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Old 05-03-2017, 10:59 PM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Illinois
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THOR #7363
House battery-chassis battery?

I have a question about my batteries on our 2013 ACE 30.1. I thought that the house batteries and the chassis batteries are separate electrical systems and the only time they become one is if I use the emergency start button. I recently pulled my chassis battery to charge it and I noticed that the cab radio was on even with battery out. So then I thought I would try to start it with out the chassis battery in it, it started....

I do not know if it is supposed to do this or if the previous owner put a jumper in somewhere to bypass something for some reason.

I would appreciate any thoughts on if this is right or wrong and pros and or cons of what it is if it is not a normal deal.

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Old 05-04-2017, 01:06 AM   #2
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THOR #6277
The cab radio on my 2017 Hurricane 35M is also run off of the house batteries. I'm thinking that since there is no dedicated stereo system in the front living area, Thor figures that we will use the cab radio, and that's why it is wired to the house batteries.
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Old 05-04-2017, 11:20 AM   #3
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Model: 2016 A.C.E. 30.1
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I have a 2016 ACE 30.1 and my radio runs off the house battery. Even when driving I have to have the house battery on so I can use my back up camera.
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Old 05-04-2017, 12:10 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ed-ACE View Post
I have a question about my batteries on our 2013 ACE 30.1. I thought that the house batteries and the chassis batteries are separate electrical systems and the only time they become one is if I use the emergency start button. I recently pulled my chassis battery to charge it and I noticed that the cab radio was on even with battery out. So then I thought I would try to start it with out the chassis battery in it, it started....

I do not know if it is supposed to do this or if the previous owner put a jumper in somewhere to bypass something for some reason.

I would appreciate any thoughts on if this is right or wrong and pros and or cons of what it is if it is not a normal deal.
All is well and it sounds as though it is functioning as designed.

Quite a few manufacturers will wire the radio to the house batteries for various reasons, one of which is in some motor homes the radio also serves as the DVD player. That was the case in my prior Forest River.

The two battery systems are connected together through the Trombetta solenoid and Battery Isolation Relay, aka the BIRD. The Trombetta and BIRD allows for the house batteries to be charged by the engine alternator while driving, the chassis battery to be charged while connected to shore power, and the use of the emergency start switch to start the coach if the chassis battery is dead.

There are a few threads on the forum which discuss the Trombetta and BIRD. Here the link to one of them.

http://www.thorforums.com/forums/f4/...bird-5836.html
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Old 05-04-2017, 12:20 PM   #5
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So the rv started with the chassis battery physically removed from the chassis ? I don't believe that is normal.
I don't know for sure but I would imagine that when you hold the emergency start button a relay should close that sends power to the starter circut. If that relay is stuck that could explain what happened to you.

As for the radio that is normal , at least for my 2016 Vegas.
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Old 05-04-2017, 10:34 PM   #6
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Thank you for the replies!

I suppose it sounds like the radio is ok and makes sense that it was on.

So the concerning thing then would be, how is it that the motor started without holding the emergency start with no chassis battery in.....

again any and all thoughts, pros, cons, anything appreciated.

I only worry that house batteries are being taxed at startup and chassis battery is being used while not on hookups..

thanks Ed
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Old 05-05-2017, 02:13 PM   #7
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Were you plugged in to shore power or running the genny at the time?
If so - the BIRD/Trombetta could have tied the house and (non-existent) chassis battery circuits together as it would to allow charging... Side effect the house battery would be in the circuit when you tried to start the MH.

If you weren't plugged in to shore power or running the genny - then the house and chassis batteries should have been isolated and you should not have been able to start the MH.
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