Start Battery Charging

[Morich]

Yes, there was a class action suit over the TCM and transmission but I did not have the correct amount of trouble to be of interest at the time. I have no complaints on our car and would have been in the $250 range of compensation if we had, so not a factor. As it turns out, the problems we have had seem to be involved with the way the tow bar base plates and electronics were installed, so I can't blame Ford for the repair problems.
First glance, it seemed the install went great but then, over time, we found more and more trouble which was often just poor work or thinking.
First question was how they installed the gizmo to keep the battery charged as the manual requires for flat towing while disconnected from the car. They did something pretty dumb but missed doing big damage as they us a 3/4 inch self drilling screw to add that little box to the top of the fuse panel on the car. First time I tried to pull the fuse cover off, I found that screw went down through the cover as well as a relay in the fuse panel. But it even missed the working parts in the relay and they could have actually hit a wiring loom if they have been less lucky!
Second complaint came up a year or so later when we found they have not put the horn mount in the right way and it had worn a hole in the lower radiator hose! Several hundred to get the hose replaced due to hard to get to it!
Now if I can get out from under the no crank problem as easy as moving the wire they crimped????
Won't know for a few days as this is a weird thing that has to set for at least 8 hours to make it fail. That alone makes it really hard for a mech to find and fix!

[JCM]

Originally Posted by Morich

One of the Trik-l-start line is a good option.
Ultra TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer

I bought a similar product from Xantrex but it cost me $394.00. Wired in the same and apparently will work the same. I put in in my 2020 Ford Transit - Triple E Wonder RTB for winter storage in Canadian winters.

[Pdest]

So I asked a Winnebago tech about this and he said my Itasca meridian has a charging system that charges both while driving and plugged in as long as both switched are on. He said it is NOT a trik-l-start but a better built in unit.

[JoeC]

Originally Posted by Winterbagoal

... and rely on a simple portable battery maintainer, plugged into one of my inverter fed 110VAC outlets, and then plugged into the 12VDC outlet located below the pull out ash tray/cup holde at the centre of the dash that's "always hot" from the chassis battery.

My $.02. This is not really a good solution when you convert DC to AC and back to DC to charge a battery. It is very inefficient. You should look for a DC to DC solution or shore power to DC solution.

[Morich]

Originally Posted by Pdest

So I asked a Winnebago tech about this and he said my Itasca meridian has a charging system that charges both while driving and plugged in as long as both switched are on. He said it is NOT a trik-l-start but a better built in unit.

Yes, some RV will have systems built in but it depends on year, make, model and even the options on each RV.
I kind of have to go with what seems to work for each of us. I gave up on finding any sort of excuse for even having an RV when wanting to be efficient! Once getting past filling with gas, I never consider efficient electrical use!

[71_340]

Like many said, get a TRIK-L-START, they work great. The prerequisite would be having a solar system to maintain the coach batteries. My chassis battery would die in a about a week, now it stays fully charged just like both coach batteries.


By the way, the TRIK-L-START unit I bought actually has a Winnebago P/N on it, so, I guess Winnebago factory installed them at one time. I figured if it's good for a Winnie it's good for my Thor.

[NeilV]

Originally Posted by N5MSD

I have a new to me View 24v (and we are new to RVing). Does the starter battery charge while on shore and/or generator power? I know the house batteries charge. Thanks

It depends on the year of your coach along with other factors. In the early 2000's and prior the answer is a definite no unless a previous owner installed a maintainer system while after that its a maybe and you will have to check the owners manual or call Winnebago Tech Support with the serial number of your coach handy.

The engine battery also runs the propane detector and potentially other emergency systems along with any powered entry steps which will all put a constant drain on it even when the storage switch is set to turn off the house batteries.

Some use to get stranded while camping due to extensive use of the in-dash radio without flipping the battery selector switch for the radio from engine to house which is why they also put a boost switch on the dash that adds power from the hopefully charged house batteries to the engine so you can start it.

[JCM]

Ford and MB don't want the builders altering their coaches or wring so I had to. Now when I plug in the unit to shore power both sets of batteries get charged without me having to remember to connect the auxiliary charger and or the clips popping off the connector during the winter.

[Pdest]

In fact, downright impossible. This would be a perpetual motion machine which does not exist. Would require over 100% efficiency to source from the same place you are charging. Since the efficiency is less than 109%, eventually the battery dies. Would be like using the light from a flashlight to energize a solar panel that is powering the flashlight......not possible.

[wyocamper]

I haven't read all of the posts on this thread, but just wanted to comment that on my 2015 Vista the alternator charges both chassis and house batteries. Likewise, shore and gen charge both house and chassis batteries.

[DeltaRome]

I have a 2020 View 24D and I installed the “Amp-L-Start” to use the solar to charge the chassis start battery thru the Coach battery.
Let me know if you need some help doing it.

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by wyocamper

I haven't read all of the posts on this thread, but just wanted to comment that on my 2015 Vista the alternator charges both chassis and house batteries. Likewise, shore and gen charge both house and chassis batteries.

When parked too? And you don’t have to throw any switches?

[creativepart]

Originally Posted by Wyatt

When parked too? And you don’t have to throw any switches?

I have this too on my 2017 Adventurer. It’s a relay that when on shore power or generator it connects the chassis battery to the inverter/charger as soon as the house batteries near full charge.

No switches to throw. It’s all automatic and built in from the factory.

[JerryP]

I use Trik-L-Start too. I have installed it on two different Sprinters.
Recently on my 17V24V. My Storage lot has 120V service. The chassis battery used to run down before Trik-L-Start, now it's up all the time.

Regards,
Jerry

[NeilV]

Originally Posted by Wyatt

When parked too? And you don’t have to throw any switches?

They started setting them up that way from the factory somewhere in/after the mid 2000's perhaps 2005/2006. You just can't gang/jumper the house and engine batteries together and expect optimal results as the differences between the rate at which the deep cycle house and engine battery charge needs to be accommodated.

[MadMaxWinny]

This is not magic, and it's not nearly as complex as some people indicate. A modern combiner doesn't care where the charge is coming from (alternator, shore power charger, solar, etc). If there is ANY charge, everything sees the charge voltage. Really good ones like the Magnum Energy allows you to select the trip voltages. Anything by Blue Seas and Xantrex will be high quality, as well.

[Morich]

Originally Posted by wyocamper

I haven't read all of the posts on this thread, but just wanted to comment that on my 2015 Vista the alternator charges both chassis and house batteries. Likewise, shore and gen charge both house and chassis batteries.

It must be in the options on each as I also have a 2015 Vista 31KE and it DID NOT charge both and I would find the start battery required using the AUX/boost switch to get it going until I added the triklstart. I see that there are a number of different options in the 2015 27N and the 31KE and would assume that is the difference.
Looking at the 27N, I see a feature package 401 without knowing what that provides. Also there is an auto transfer switch and power share which the 31KE has neither.
Too many variables to say anything works the same on what appears to be the same RV.

[ampeteranecz]

I don't believe so, since I have had to replace a battery that I thought would be charged while connected to shore power on the house batteries. I've since changed my practice to unplug the terminal connection under the steering wheel when I sit for any prolonged period. The plus being the ability to use the house batteries to give the starter batteries, but I still l prefer to disconnect so that I don't have to rely on charging the house batteries for too long while in storage.

2017 Winnebago View

[Maxpower]

On my 08 24j I plugged in to the 120v receptacle in the overhead bunk area and used a small trickle charger to the 12v power outlet below the ashtray. This outlet gets its power directly from the chassis battery and is always energized. So you can keep the chassis battery charged whether you are using shore power or your generator.Works great!

[SaltLife]

Originally Posted by 71_340

My chassis battery would die in a about a week, now it stays fully charged just like both coach batteries.

If your starting batteries are draining in a week you either have something(s) draining them, or, one of your batteries is bad which will bring both down. The good one will charge the bad one and they'll both go down. Happened to me. Replaced both and now they stay up....