Question Dead B.I.R.D

[JimnLisa]

The BIRD will only affect the House system if you are Driving. The Alternator would be able to charge the Chassis and then the House in this situation, If you are Parked...the Bird only shares the HOUSE charging system with the Chassis. If your Chassis isn't the issue...we have to move on to what the problem is with the HOUSE.

If you have access to a clamp meter...(capable of measuring DC amps by clamping a loop around a wire) I would identify the different cables connected to the House battery bank. On my coach...I have a Positive going to the Inverter, a Positive going to the HOUSE...those actually are directed to two catastrophic fuses mounted on the rear wall of my battery bay. Then there is the Bi-directional Isolator Line...which goes to the Bird. Measure current passing thru these three cables. If you see something that looks suspiciously high...try to identify the drain. Bay lights, etc... might be left on.

If you don't see anything...then I would switch my focus from the drains...to the charging system....and batteries. Poorly serviced batteries, could result in poor storage potential. Factors to consider, AGE of the batteries, cleanliness of contacts, water level, cycles(life use), sulphation due to leaving them at low state of charge, and not routinely getting them to a FULL charge, incorrect charge parameters...or faulty battery temperature sensor causing the unit to skew the settings incorrectly due to false reading.

While that is a good place to start...I'm sure I left out something.

Your charging system should allow you to trouble shoot. If you know how to get it to rebuild...and go into absorb for the required time (see manual based on size of battery bank)...and you don't have any undue drain. If the voltage drops overnight...the batteries are more than likely shot. But do everything possible to insure that your charger is set and working properly,. If you buy new batteries...and didn't make sure the charging system is set properly...then they will suffer the same fate.

If you are leaving the coach unplugged...then you either need to setup a system to disconnect the bank... IE a Heavy Duty switch to interrupt POS line to the INVERTER and a Heavy Duty switch to interrupt ALL NEG lines to the Battery Bank. You would start by turning OFF the Inverter Positive...then turning OFF the House NEGATIVES. When reinstating...turn ON the House NEGATIVES, followed by turning ON the Inverter POS.

The salesman switch opens a relay behind the cord real. If you locate the relay, or the Handout in your Black Bag...you will see the identification off "Constant Battery Power" vs Disconnect Battery Power". The relay ONLY disconnects the distribution to the DISCONNECT items. It does not shut off everything that drains your batteries. The Constant Battery Power items will be continuously fed as long as they have a complete circuit to the House Bank. If you intend to shut then off...you will need to modify your coach.

I now see you have a different Chassis...so what I was talking about may or may not be useful. I would have to know how your coach is wired. Most Newmars are wiring similar to mine... The switch for the POS to the Inverter is a Magnum Energy thing. The MS2812 Inverter/Charger can fry the auto gen start circuitry if the ground is interrupted without removing the POS cable to the inverter first. The network will try to establish an alternate route to ground thru the sensitive circuitry. You may only need to add a switch to the negatives to remove all drains while stored.

You may also have a separate Inverter or no Inverter... and a separate Charger. The charger may or may not be user programmable to the type of batteries you have. I'm sorry I can't be more specific on the system you have on your Workhorse Chassis.

Thank you very much for taking time with great detail.
The batteries are new. When I hit the isolation switches, is when the house drops dead overnight. Chassis is fine.