Country Coach Owners Forum

Country Coach Restoration, Repair & Parts Forums => Country Coach Archive => Topic started by: David & Karen on September 12, 2002, 11:49:53 am

Title: Battery discharge
Post by: David & Karen on September 12, 2002, 11:49:53 am
Yahoo Message Number: 2680 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2680)
I am experiencing a problem with my coach batteries that was caused when I added water to the cells. I purchased and used one of the plastic battery fillers that shuts off when the correct level (?) is reached.
Most cells took rather a lot of fluid and I may have upset the acid/water relationship as now the batteries discharge really quickly when stressed with a heavy load.
Now I am looking for a service shop that can check my batteries (not just charge them). Was surprised to find local Camping World did not perform this type of service.

Anyone experienced this problem? Where did you go for service?
Also, the battery boost switch on my coach appears to work only in one direction. It will couple the coach batteries to the chassis battery to boost the engine start but not the other way round when I need to boost the generator start.

BTW You can guess I am not an electrical engineer. GGG

David and Karen,
2000 Intrigue 11062
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: Ron & Molly Bodee on September 12, 2002, 04:43:07 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 2682 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2682)
The plastic battery water filler with automatic shutofff that I bought had to be adjusted to the correct height. Had to trim or cut the small pvc clear plastic insert in the tounge of the bottle to the correct length. ron and molly '01 Intrigue # 11262
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: Peter A Harrison on September 12, 2002, 10:21:03 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 2685 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2685)

David,

Are your batteries hot to the touch after driving or connection to shore power? See earlier post - we have just encountered a similar condition. BTW, your last two paragraphs make perfect logic!

Peter

Britannia Inc.
1-800-274-5245
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: Peter A Harrison on September 12, 2002, 10:21:49 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 2686 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2686)
Was there ever a definitive resolution for the burned up house batteries and the Heart Interface? Our house batteries are all of a sudden hot to the touch, do not hold any useful charge and cause complete instability of the house electrics (surging up and down at about one cycle per second) with the engine at idle following lengthy drives. Either need shore power or generator to stabilize. I am reluctant to put new batteries in if they will be destroyed in the same way.
In addition, we had our second charge air cooler burst on the way to New Orleans yesterday. We had this replaced last year (a $3,000, four week Camp Cummins adventure) after the first one split and the new one has now suffered the same fate. We have another 1800 miles left on this trip and the loss of power is staggering. Maximum speed on level pavement is 55MPH, going over the bridge into New Orleans caused a shift right down to third gear as we crested the "mountain" at 25MPH. At least we are safe from speeding violations!

Any feedback on the battery issue would be much appreciated.

Peter - 2000 Intrigue 11066
Britannia Inc.
1-800-274-5245
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: Mike Lewis on September 13, 2002, 07:32:02 am
Yahoo Message Number: 2687 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2687)
Do you keep your inverter OFF except when you want to use it? The charger aspect will always work even when the inverter is OFF. I keep it off at the front board as well as at the rear panel in the bedroom.
Whether this has anything to do with your hot batteries is beyond me.
In regards the CAC...shouldn't this be warranteed? Dirt is a culprit but why should dirt be getting into the system? Lastly, as a new owner of a used Allure, I am really questioning this purchase. I realize that most people writing in are going to describe problems. I am having my own share of problems too. My question: what is the rationale for buying such units if they are only going to cause problems and cost much green to continually fix? On Thu, 12 Sep 2002 21:19:56 -0500 "Peter A Harrison" peterh@...> writes:
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: Rheavn on September 13, 2002, 09:50:40 am
Yahoo Message Number: 2688 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2688)
Just be advised that not all coaches are wired so that the charger will charge with the inverter off. On my coach the inverter must be on to activate the charger.

FYI.............Steve Intrigue #10673
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: David & Karen on September 13, 2002, 06:36:18 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 2691 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2691)
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: David & Karen on September 13, 2002, 07:31:52 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 2695 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2695)
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: David & Karen on September 13, 2002, 08:40:19 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 2696 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2696)
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: Bill Gabler on September 13, 2002, 09:39:58 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 2697 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2697)
Mike,

Not all of us are of us are unhappy with our CCs. We have a 2001 Magna which has had it's share of small problems but once you get them straightened out they run pretty smooth. We also know where our former CC is and it appears to do well. These mhs are very complicated machines and require lots of maintenance, which we find most people don't understand and that includes the shops we take them to.

Every mh on the road has it's share of problems even when you spend $1,000,000.

so enjoy, and hope you don't get a bad one.
I will say that I don't see many postings on the CAT engines, they appear to do a lot better then the Cummings. But then CCI doesn't make either one.

Bill G. 2001 Magna
Title: Re: Battery discharge
Post by: Dick May on September 19, 2002, 06:34:06 pm
Yahoo Message Number: 2743 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/2743)
David..... My understanding is that you only lose water (other than spills) from the battery. The acid remains roughly the same and should not be supplemented with any additives.
In my coach the boost switch works in either direction. Have you had your batteries load tested? I've been told that it is the only way to see if it's time to replace them. Three years on standard batteries sounds like more than average. My other coach ('98 Intrigue) had all three replaced over the four years I owned it. And I'm not having good service in my new coach. Less than a year and I can't dry camp and make it through the night. Another point of interest for the factory visit.

Dick May

2002 Intrigue, #11438