Is it the battery?

Reiko · 12-22-2020, 09:59 AM

I have a Roadtrek 2018 on a Dodge Promaster. Yesterday I tried to start the van to no avail. Dash lights came on, but no sound from the engine. (We have had a couple of nights below freezing, but in the afternoon it warms to above 40.). I did run it briefly the day before.

Want a B · 12-22-2020, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiko

I did run it briefly the day before.

I'd suspect you didn't leave the engine run long enough to recharge the battery to full. Or you left a circuit on that partiality discharged the battery. Put a battery charger on the battery?

Reiko · 12-24-2020, 09:56 AM

Thank you! It was the battery. I was a bit clumsy finding out what the problem was. It took calls to my roadside assistance (sympathetic but not confident that the person knew what a Class B was) and finally, the next day, AAA.

wny-pat · 12-24-2020, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiko

Thank you! It was the battery. I was a bit clumsy finding out what the problem was. It took calls to my roadside assistance (sympathetic but not confident that the person knew what a Class B was) and finally, the next day, AAA.

And I'm not confident that AAA, a roadside assistance company that caters to passenger vehicles, knows anything about recreational vehicles! Their services are provided by many regional "Clubs". Not all of those clubs offer RV towing services to their members, but they are suppose to honor the services of affiliate clubs who do offer RV towing. I much prefer a road side assistance provider who caters to the recreational vehicle owners.

Jon in AZ · 12-24-2020, 05:59 PM

Curious if the battery recovered, or did you have to get a new battery? A healthy battery should be able to withstand a short run without full recharging and still start the next day. Mine surprised me by surviving several months in a discharged state before I got it. It's now coming up on 7 years on the original chassis battery.

Do check for anything that might be discharging the battery unnecessarily. Mine had a dome light in the cockpit that wouldn't turn off. The previous owner only drove in the daytime never noticed the dome light stayed on with the door shut.

I believe one of the best things you can do for an occasional use vehicle is to drive it regularly at least 20 miles at highway speeds to top off the battery, circulate fluids, burn off condensation, and keep rubber parts supple. It is especially important before it's going to sit a while.

How often depends in part on the parasitic loads from the chassis. Newer vehicles tend to have more of those. I take mine out for exercise once or twice a month. With some newer, high tech vehicles, a month might be too long.

Reiko · 12-25-2020, 10:03 AM

I was surprised, too, that the original battery was 'bad' according to the AAA guy. But in his search for the cause of the problem he said that a wire or connection had come loose on the battery. He reconnected it and then said the battery was bad. Thanks for the advice.

mumkin · 12-26-2020, 03:39 PM

Promasters are rather notorious for a dead battery if it sits more than about 10 days. (especially if it sat on a RV dealer lot for too long) I would go to a Promaster dealer and ask them to check the battery. Replace if necessary, but if it is fine, I just make sure that I drive mine once a week, as Jon in AZ suggests, to do my food shopping.

Road Toad · 12-27-2020, 05:21 PM

A Battery Tender will solve this problem.
Have used them for many years.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=battery+t...s_ts-do-p_5_14

Reiko · 12-27-2020, 11:03 PM

Thanks. I panicked and went with AAA. Luckily it all turned out (I hope).

Reiko · 12-27-2020, 11:03 PM

I don't even know what a battery tender is, let alone use one.

Jon in AZ · 12-28-2020, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reiko

I don't even know what a battery tender is, let alone use one.

It's a small charger for the battery. You plug it into an outlet and connect it to the battery terminals. Of course that means you have to have an exterior power outlet available. I don't.

IMO it's not a substitute for driving a vehicle regularly, which has a lot of other benefits besides charging the battery.

Reiko · 12-28-2020, 12:45 PM

Thanks, Jon.

Horseshoecat · 12-28-2020, 07:55 PM

Are you better off using a battery tender or using the coach electrical system to charge the battery?

I hate the hummmm

that comes with the coach power panel.

HorseshoeCat

Road Toad · 12-28-2020, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Horseshoecat

Are you better off using a battery tender or using the coach electrical system to charge the battery?

I hate the hummmm

that comes with the coach power panel.

HorseshoeCat

That depends on a couple of variables.

If you have a battery "separator" vs "isolator", and if the Battery Tender you acquire has adequate ampacity, then you can attach the tender to either the coach or the house battery, and switch the converter/ charger off (ckt brkr).

OR

If an isolator, put a tender on each battery (bank) and switch converter off.

OR

Unplug shore power if you don't need 120 Vac.

Or run an inverter (if you have such) in lieu of shore, if the inverter can support the demand.

Otherwise, no. (live with the hum)

Remember, the OP issue was the coach not starting.
In that regard, the coach power panel is only inplay if there is a battery separator vs isolator.
And there is shore available.

Road Toad · 12-28-2020, 10:52 PM

Whole bunch of ITTT scenarios.

Road Toad · 12-28-2020, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

It's a small charger for the battery. You plug it into an outlet and connect it to the battery terminals. Of course that means you have to have an exterior power outlet available. I don't.

IMO it's not a substitute for driving a vehicle regularly, which has a lot of other benefits besides charging the battery.

Totally agree.
I do both just in case I can't drive it as often as needed to keep the battery up.

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