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There are really just three basic causes of a chassis battery running down:
1. Bad battery- Very unlikely and with a new battery virtually impossible
2. You left some sort of load like dash lights that run off of the chassis battery on. Again unlikely if you didn't notice anything in the dark when you went to bed.
3. Faulty BIM- Most likely cause.
The BIM is a system that automatically connects the chassis electrical system to the coach system so you can charge the coach while driving and charge the chassis while the coach is being charged by the generator/converter or solar.
There are two types in use:
Older coaches use the Intellitec BIRD/Trombetta relay system. The relay is prone to sticking and causing exactly what you experienced.
Newer coaches use the Precision Circuits BIM 160. It does the same thing but with a more sophisticated connection algorithm. I have seen fewer reports of failures but that may be because they are newer.
Once you get everything charged up again shut down the chassis engine and put some load on the coach- turn on all of the fans and the furnace to put 10-15 amps on it. Then check the coach battery voltage. It should be 12.5 or less. Then check the chassis voltage. It should be more- 12.6 or 12.7. If it is the same that means the BIM is bad since the BIM should not connect the two if both are less than 13 volts, meaning one is charging.
If you have the BIRD/Trombetta system, replace the Trombetta relay. If you have the BIM 160 then replace it.
David
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