Trickle charge Sprinter chassis battery

as000ll · 12-23-2017, 12:49 PM

I have a 2017 View 24G. I'm not using it between December and February (3 months). I have solar panels but they are usually covered with snow so every month, I hook up the RV to shore power for a day and use the generator for 30 minutes with load.

My concern is with the chassis battery. It is not really easy to access so I wonder if I can charge it by connecting my trickle charger to the positive terminal that is under the hood?

fourgonbound · 12-23-2017, 04:36 PM

Install a Trik-L-Start. It's worth having especially since you have solar.

as000ll · 12-24-2017, 01:44 PM

I tried it and it works really weel. Just make sure to plug the negative end to some conductive piece of metal of your engine (some on them do not conduct). I will add this step in my winter maintenance tasks.

This being said, I will have a deeper look at Trik-L-Start but I'm afraid it is a bit too complicated to install for me... Please do not laugh.

fourgonbound · 12-24-2017, 01:50 PM

Haha, it's not that bad.. Just need a socket wrench to remove the passenger seat, drill a couple of holes to mount the Trik-L-Start, sand a bit one hole so there's contact for the negative/ground wire, wire the Trik-L-Start on either side of the solenoid or solenoid+relay (I did that), and screw the TrikLStart onto the box making sure to have the ground wire between the box and the trikLstart.

1953Tbm · 12-27-2017, 08:57 AM

I lost one chassis battery until I installed a T-L-S and now Chassis battery always kept charged. I have 2 100 watt solar panels. T-L-S was quite easy to install in my 2017 24J but care has to be taken to determine the correct posts on the Isolator Solonoid. I got mine backwards at 1st try. T-L-S did not work and I finally found my mistake. You will need a star socket to remove the seat. Usually the post with the lower voltage is the chassis. Monitor panel shows the 2 battery voltages.

luvlabs · 12-27-2017, 01:22 PM

If your solar panels are covered by snow you might not get enough charging voltage to use the Tric-L-Start. The result would be that you run down your house batteries as well as your chassis battery. I'd still install the Tric-L-Start for those non-snowy times but remove the ground on the chassis battery for the winter. It will be fine as long as it was fully charged before you shut things down.

Mooneypaul · 12-28-2017, 07:51 PM

If you can’t get shore power, just disconnect the chassis battery with the plug by the gas pedal. Look at your manual for instructions.

as000ll · 12-29-2017, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mooneypaul

If you can’t get shore power, just disconnect the chassis battery with the plug by the gas pedal. Look at your manual for instructions.

I did disconnect the chassis battery last year but it is not enough to keep the battery sufficiently charged in my cold country.

bobmac · 12-30-2017, 12:02 PM

You should have a battery disconnect switch in the area of the throttle. All you need to do is turn it off and perhaps turn it back on and run the engine for a few minutes once a month. Have a friend with a View and he was replacing the battery every spring until he found the cutoff switch. Likely the simplest solution. Good luck.

Mooneypaul · 12-31-2017, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by as000ll

I did disconnect the chassis battery last year but it is not enough to keep the battery sufficiently charged in my cold country.

I also use a small solar panel to keep the battery maintained. Here is what I purchased.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SP...3S1SN69V0KVKTQ

This gets plugged into the BOTTOM cig adapter under the ash tray. I put it in the windshield propped up by a pillow. Start with a fully charged battery since the small panel can only maintain the charge. Make sure your propane switch is off and the emergency brake is off. Both can pull amps.

bobmac · 12-31-2017, 04:53 PM

I have 400 watts of solar on my coach. All you need to do is climb a step ladder on either side of the coach and push the snow off the panel(s) and end of problem. You don't need to get all off as long as most of the panel is cleared - the heat generated when charging will melt the residual snow. Obviously if it snows again, you need to do it again although it could be at full charge from prior charging so the urgency is reduced. The options to keeping the battery charged are limited and you would be best served by operating the disconnect switch then running the engine for a few minutes monthly if you don't like the cleaning option!

bobmac · 12-31-2017, 05:01 PM

I have 400 watts of solar on my coach. Unless you have a Trik-L-Start unit installed, your generator will not charge the chassis batteries nor will your solar.
Once you havethe Trik-L-Start installed, alll you need to do is climb a step ladder on either side of the coach and push the snow off the panel(s) and end of problem. You don't need to get all off as long as most of the panel is cleared - the heat generated when charging will melt the residual snow. Obviously if it snows again, you need to do it again although it could be at full charge from prior charging so the urgency is reduced.
The options to keeping the battery charged are limited and you would be best served by operating the disconnect switch then running the engine for a few minutes monthly if you don't like the cleaning option!

as000ll · 01-01-2018, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobmac

I have 400 watts of solar on my coach. Unless you have a Trik-L-Start unit installed, your generator will not charge the chassis batteries nor will your solar.
Once you havethe Trik-L-Start installed, alll you need to do is climb a step ladder on either side of the coach and push the snow off the panel(s) and end of problem. You don't need to get all off as long as most of the panel is cleared - the heat generated when charging will melt the residual snow. Obviously if it snows again, you need to do it again although it could be at full charge from prior charging so the urgency is reduced.
The options to keeping the battery charged are limited and you would be best served by operating the disconnect switch then running the engine for a few minutes monthly if you don't like the cleaning option!

Thank you Bobmac. I heard that running the engine at idle spped was not enough to charge the chassis battery. I was told that you needed to drive the vehicle for at least 30 minutes. What do you think?

as000ll · 01-01-2018, 09:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mooneypaul

I also use a small solar panel to keep the battery maintained. Here is what I purchased.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SP...3S1SN69V0KVKTQ

This gets plugged into the BOTTOM cig adapter under the ash tray. I put it in the windshield propped up by a pillow. Start with a fully charged battery since the small panel can only maintain the charge. Make sure your propane switch is off and the emergency brake is off. Both can pull amps.

Thank you Paul. Probably the simplest solution for the lazy me so far.

bobmac · 01-01-2018, 09:56 AM

Driving is definitely better than idling to charge the battery but idling is better than nothing. If you use the battery disconnect switch - and it makes no sense to not use it - I suspect it will also disconnect the cigarette lighter. Leaving it on will deplete the batteries and the charge provided by a small solar panel oerating during the limited winter daylight hours will likely not even keep up the the parasitic losses in a Sprinter. Good luck.

luvlabs · 01-03-2018, 12:40 PM

Idling the Mercedes engine is a very poor idea. They are not designed to be idled and there is no high idle switch (as used in the big Cummins engines). You will cause the pollution control system to start setting codes which will not be good. If you need to, drive around for an hour or two.

Tric-L-Start or just connect the chassis battery.

LiqidAdvntur · 01-08-2018, 10:26 AM

After reading about Trik-L-Start, I purchased one for our 2011 View. I haven't installed it yet because the instructions seem to indicate that it works only with shore power. Is this correct? I was under the impression that it would use the house batteries to help keep the chassis battery charged.

fourgonbound · 01-08-2018, 10:28 AM

You need either shore/generator or solar so have Trik L Start feed the chassis battery. It relies on house battery voltage to turn on/off. This is to avoid draining the house battery.

NW8R · 01-10-2018, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by as000ll

I have a 2017 View 24G. I'm not using it between December and February (3 months). I have solar panels but they are usually covered with snow so every month, I hook up the RV to shore power for a day and use the generator for 30 minutes with load.

My concern is with the chassis battery. It is not really easy to access so I wonder if I can charge it by connecting my trickle charger to the positive terminal that is under the hood?

I have a trickle charger with a cigarette lighter plug. I just plug it into the bottom 12 power adapter on the bottom center of the coach console.

The positive terminal under the hood will also work.

maasthor · 01-27-2018, 09:14 AM

Hi; can someone explain; is there a way to attach a battery maintainer to the coach battery under the hood? when saying "the positive terminal under the hood will also work"... does that mean, you can attach the clamp of a battery maintainer to that, and then ground it somewhere under the hood to keep the battery charged while in storage? I'm wanting to avoid the use of the 12V. inside. I just don't like that idea; would rather directly charge and not having good access to the battery it's been confusing how to accomplish. thanks