Battery - Page 2

Bob Denman · 02-01-2018, 11:14 PM

There is NO such thing as a "Stupid Question".

There are only "Incomplete Answers"...

stickman · 02-02-2018, 04:20 AM

Hello fellow campers. This is my first post and I have a problem that I'm sure you can answer. I also didn't get the best walk through when I bought my motor coach. The radio is draining the chasis (engine) battery to the point I can't start the engine w/out jump starting it. I can't find the fuse box that would contain the radio fuse so I can remove it, and hopefully, stop the drain before it destroys the battery.

stickman · 02-02-2018, 04:29 AM

Where is the Store/Use switch located? I'm on shore power and my engine battery is dying. Emergency switch does nothing. Help!

JamieGeek · 02-02-2018, 12:15 PM

Store/Use switch is to the left of the door on the kitchen cabinet as you enter--down low. One is the awning and the other is the Store/Use switch.

You may want to go here and read the excellent crowd sourced Axis/Vegas owner's manual:
http://www.thorforums.com/forums/f10...nual-4961.html

steve76 · 02-02-2018, 01:58 PM

What Jamie said. I also got a rush job walk through from C.W. and if I did stop him and ask questions, he told me "it's all in the manual". Well how nice huh? Either he didn't know how to answer the questions or more than likely, didn't want to take the time to explain properly and he smelled of booze.

Bob Denman · 02-02-2018, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve76

What Jamie said. I also got a rush job walk through from C.W. and if I did stop him and ask questions, he told me "it's all in the manual". Well how nice huh? Either he didn't know how to answer the questions or more than likely, didn't want to take the time to explain properly and he smelled of booze.

THAT's when you should be in the Sales Manager's office...

steve76 · 02-02-2018, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

THAT's when you should be in the Sales Manager's office...

Yes, you are totally right but it was a long day, Wife with me wanted the hell out of there, so I bent to her wishes. Shame on me.

Bob Denman · 02-02-2018, 02:44 PM

My Missus was also ready to bolt: I completely understand...

Laco · 02-02-2018, 05:31 PM

Sounds like maybe the 2018's are wired the way others are, if plugged in it charges regardless. Its not a problem once you understand how it works, but it is different than most.

2016vegas · 02-02-2018, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

Does everything else work as it should when you are not plugged in or when you are on shore power/generator? If it does...

First check. Turn use/store to use, plug in shore power and with a volt meter check and see if you have 13.4-14.1v on your house batteries. Then check your chassis battery and see if you have the same voltage.

Second. Unplug from shore power, turn on the engine and check the voltage at both battery banks. Make sure use/store is in use.

Let me know what you find.

I leave it in USE always as we run a dehumidifier in there...
Shore power connected house 13.2vdc Chassis 13.1
Shore per discon eng running house 14.6 chassis 14.5

Oneilkeys · 02-02-2018, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2016vegas

I leave it in USE always as we run a dehumidifier in there...
Shore power connected house 13.2vdc Chassis 13.1
Shore per discon eng running house 14.6 chassis 14.5

If you are reading 13.1 on your chassis battery while shore power is connected, then your engine battery is charging on shore power and your charging system seems to be working as it is designed to. However, the 13.1v is the maintenance charge which the converter/charger steps down to when the battery is fully charged. What was the voltage on the batteries before you turned on shore power. Had you been plugged in for some time before you made your readings on shore power?
The way the converter/charger is supposed to work is - if the batteries are discharged below about 50% (approx 11.8v) when they are plugged into shore power the converter/ charger should put out around 14.4v initially to quickly add some charge. After the batteries are charged up to 75-80%, the converter/charger should step down to about 13.5v to charge the batteries up to 100%. When the batteries are fully charged, the converter/charger should again step down to 13.1v to maintain the batteries. You can check to see if it is operating correctly by running your house batteries down below 11.8v and then turn on shore power. If the system is working correctly you should see 14.1-14.4v. After 4-6 hours or so, your should see about 13.5v on your batteries and 24 hours or do you should see 13.1v.

2016vegas · 02-02-2018, 10:07 PM

Yes. The shore power was connected for quite a while. Will diconnect and let it decrease to or below 11.8 then reconnect and see what she does. Thanks very much for the great info.

Oneilkeys · 02-02-2018, 10:12 PM

As for your question on fuses for the dash radio, I have a 2016 Axis and my fuse box (located in the outside compartment under the driver’s window) looks like this.

The dash radio fuses are F35 for the radio and F39 for the memory. You should also have a radio in the bedroom and the fuses for that are F30 for the radio and F28 for the memory.

I put a switch in back there to turn off that radio and memory completely because it also runs down the battery. You can do that for the dash radio too. I did it because I boondock and don’t want the radios draining the batteries.

JamJanTan · 02-04-2018, 04:54 PM

Want this diagram for my library

axis earl · 02-04-2018, 06:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2016vegas

Hmm. I've just learned something....my chassis battery never has charged on shore power. Several times, I've had to use Emergency Start or a charger if I neglect to running engine for weeks and neglected to plug in chassis battery maintainer. What do I check?

Mine never has either as far as I know, although I have never actually tested it. The dealer where I bought it and my local RV service center that I actually trust have both told me that it doesn't charge the chassis batt when hooked up to shore power. I have used the battery booster on the dash to charge and start the chassis battery once. New batteries all the way around recently installed.

Oneilkeys · 02-04-2018, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by axis earl

Mine never has either as far as I know, although I have never actually tested it. The dealer where I bought it and my local RV service center that I actually trust have both told me that it doesn't charge the chassis batt when hooked up to shore power. I have used the battery booster on the dash to charge and start the chassis battery once. New batteries all the way around recently installed.

Did you buy your Axis from CW? They told me the same thing with my 2016. They are wrong. It took me three weeks to figure out that Thor had miswired the BIRD so that both battery banks charged on the alternator, but the chassis battery did not charge on shore power. One wire and everything works correctly. The system is designed to go both ways. If you have the BIRD/Trombetta like my 2016 Axis, the easiest way to check is at the Trombetta. If the BIRD/Trombetta is working correctly, you will get the same reading off of both posts of the Trombetta whether the system is being charged by the alternator or shore power/generator. If it is working one way but not the other, maybe the same tech wired yours in 2016 who wired mine.

bevedfelker · 02-04-2018, 07:32 PM

Oneilkeys is absolutely right. When wired correctly both battery sets (house and chassis) charge off shore power, generator, or while driving down the road. The circuitry I described in post 6 and the file I attached explains it.

Now here is something to ponder when the dealer tells you the chassis battery doesn't charge off shore power. The USB port and the two DC (cigarette lighter) connections on the dash are wired to the chassis battery. Suppose you are a snow bird and you are camping for 3 1/2 months somewhere in FL. Everyday you plug your I-phone into the USB port to recharge it. You also have some DC powered things you plug into the cigarette lighter points on the dash. How much charge do you think will be left in the chassis battery using it everyday for 3 1/2 months if it were not recharging off shore power?

steve76 · 02-04-2018, 07:46 PM

Laco · 02-04-2018, 07:55 PM

Referencing the not charging the chassis battery when plugged into shore power, not sure on yours, but my Gemini is build on the Mercedes Chassis, and have been told that Mercedes does not want anything tapping into their wiring to charge the chassis battery. So on mine when plugged into shore power, or if the generator is running it will not charge the chassis battery. They apparently do not have a problem going the other way, as when driving, the engine alternator does indeed charge both the chassis battery and the house batteries. I just connect a small smart charger to the chassis battery if I am going to be parked for any period of time.

Oneilkeys · 02-04-2018, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laco

Referencing the not charging the chassis battery when plugged into shore power, not sure on yours, but my Gemini is build on the Mercedes Chassis, and have been told that Mercedes does not want anything tapping into their wiring to charge the chassis battery. So on mine when plugged into shore power, or if the generator is running it will not charge the chassis battery. They apparently do not have a problem going the other way, as when driving, the engine alternator does indeed charge both the chassis battery and the house batteries. I just connect a small smart charger to the chassis battery if I am going to be parked for any period of time.

Interesting. In the Axis they do not exactly “tap into the wiring”, a separate line is run from the Trombetta directly to the chassis battery to charge it. While in the end that has the same effect to tie the chassis and coach wiring together, if it works in the opposite direction, the wiring has to be connected somehow to do that? I understand Mercedes might not want the issues of blowing up some expensive electronics by coach electrical issues, but for the RVer (as Ed indicates) I see significant issues. Does the Mercedes have an emergency start switch? At least that would allow you to start the vehicle when you run down the battery.

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