2014 Tour 42GD Coach Battery Box

Bep892 · 01-03-2024, 05:18 PM

Does anybody have any detailed pictures of the coach battery storage area. I am in the process of installing 2 300AH lithium batteries and a magnum battery shunt. The shunt requires a dry area. Is the battery compartment open to the elements? Any detailed information would be greatly appreciated.

Lv2Roam2 · 01-04-2024, 04:14 AM

I have a 2014 build Ellipse (the Tour sister ship - exact same chassis configuration). The house batteries (coach) and engine (chassis) batteries are all open to the elements. The coach batteries are located under the storage tray slide out in the main storage area.
My current Magnum shunt sits on top of the batteries with no issues. Suspect you could easily surround the shunt with a small plastic box with some access holes drilled in and sealed.

Bep892 · 01-04-2024, 08:58 AM

Thank you for the response. The magnum shunt has 4 wires 2 to the shunt and 2 to the batteries connected to the sense module then a RG45 to the inverter. Is the module just on top of the Batteries as well. Or do those wires pop up to the basement?

**creativepart** · 01-04-2024, 11:38 AM

You'll be interested to know that the Magnum BMK doesn't work properly with LFP batteries. I know, I have one. Magnum does make a BMK-LI version for LFP batteries. The Magnum BMK is programed for Lead Acid/AGM batteries and can't properly estimate state of charge with LFP batteries.

My Adventurer has a battery tray that's partially open (on the sides and back) to the environment. And when I used the Magnum BMK with my AGM batteries it had no problem with being mounted in that space. It doesn't get super wet in there.

You'll find a Victron Smart Shunt works much better and they sell an IP-65 rated waterproof version too. You read the Victron's output via a Smartphone App - something the Magnum can't do.

Yes, you sacrifice the BMK connection to the Magnum Inverter - but there is very little, if any, benefit for that connection.

**creativepart** · 01-04-2024, 11:44 AM

I also wanted to let you know, that a full battery hookup diagram is included in your online wiring diagrams.

Here's a link to reach these:

https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ire_180646.pdf

Lv2Roam2 · 01-04-2024, 04:04 PM

My shunt wires come out of a multi-wire loom that disappears to the rear of the coach. Good info from CreativePart! The Magnum techs know there business - recommend a call to them re: a new shunt and what settings on the ARC.

Ray,IN · 01-04-2024, 05:39 PM

No lead-acid battery compartment should be sealed, instead it should be well-ventilated, and separated from any ignition source.. A shunt is not a source of ignition (no moving parts to create a spark or heat) and may be mounted in the battery compartment.
Lithium OTOH may be placed anywhere convenient, so if you install Lithium-iron batteries, the compartment may be sealed tight if you wish.

Bep892 · 01-04-2024, 06:58 PM

Thank you for the information. I am a bit irritated that Magnum does not call out the limitation in regard to lithium batteries in any of the literature or tech sheets. I looked again on the Magnum website and there is no mention of a Lithium model BMK I could find. Their spec sheet only mentions 2 model numbers. One with a shunt and one without. I have had a Victron model in the past but was just wanting to have it all in one display. Very limited space in the cabinet. I rarely used the Bluetooth feature. I might drop them a message and see if their specs have changed. Or if I am just not looking in the correct area of their website. Wouldnt be the first time I totally missed something.

**creativepart** · 01-05-2024, 07:45 AM

I’m basing my comment on two things. One, when I installed my LFP batteries I installed both the Victron and the Magnum BMK. I had already been using the magnum BMK with my previous AGM batteries. I found I could install the wires from the Magnum on the Victron SmartShunt and still use both. The Victron seems to work fine while the Magnum is always off with its readings.

And two, others have posted on IRV2 about the BMK not being Lithium capable.

This is also the case with their Remote Setting devices. They have no built in charging profile for LFP batteries. So you have to use a custom setting and manually configure changing.

On the face of it, while I think Magnum products are generally high quality, they haven’t updated anything for 7 or 8 years. No Apps, no Bluetooth, no Lithium features. So Victron and Xantrex are running away with the RV and Marine markets. It is as if they have stopped trying to compete in this marketplace.

**creativepart** · 01-05-2024, 07:49 AM

I built a plywood box to enclose my battery tray. It’s not pretty but it works. Two Renogy 200-aH LFP batteries. You can see my SmartShunt and the DC2DC charger in the photo. Also you can see the Facon tank heater pads I attached to the sides of each battery. After the photo was taken I applied rubber sealing trim to the surround of the opening so that when the door is closed it seals that opening. This does keep the battery tray dry and it stays warm in temps below freezing.