| Author | Message | ||
| Bill Keller (Busnut104)
Registered Member Username: Busnut104 Post Number: 11 Registered: 8-2006 Posted From: 71.31.78.115 Rating: N/A |
How many of you keep you bus plugged in and the air bags pumped up while in storage between runs, like a couple of week or month. I know the inverter would be on in the low mode, but the battries should be in full charge and I would think keeping the air bags inflated would also be good, of course there is more chance of fire, especially if a mouse or like chews some wiring. | ||
| John MC9 (John_mc9)
Registered Member Username: John_mc9 Post Number: 312 Registered: 7-2006 Posted From: 66.217.107.210 Rating: N/A |
Bill - In the Cold north, we left the RV plugged in, with the RV converter/inverter/battery charger going 24/7. No air needed with a conventional RV, but no problems either... The damned batteries would freeze otherwise, so the cost of electricity outweighed the cost of battery replacement. Here in the south, I just use the battery disconnect to remove any chance of the batteries becoming depleted in the bus, and let it sit (but not for too long!). "No air" doesn't seem to be a problem, but the "bumpers" are still intact, keeping the bags from sitting totally flat against the frame/air box. There's more damage to all the other parts of the bus from sitting too long, to worry about an air bag or battery..... Best to run the bus, once a month at least.... for an hour or two? Or more...? Take it out and run the thing! It beats the "storage" scene. | ||
| H3-40 (Ace)
Registered Member Username: Ace Post Number: 511 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 75.201.23.38 Rating: |
"Here in the south, I just use the battery disconnect to remove any chance of the batteries becoming depleted in the bus, and let it sit" Sorry John but... won't work in the newer electronic buses! Like I said over at the MAK board, as long as there is a memory of some kind in items such as a DDEC or ATEC, or even a factory dash radio with a clock, the battery cut-off simply won't keep them from being completely depleted. They are usually hard wired directly into the batteries! It would mean using some type of marine trickle charger while parked to keep the batteries charged! BTDT Ace | ||
| Jack Conrad (Jackconrad)
Registered Member Username: Jackconrad Post Number: 558 Registered: 12-2000 Posted From: 76.1.180.218 Rating: N/A |
We keep our bus plugged in all the time. When we get home, we back the bus in our shop and plug it in. We have a house type refrigerator which is never shut off. Our inverter/charger keeps the house batteries topped off. Our 8V71 has no electronics, we shut off the battery disconnect on the bus batteries. Our leveling system will stay up for several weeks, which is about the longest the bus sets. Our leveling system blocks the leveling valves when the master switch is off. Jack | ||
| David Dulmage (Daved)
Registered Member Username: Daved Post Number: 166 Registered: 12-2003 Posted From: 66.78.123.104 Rating: N/A |
We keep our bus plugged in, with the battery disconnect off for the starting batteries. Our converter maintains a low current charge to the house batteries. I check the electrolite level in the house batteries periodically. During the winter months, we turn off the refrigerator. The bus maintains its level for along time, but tends to settle in the front. Despite concerns about running the engine without it warming up completely, I do start the bus on mild days a couple of times during the winter, let it air up, release the brakes and move it a few feet (mainly to ensure the brake shoes don't stick to the drums over the winter). This bus starts almost immediately, even in winter, if I plug in the block heater first, and it runs long enough to charge to start batteries Dave D | ||
| Austin Scott Davis (Zimtok)
Registered Member Username: Zimtok Post Number: 110 Registered: 9-2006 Posted From: 216.37.73.226 Rating: N/A |
With how we use our bus the only reason for plugging it in is to keep the block warm for starting when it is cold. We drive it several times a week so I rarely turn off the battery disconnects. | ||
| Ron Walker (Prevost82)
Registered Member Username: Prevost82 Post Number: 287 Registered: 11-2003 Posted From: 208.181.210.47 Rating: N/A |
We keep ours plug in all the time. I turn the starting batteries off and leave the coach batteries and inverter on. ... We just never know when we are taking off on a new adventure in a moments notice. Friends from the coast phoned and said they were passing through town. Rather than meet at a restaurant we met them with the bus, at a nice rest-stop park with the river run by and the wife made a gourmet dinner, steak, king crab, cesar salad etc. Had a great vist and dinner. Ron | ||
| Jim Stewart (H3jim)
Registered Member Username: H3jim Post Number: 285 Registered: 10-2004 Posted From: 68.6.175.166 Rating: N/A |
Now that I have solar panels, the controller charges teh house batts by 10, and then trickle charges up to 2 amp the start batteries the rest of the day. I leave my 24 volt refrigerator run all the time. If I leave the inverter off, the house batteries never get below about 90% full. The start batteries are always fully charged which should make them last longer too. I really like having the solar. The air bags never go down between when I use the bus, about once a month. Several years ago I put check valves just before the leveleing valves and now it does not loose any air. Every circuit I have is fused to the wire size I used. I feel this is minimal protection against mouse chews ( I also have mouse bait in all the crevices) and other electrical failures. | ||
| Jim & Linda Callaghan (Jimc)
Registered Member Username: Jimc Post Number: 35 Registered: 2-2004 Posted From: 66.175.206.106 Rating: N/A |
I leave ours plugged in during the winter. I don't shut off the coach batteries, my inverter has an echo charger, once the house is charged up, the echo charger charges the coach battery if needed. As for air, mine leaks down in a few days, I just leave it rest on the bumpers until I'm ready to leave again. JIM |
