New Chassis Battery August 23, 2019, 11:21:13 am After killing my 2015 LD chassis battery several times in the past year or so, I found it dead again last night. 🥴I ran the truck about two weeks ago and though it fired up it did seem a bit sluggish at the initial crank. I thought that odd since I have the coach plugged into shore power 24/7 and figured the coach electronics would trickle charge the chassis battery like the solar array does after the coach batteries are completely fed. 🥗 Perhaps I’m mistaken. I’ll check the LD manual.So with my upcoming trip to Yellowstone, I am ready to drop a hand full of dimes on a new battery. I know Costco has Interstate batteries and Sears has Die Hard. Auto Zone has an Optima spin off but “Scotty” warns against Optima. https://youtu.be/hKo5iJ2rH7oAt this point, I’m looking for some friendly advice on a few points:One: Trickle charge the NEW chassis battery using a separate device? Two: Die Hard or Interstate? Three: AGM or Flooded Lead? Four: Drive the rig over to my mechanic and have him run a diagnostic on the charging system? Or just bite the bullet?I figure that since the battery is almost 4 years old and I’ve let it discharge almost 4 times in the last year and a half, it’s due for a new battery after it’s recent unintentional abuse. I’ve had car batteries die at only three years with less abuse.Luckily I have the Lithium Ion Jumper to get the rig started. Batteries are pretty straight forward. So I figure I’ll just run out a grab the battery and install it at home. Any advice on that? Leaving for Yellowstone on the 31st so I have time to mull over all your great advice and suggestions. Thanks,Kent
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #1 – August 23, 2019, 11:36:51 am Kent, if changing the battery yourself, you may want to get one of these to save any electronic info your LD chassis has stored. I bought one because I wanted to change out the weak, stock battery in my Outback. Disregard the Solar reference as that is the brand name and has nothing to do with solar power:Amazon.com: SOLAR ESA30 OBD II Memory Saver Connector: AutomotiveWith a 4-year old battery that has been discharged several times, it's time IMO. Better to replace now than on the road! As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #2 – August 23, 2019, 11:37:26 am I use Costco Interstate batteries in the LD, the price is right, they are widely available and exchanging an iffy battery is a no-question event. I just returned a 26 month battery from one of my Jeeps that sits a lot, once the charges were calculated, it cost $1 and took five minutes, all without having the receipt . Our LD has a 3000i solar controller which also keeps the starting battery charged. it is wired with a built-in jumper switch and we carry a lithium jumper battery, just in case.Larry
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #3 – August 23, 2019, 12:15:19 pm I like Costco. Always fuel up there whenever possible on a road trip. If the New Interstate should have an issue I could kill two birds with one stone all while picking up a slice of pizza. 🍕Gregg, thanks. With my 15’ 12 volt extension cord the Memory Saver will work perfectly with the coach batteries. Thanks. Using the LDO Amazon link I’ll have it by tomorrow. Easy as 1-2-3.Kent 2 Likes
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #4 – August 23, 2019, 12:24:27 pm Hi Kent. My preference is for Die Hard. But Interstate is good too. So questions. Do you have an 3000i solar controller, and if you do, did Lazy Daze hook up the secodary charging line to the chassis battery? Check the jumpers to see if yours is connected. Your car person won't do you much good, this isn't something that comes from Ford. Your charging system just isn't the issue. I suspect you've got some parasite sucking power out of that battery, and you aren't noticing it. Before getting the new battery, charge up the old one and watch it. Use a voltmeter two or three times a day. Is the voltage going up, down or just sitting there? If it isn't high and going up, you have nothing charging it. Another way is to monitor for currents flowing out. If you don't have something actively charging the battery, it could just be slowly dying with natural self discharge. So when you do start the engine, it takes a half an hour to recharge what you used to start it. Easily an hour to account for natural discharge and what you used to start it. Chargeing conversion isn't even close to 40%. I've known people, anxious about car batteries that would go out and start it daily, and run it for a minute, then be mystified a few days later, "but it started yesterday!". Before I got my TRIK-L-Start my chassis batteries lasted 8 or nine years. I expect to have even better luck now. I've posted this photo before. It has lights, you can see what is happening. Crisp starts always! Really easy to install. RonB 4 Likes
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #5 – August 23, 2019, 12:28:14 pm My 2003 has a Die Hard Platinum AGM truck battery with 900 CCA; great battery, but no longer made. It's over 5 years old, so the next one will probably be an Interstate MTZ-65 (AGM) or MTP-65 (water fill). Fewer CCA, but I don't live or travel in a "cold" climate area. I don't know if either of these is available at Costco.
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #6 – August 23, 2019, 12:29:03 pm "After killing my 2015 LD chassis battery several times in the past year or so, I found it dead again last night. 🥴I ran the truck about two weeks ago and though it fired up it did seem a bit sluggish at the initial crank. I thought that odd since I have the coach plugged into shore power 24/7 and figured the coach electronics would trickle charge the chassis battery like the solar array does after the coach batteries are completely fed. 🥗 Perhaps I’m mistaken. I’ll check the LD manual."Hi Kent,I am not sure about your rig, but it is my understanding that having your LD plugged in to shore power does NOT charge the chassis battery. My 2003 certainly does not charge that way. I do believe in the last year or so that Lazy Daze has started allowing the solar system to charge the chassis battery too.Like Larry, I have been using the Interstate battery from Costco. I wish I could say I have been impressed with them but the best thing I can say is that Costco does make it easy to exchange for a new one. (In other words, I am disappointed by how often I have changed them). One thing I do like though is that the removable caps allow me to check the individual cells with a hydrometer. Safe travels,Steve K
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #7 – August 23, 2019, 12:32:53 pm This is the Die Hard AGM battery choice in Group 65:DieHard Gold AGM Automotive Battery - Group Size EP-65 (Price with Exchange)
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #8 – August 23, 2019, 12:56:26 pm Kent,I’ll second what Larry says about Costco battery exchange. I just exchanged both my Jeep and wife’s Lexus batteries... no questions asked. You don’t need a receipt and just make sure that the month/year stamp on the battery is less than 48 months old. I brought the batteries to the customer service desk and they gave me a full refund including disposal fee. Then I went back to the tire shop and bought new batteries. The guy at the tire counter even got his manager to discount the difference in price from when I initially bought the batteries. Total price $0.00. The only down side is that you have to remove and install the battery yourself. The Costco near me only does service on tires. I don’t know if that’s true at all Costco’s.- Jack 1 Likes
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #9 – August 23, 2019, 12:56:41 pm CCA is but one factor you need to look at when purchasing a battery. Reserve capacity is what matters the most when dealing with a parasitic draw. Reserve capacity was the main reason I switched out the battery in my Subaru. The stock battery reserve capacity sucked!
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #10 – August 23, 2019, 12:58:03 pm Wow, Jack! Can’t beat that kind of a warranty!
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #11 – August 23, 2019, 01:04:15 pm Kent,I have not done any testing (tried to do similar conditions for batteries bought at the two different stores) so I can't really say if one is better than the other. But here is our experiences.We replaced our chassis batteries with a sears die hard 1 year 7 months ago. Previously it had been starting fine but 5 min after starting fine it needed a jump after stopping for gas. We decided to get a battery while we were in a city rather than risk needing one out in the middle of nowhere. Sears was close by.We do not trickle charge our chassis battery but we do start the engine and run it a little (in place) every month or so when we have not taken a trip. No problems so far.Being in AZ the heat is rough on batteries. Our car batteries have been bought at Costco for decades now. If we don't start them up at least every week or so (maybe 5 days if they are older) they need a jump. But then after letting the alternator charge them with 30 minute of driving they are fine. Our car batteries last anywhere from 1.5 years to 2.5 years before we replace them. One customer I met in the line said he is at Costco every 2 years like clockwork to swap his.For whatever reason the last battery for both vehicles lasted only 1.5 years. Our car trips are short (handful of miles before being turned off). Sometimes stopping a few minutes to grab something, sometimes stopping longer to grocery shop or see a movie or eat out. It is common that a car might sit undriven a couple days but less common this last set of batteries. With the precious batteries that lasted closer to 2.5 years at least one of the cars typically got driven only twice a week.In other states, previous to the last 7 years, our Costco batteries lasted closer to the expected timeframe - enough the battery warenty was always expired.JaneSent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #12 – August 23, 2019, 01:11:59 pm this thread has me convinced to use Costco next time......but as Kent pointed out....it may be getting a slice that tipped the scales!!!
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #13 – August 23, 2019, 01:18:42 pm Not that fond of their pizza but I sure do like their $1.50 dog and soda deal! 🌭🥤 2 Likes
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #14 – August 23, 2019, 01:43:20 pm Pretty much everything needed to understand batteries in every application is found at this website:http://batteryfaq.org/
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #15 – August 23, 2019, 02:05:02 pm What a bountiful knowledge base. Thanks everyone. I just got back from my local Costco and the out the door cost was $126.92. Deduct the $15.00 core charge and that price beats the heck out of any Sears battery I have ever purchased.I used to be a Die Hard fan but now I’m a die-hard fan of Costco and Interstate Batteries. Not to mention the pizza and hot dogs. Kent 2 Likes
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #16 – August 23, 2019, 02:32:57 pm I believe my 2008 LD possibly has the original Delco battery still in it (only has 19,000 miles) ! I'm planning on installing a Interstate battery in the coming weeks. I haven't noticed any issues with the battery but I don't want to risk it due to the age. I was planning on just swapping them out and having to reset my Sony radio clock etc. What memory in the chassis do I need to worry about losing? Is it a big deal? I see that device but I'm a tad confused how it works...just plug into the OBD and 9v plug while swapping the batteries?
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #17 – August 23, 2019, 02:55:39 pm I haven’t received my OBD device that Greg suggested, but from the looks of it, it has a cigarette lighter plug on the power cord. Some time ago I purchased 12 volt extension cord from Amazon that I leave plugged into the power port below our RB dinette table. At 14’ and no power loss, I use it to charge my iPhone without having to crawl beneath the table. 🥴Nilight 10003W 14ft Extension Cord Cable Heavy Duty 12V/24V Car Charger with Cigarette Lighter Socket,2 Years Warranty Amazon.com: Nilight 10003W 14ft Extension Cord Cable Heavy Duty 12V/24V Car...I will use it to power the OBD device when I swap out the chassis battery tomorrow. I’m hoping the included device instructions back up my plan. 🤯Kent As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #18 – August 23, 2019, 03:03:39 pm For what it's worth. We left our LD in storage in the Phoenix area for 3 months. I flipped the disconnect switch on the house batts which are the Trojan T145 purchased in Jan 2014 and disconnected the negative cable on the truck battery which was purchased in the winter of either 2012 or 2013 at Walmart. I figured I would be replacing batteries when I returned.When we went to the LD and flipped the disconnect switch the house batts were reading 12.0. I turned the solar back on and reconnected the truck battery. The engine started up with no issue. An additional plus is the generator started up without too long a delay and ran it for a couple of hours with the AC on.Jim
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #19 – August 23, 2019, 03:04:47 pm Yes, plug one end into the OBD outlet at the vehicle. The 12V end needs to be plugged into a separate power source. I plugged the 12V end into an old-school jump starter similar to this that has a 12V outlet:Amazon.com: Clore Automotive JNC770B N-Carry Blue w/Cover 1700 Peak Amp...The jump starter can be placed close enough to the vehicle so no 12V extension cord is needed.In the case of the Subaru, beyond radio settings, there were computer settings related to my driving style and, oddly enough, disconnecting the battery messes up the driver power window setting. As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #20 – August 23, 2019, 03:15:45 pm Ron, I thought of the parasitic drain issue, but for the life of me I can’t imagine that this is an issue with a 3 1/2 year old rig, but what do I know? The blue sky 3000i controller will charge the chassis battery after it takes care of the coach batteries. It appears that being on shore power that the chassis battery is taken out of the loop since the controller panel only shows the approximate condition of the coach batteries. I’ll check into the charging state of the old battery if I can work it into my schedule today. Overall, I did kinda take the OEM battery out at the knees when I discharged it several times. At about $25 a year (if the Interstate lasts four years), today’s solution is a fairly painless remedy. Kent
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #21 – August 23, 2019, 03:22:10 pm Quote from: HiLola - August 23, 2019, 03:04:47 pmYes, plug one end into the OBD outlet at the vehicle. The 12V end needs to be plugged into a separate power source. I plugged the 12V end into an old-school jump starter similar to this that has a 12V outlet:Amazon.com: Clore Automotive JNC770B N-Carry Blue w/Cover 1700 Peak Amp...The jump starter can be placed close enough to the vehicle so no 12V extension cord is needed.In the case of the Subaru, beyond radio settings, there were computer settings related to my driving style and, oddly enough, disconnecting the battery messes up the driver power window setting.Ah gotcha. I don't have power windows and I can't seem to see much issue with losing memory besides having to reset the radio clock. Just seeing if its worth picking it up. As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #22 – August 23, 2019, 03:48:59 pm One piece of information that I didn't find addressed or answered on Bill Darden's BatteryFAQ site was whether batteries sold at Costco, or Sam's Club, or Walmart, or another discount store are the same quality, construction, and specs as those sold under the primary manufacturer's label? Obviously, the discount store batteries are offered at a lower price point, and there may be a difference in battery name, labeling, or case color, but are the batteries manufactured using cost-cutting techniques or materials, e.g. with thinner/fewer plates, or with lesser specs, to be able to meet that price point? And, are the warranties different between batteries which are ostensibly the same, whether labeled with the manufacturer's logo/product name or the label used by Costco or another, including auto supply stores? I may be off base, but I suspect that battery manufacturers make the batteries sold at Costco or another similar "outlets" (or those provided "free" by AAA after the first one goes TU after a year or so!) to the specs required by the seller, and not to the specs of products sold with the OEM labeling. I know this is done with tires, e.g., Les Schwab's private brands, but whether it's also done with batteries...?Inquiring minds want to know; any informed inside scoop on this? 1 Likes
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #23 – August 23, 2019, 05:29:43 pm Hi Kent. There are more things supported by the memory in the vehicle than we know about. You could just keep throwing money at it, but I would rather fix it. There are enough things that will leave you stranded in the future. You should try to resolve this. You don't have diode isolators do you? If the solenoid type, it's even easier to put on a Trik-L-Start. If your charger is the smart enough type it reduces the voltage low enough not to damage your batteries. That low, and it won't charge the chassis battery. You could just put a jumper from house to chasssis battery when stored in the driveway. Just remove it when going on the road. I'm assuming your house batteries are fairly charged. RonB
Re: New Chassis Battery Reply #24 – August 23, 2019, 06:05:07 pm After decades of “maintenance free” batteries in all of my cars and AGM batteries in the LD coach, I now admit to my lack of knowledge wherein Ford e450 chassis batteries are concerned. They are not maintenance free.When checking the dimensions of my New Interstate battery, I noticed something odd...it is not maintenance free. This was curious. Then I checked the OEM Ford chassis battery. It looks just like the Interstate Battery. Removing the Ford battery caps...lo and behold what do I see? Yes indeed an improperly maintained “Non-Maintenance Free” bank of cells. Holy guacamole Batman don’t I feel dumb. https://youtu.be/2mnoimw6p7gSo with that, folks, if you don’t already know it check under the hood and see what you’ve got. Regardless of this matter, I will be installing the New Interstate when the ODI part arrives. Not the sharpest tool in the shed today. Perhaps I could have kept the OEM battery going for quite a bit longer. Maybe I could have avoided draining the battery so many times in the past. I’ll never know. Sometimes the problem is staring you right in the face the whole time. 🤯Lesson learned.Kent 1 Likes
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