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Old 01-12-2017, 02:25 AM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
Model: Axis 24.1
State: Texas
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THOR #4767
Dead Batteries

I have had my Axis 24.1 plugged into shore power. Today i tried to start the engine and the battery was dead. I unplugged the shore power to find that the coach was dead too unless plugged in. Where should i start to find the problem? can I just charge the engine battery and then start the engine to charge the coach batteries?

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Old 01-12-2017, 02:50 AM   #2
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Hook up an external charger to the chassis battery to charge. I'd also do the same with coach at least to bring them up a bit.
Flooded batteries do not like being run down to 'dead'.

To find the problem - I would start with the converter. Check voltage going in (110vAC) and voltage coming out (12vDC). Should be checked with coach batteries disconnected (switch in STORE).
If no input voltage - check circuit breakers (one should be labeled converter). If no or low output voltage - check fuses on the converter itself - may need to replace fuses... or converter. (just replaced a neighbors that was only outputting 9v...)

If above checks out - then its on to the BIRD/Trombetta or Battery Control Center (BCC) depending on which your unit has...

If you haven't downloaded Ed's manual - it will help with location of just about anything in the Axis/Vegas - as well as a description of the systems.
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Old 01-12-2017, 02:55 AM   #3
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Did you leave the coach in "use" or "store"? (when plugged in you should always leave it in "use").
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Old 01-12-2017, 03:04 AM   #4
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THOR #4767
don't know if I hit the store or use button. I keep hitting it thinking it is the light switch. I tried hitting it and i know i supposed to hear a clunking noise, but i dont hear anything. I am charging the engine battery now and will check fuses on the converter. I'm not sure how to check the voltage. May need to take this into to Thor Dealer. I'm not very mechanical.
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Old 01-12-2017, 03:57 AM   #5
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Even if the coach was in store it should not have killed the batteries just not charge them. It really sounds like the converter is malfunctioning or a fuse is gone.
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Old 01-12-2017, 11:16 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SeletaD View Post
don't know if I hit the store or use button. I keep hitting it thinking it is the light switch. I tried hitting it and i know i supposed to hear a clunking noise, but i dont hear anything. I am charging the engine battery now and will check fuses on the converter. I'm not sure how to check the voltage. May need to take this into to Thor Dealer. I'm not very mechanical.
You won't hear anything if the batteries are dead... The 'clunking' is the solenoid energizing - and needs power to do that.

If the coach was in store - it wouldn't have charged the batteries - but as samven said - wouldn't have drained them either. You would have been running off shore power... though depending on how long - others have found battery drains even when in 'Store'.
As Jamie said - when plugged in - switch should be in 'Use'.

If you aren't comfortable dealing with electricity (especially the 110vAC side) - then have someone else do it. Some converters just plug in to an outlet... easy case to unplug the converter and plug in a light to see if there is power. Others are wired in, and mean opening boxes and exposing wires to check. You might be waiting a while for a dealer though. Don't know if you are still under warranty?
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Old 01-12-2017, 01:15 PM   #7
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In the Axis it is wired. I just replaced mine yesterday. Not a tremendously difficult job, but you are right, if you are not comfortable with working on electrical stuff, especially 120v, get someone who knows how to help. It can kill you.

In my experience, if the Axis is not plugged into shore power or even if it is plugged in and the Use/Store is in store, The batteries will run down to dead in a few weeks at best.
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Old 01-12-2017, 02:56 PM   #8
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Thanks for all of the help on this issue.
See if this helps anyone on diagnosing the issue: this morning I checked the fuses and breakers. all looked good. While plugged into shore power, I turned off the converter breaker switch and all lights went dead. when I switched back on the breaker, the converter came on (made humming sound) for about 3 seconds then quit.
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Old 01-12-2017, 03:25 PM   #9
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If the converter came on and then quit -- sounds like a bad converter. No 115 VAC circuit breakers popped when it quit did it?
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Old 01-12-2017, 03:36 PM   #10
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nothing popped, it just quit
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Old 01-12-2017, 05:00 PM   #11
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quit humming? or the lights went out??
If the lights went out - we know the culprit.
Time to replace the converter in this case.

If the humming stopped - and its still powering the lights - that's ok...
Next would be: Did everything charge back up, make sure the switch is in 'USE' and monitor... If working properly - the converter should maintain charge on all the batteries.
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Old 01-12-2017, 05:07 PM   #12
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humming stopped, but all lights were still on because it was on Shore Power. Without shore power, I get nothing. I called a Thor service place (camping world). he believes I must have hit the STORE button instead of USE. that allowed the batteries to discharge over time. now, since I don't have any power, I cant switch back to USE until I charge the batteries manually. I currently have a charger on both coach battery and engine battery. I will go back in a while to see if I can then engage the USE button. Thanks for all of the help...
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Old 01-12-2017, 08:44 PM   #13
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If it is the converter and you are going to replace it I advise you to buy a better replacement like the Progressive Dynamics 4655. It is a direct replacement (well almost direct) and it works a lot better.
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Old 01-12-2017, 09:51 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SeletaD View Post
humming stopped, but all lights were still on because it was on Shore Power. Without shore power, I get nothing. I called a Thor service place (camping world). he believes I must have hit the STORE button instead of USE. that allowed the batteries to discharge over time. now, since I don't have any power, I cant switch back to USE until I charge the batteries manually. I currently have a charger on both coach battery and engine battery. I will go back in a while to see if I can then engage the USE button. Thanks for all of the help...
Leads me to believe the converter is ok...
If the lights, fridge (on propane or elec - the control panel is still 12v) are all working with dead batteries and shore power - then the converter is putting out 12v...

Charge everything up - set the switch to USE - and let's see what happens...
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Old 01-13-2017, 12:06 AM   #15
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I had same type issue in store mode. Charged battery, everything fine now. I keep plugged in at house and it is fine. Does not take many days of grandchild leaving dash radio on to kill chassis battery.
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Old 01-13-2017, 03:39 AM   #16
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well, it appears that it can ALL be attributed to Operator ERROR!! thanks to all who advised, i charged everything up, switched the toggle to USE and everything is working great. Valuable lessons learned:

1) how the converter works and what the USE/STORE button does
2) just because the radio screen is off doesn't mean the radio is off
3) Check on the RV regularly even though it is plugged in the garage
4) hit the USE button every once in a while just in case the STORE button got hit by someone else
5) Glad i got on this forum, thanks for all of the helpful, great advise... its no fun to do this alone!! THANKS to ALL
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