I have a new 2007 Suncruiser 38J that I bought last fall. We are now living in it full time and have discovered that the chassis battery does not keep a charge. I charged it up with a battery charger and the meter in the coach said that it was at 12.7 volts (or was it 12.9?). We are plugged into 50 amp shore power. Now, after about 4 days, it is down to 12.1. It was at 9.6 when I charged it up. Yikes! Anyway, my prior motorhome charged the chassis battery as well as the coach batteries from the converter but that apparently does not happen here. The roof solar charger light is on but it must only charge the coach batteries?? I have not run anything since the battery charge except the windshield fans were on for about a half hour one morning. I will be installing a Trik-L-Start pretty soon which should take care of keeping the chassis battery charged but my real question is what is draining the battery so fast? I know that radio memory, etc. is part of it but I had that on my last motorhome too. What am I going to do if I try to dry camp for a week or so? Why would Winnebago sell a coach with a battery drain like this and no way to keep it charged?
Thanks, I look forward to your input.

quote:

my real question is what is draining the battery so fast?

Jacks, awning & electric steps. The engine and transmission both have computers on them.

I keep a charger hooked to the starting battery and plugged into the 110v socket in a basement compartment. This charger is a 2/6/10 charger that shuts completely OFF when the battery is charged. Whenever I run the generator or plug into 110v the starting battery is on the charger.

The only method to charge the starting battery is the alternator.

-Tom

Seems like an abnormal condition -- you need to check the current drains or the battery.

I'd be interested in checking the current draw and seeing where it's going. Something like this maybe:

Disconncect the positive cable and put meter between cable and battery to determine if power is being used.

Pull chassis fusses one at a time until you isolate the source of the drain (meter goes to zero).

Track down the components on that circuit until you find the culprits.

Decide if you need that item. If yes, can you rewire to a coach circuit?

Doug, you said the batteries were at 9.6 volts when you started charging them. Was that a no load reading (aux batt off)? How long was it at that low voltage?

With no load deep-cycle lead-acid batteries are considered 80% discharged at 11.5 volts without a load and 100% discharged at 11.2 volts. Any lower and it causes permanent damage to the plates. For longer life you should not go below 80% discharged.

A fully charge deep-cycle battery without a load should read 13.5 volts initially and 12.9 volts after the surface charge has dissipated (about 4 hours).

I'm thinking that the battery needs to be checked. It is not hte house battery but the car battery that is not holding up. It is only a few months old. We have moved into the motorhome and are in a park where it is plugged into power. I happened to check the monitor panel after two weeks or so and found it at 9.6 volts. I then charged it back up and it was rading in the high 12+ volts so I took it off the charger. After about four days it was down into the 11 volt range again. I can't imagine that it should go down this fast but I also can't imagine that there would be that much of a load to pull it down that fast either. Now I am going to have to find somewhere to take it in and have it tested.

Have the battery checked at a garage. Then install a Trik-L-Start. It charges the chassis batteries from the house batteries whenever plugged into shore power. Automatically shuts off when charge is complege. About $45-50.

Very simple hookup.

That's what I am going to do. I have the Trik-L-Start on order and it should arrive in the next couple of days. I am new to the area where I am living so I need to find a shop that can load test the battery which I will try to get done tonight.

Another option is the Battery Minder, VDC Electonics, 800-379-5579. It also de-sulfates the battery. Camping World, about $45. Works great.

Thudman