
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Old 03-27-2013, 11:09 AM   #26
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Deucenut, I agee with Jim. If you don't have a chassis battery disconnect switch ...and you're not plugging it in while being stored, disconnecting the negative cable seems to be the next best thing.

My personal opinion is that your batteries will be okay but I think it will depend on how many times they've been that deeply discharged. It does make sense that just running the generator wasn't enough to bring the batteries up to full charge because the Trik-L-Start is only suppose to be a maintainer.

If they are now holding that charge, you might be okay but if those are the original batteries, it may be worth replacing them as they now could be approaching nine years, correct?

And can't you leave them in the tray this time when putting the charger on them?


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Old 03-27-2013, 11:34 AM   #27
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Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek View Post
Deucenut, you can just have them disconnect the ground cables from the battery sets (after they are charged) while it's sitting for any length of time, and they'll be fine. Even in cold weather. Maybe not all winter in -40° temps, but below zero for quite a while. The electrolyte keeps them from freezing.
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Deucenut, I agee with Jim. If you don't have a chassis battery disconnect switch ...and you're not plugging it in while being stored, disconnecting the negative cable seems to be the next best thing.

My personal opinion is that your batteries will be okay but I think it will depend on how many times they've been that deeply discharged. It does make sense that just running the generator wasn't enough to bring the batteries up to full charge because the Trik-L-Start is only suppose to be a maintainer.

If they are now holding that charge, you might be okay but if those are the original batteries, it may be worth replacing them as they now could be approaching nine years, correct?

And can't you leave them in the tray this time when putting the charger on them?


-harry
I know what you mean but getting a dealership to do anything "extra" like getting them to unhook battery cables would never happen. Not at this dealership anyway. Lol.

The reason I can't leave them in the tray to charge them with my external charger is because I have no power where I'm storing it. I thought about starting the generator to get 110 shore power to run the charger but felt the money in fuel and wear n tear on the generator wasn't worth it since it's pretty easy to remove the batteries.

I agree though that the batteries are probably at the end of their life span. Since I bought the coach in November and I know I am the fourth owner, I have no idea how old the batteries are. But I am pretty sure they haven't been looked after. When we looked at it on dealership lot, I couldn't turn any lights or stuff on cause the salemen had let the house batteries go stone dead How hard is it to hit the house battery disconnect switch on the dash on your way out of the coach??? We are moving in a couple months and will be able to store the coach at my house then. So I don't want to buy new batteries before then cause I want to be able to plug in with new batteries to be able to look after them as much as possible.
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Old 03-27-2013, 02:53 PM   #28
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Deucenut,
Not having shore power in storage surely sucks. You're seeing the results of possible neglect, old age, possible hidden corrosion and more. Removing them and taking them home to establish a good base charge is the best thing you can do for the time being. Now, since you've not mentioned it, I'm assuming you don't have any sort of chassis battery switch to just shut them off so, here's a thought. Camping World and many other Rv parts suppliers sell what's called a "knife" switch.

Search - knife switch - Camping World

If you have room, and, your cables will fit, those switches are the easiest, fastest and most effecient, cheap way of disconnecting any battery, beit a house or chassis. It's a pretty simple installation and, it's fool proof. You can use them on the new batteries if and when you purchase those. Just an idea here.
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Old 03-27-2013, 03:37 PM   #29
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Deucenut,
Not having shore power in storage surely sucks. You're seeing the results of possible neglect, old age, possible hidden corrosion and more. Removing them and taking them home to establish a good base charge is the best thing you can do for the time being. Now, since you've not mentioned it, I'm assuming you don't have any sort of chassis battery switch to just shut them off so, here's a thought. Camping World and many other Rv parts suppliers sell what's called a "knife" switch.

Search - knife switch - Camping World

If you have room, and, your cables will fit, those switches are the easiest, fastest and most effecient, cheap way of disconnecting any battery, beit a house or chassis. It's a pretty simple installation and, it's fool proof. You can use them on the new batteries if and when you purchase those. Just an idea here.
Scott
That's not a bad idea Scott. I'll have to look into that when I get the coach back from the dealership. They said it would be about a month...hope it's not too much longer.
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Old 03-28-2013, 01:15 PM   #30
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I have a Trik-L-Start that I bought as my first coach, a 05 34H Journey, did not have one. My coach batteries would charge on shore power, but my chassis batteries did not charge on shore power. The Trik-L-Start when hooked up solved the problem and now the chassis batteries would charge on shore power. However, both my house and chassis batteries charged with the generator running without the Trik-L-Start hooked up and well as when the engine was running both banks of batteries would charge. I think your problem is not with the Trik-L-Start unit but with your house batteries. How old are your house batteries? They are only good for 3-5 years depending on usage. I would have your batteries checked out. Also when you run the generator or the engine your batteries will sometimes show charging at 14.2 because they are going thru a de-sulfuring phase which is normal. If you batteries are on the new side I would clean all your connections to make sure they have proper contact. Good Luck!
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Old 03-28-2013, 02:25 PM   #31
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I have a Trik-L-Start that I bought as my first coach, a 05 34H Journey, did not have one. My coach batteries would charge on shore power, but my chassis batteries did not charge on shore power. The Trik-L-Start when hooked up solved the problem and now the chassis batteries would charge on shore power. However, both my house and chassis batteries charged with the generator running without the Trik-L-Start hooked up and well as when the engine was running both banks of batteries would charge. I think your problem is not with the Trik-L-Start unit but with your house batteries. How old are your house batteries? They are only good for 3-5 years depending on usage. I would have your batteries checked out. Also when you run the generator or the engine your batteries will sometimes show charging at 14.2 because they are going thru a de-sulfuring phase which is normal. If you batteries are on the new side I would clean all your connections to make sure they have proper contact. Good Luck!
Jackhal1949,
There is an answer to your statement. You see, depending on generator model, there is an option that can be ordered or, it's possible, that it was just installed at the base of some of them, especially if it's a QD7.5 or larger. And that option is a "Battery charger". If, one is equipped with that option, your statement of "Both my house and my chassis batteries will charge while the generator is running without my TLS hooked up, would be true. The generators optional battery charger would be charging your chassis batteries and whatever charging system (i.e. Inverter/charger) would be charging your house batteries.

This is all assumption of course. And, when the engine is running, there's a whole 'nother system that charges both. I'm kind of thinking this is what you're seeing. I could be way off here.
Scott
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Old 04-02-2013, 09:51 AM   #32
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I discovered that the chassis battery drain was because the radio switch was on engine rather than house when in storage. This solved the problem, however I installed the Trik L Start and have not had a problem since.
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Old 04-02-2013, 10:07 AM   #33
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I discovered that the chassis battery drain was because the radio switch was on engine rather than house when in storage. This solved the problem, however I installed the Trik L Start and have not had a problem since.
That's interesting... I find that my dash radio disconnects with whichever switch that it is directed to. If it's set to house and I turn the house switch off, the radio goes off and loses ALL settings to include the clock, and the same for chassis (naturally, it will stay on if set to house and the shoreline is energized). The only point that I am trying to make is that the radio should not have a parasitic load since it disconnects with the switch... at least that's how my Vista works.
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Old 04-02-2013, 10:30 AM   #34
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Please explain again if the radio switch is directed to engine, and you put the MH in storage with the house battery switch off, how does that prevent the radio from draining the chassis battery, or do you also have a chassis battery disconnect switch which I do not have.
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Old 04-02-2013, 04:16 PM   #35
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Please explain again if the radio switch is directed to engine, and you put the MH in storage with the house battery switch off, how does that prevent the radio from draining the chassis battery, or do you also have a chassis battery disconnect switch which I do not have.
I apologize, I thought that you did have a chassis switch. Yes, I have chassis and coach (house) disconnect switches (I thought most class As did, but I have been known to be wrong, just ask the DW). If I turn off whichever switch that the radio is set to, the radio becomes completely disconnected and can not drain the battery. The only exception is when the radio is set to coach (house), and the shoreline is connected, in which case, it's running from the shoreline and not the battery.
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Old 04-02-2013, 04:28 PM   #36
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I apologize, I thought that you did have a chassis switch. Yes, I have chassis and coach (house) disconnect switches (I thought most class As did, but I have been known to be wrong, just ask the DW). If I turn off whichever switch that the radio is set to, the radio becomes completely disconnected and can not drain the battery. The only exception is when the radio is set to coach (house), and the shoreline is connected, in which case, it's running from the shoreline and not the battery.

So (I don't have a Winnie), you have a switch (somewhere) that allows you to select the DC source for your radio .... correct? My radio is on the House Bats (and solar) ... and Shore Power Charger. Also, vintage 1997, I have manual disconnects in each battery compartment ... no salesman switches.
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Old 04-03-2013, 04:06 AM   #37
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So (I don't have a Winnie), you have a switch (somewhere) that allows you to select the DC source for your radio .... correct?
...
Correct, I have a dash switch that will switch the ENTIRE dash radio between chassis and house. I capitalized "entire" because this includes the always powered line which maintains the clock and settings. My previous Hurricane worked more like a 4-wheeler, the radio would "turn off" with the chassis, but powering the house switch would re-energize the radio like turning the key to the ACC position.
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Old 04-03-2013, 06:03 AM   #38
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Correct, I have a dash switch that will switch the ENTIRE dash radio between chassis and house. I capitalized "entire" because this includes the always powered line which maintains the clock and settings. My previous Hurricane worked more like a 4-wheeler, the radio would "turn off" with the chassis, but powering the house switch would re-energize the radio like turning the key to the ACC position.
Thanks! ... and interesting. If I didn't have the solar that (in daylight) is constantly applying a (controlled) trickle charge to the House bats I would probably make that change.
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Old 04-03-2013, 04:11 PM   #39
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While we're talking about the parasitic load (phantom load or ghost load or vampire load) of the radio, I should point out that my radio, a Pioneer after market with loads of inputs and four speaker output, came with 2 voltage inputs. One is the main power, this is shut off with the salesman switch. The other is the memory...stations saved, clock, current user settings (like which input). This is wired to bypass the salesman's switch and draws directly (through a fuse) from the chassis battery.

The only way I can completely shut it off is by disconnecting the battery ground cable.

At least this is how mine works.
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Old 04-03-2013, 07:55 PM   #40
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Hi,

I chose the trik-l-start because of the 5 amp limit. I have a solar system and I wanted to keep the chassis battery trickle charged....I won't need anything like 15 amps to do so.
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