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Thread: Jump Starting The Bus

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Walla Walla, WA.
    Posts
    504

    Default Jump Starting The Bus

    Is a jump start for dead chassis batts. a good idea or should the batts. be charged by an external charger?

    I really don't have a way to do either but want to focus my energy in the right direction.

    Thanks for the help.

  2. #2
    Joe Cannarozzi Guest

    Default

    I have heard that folks used cables and jumped off of the toad with good results.

    If you use a charger you can use a 12 volt charger I have done that. It started and it did not take 1 hr.

    I do not believe it is going to "hurt it" either way.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Walla Walla, WA.
    Posts
    504

    Default

    Joe, thanks. That is my thinly veiled question. Will I screw up something if I use a 12 volt source [the manual say to use 24 volt] and secondly will I get the engine started with only 12 volts?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    Brooksville, Fl. & Franklin, N.C.
    Posts
    1,600

    Default

    Larry, If your Engine Bus Batteries are dead and won't start the Bus, replace them. They are not designed to be drawn down to that level and then perform properly. I am also against putting your alternator under the stress of charging your " dead " batteries.

    99 Country Coach 45XL
    Jeep Liberty

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    anytown
    Posts
    8,908

    Default

    I agree with Jim. If the batteries are dead (test them) and the reason they are dead is because a bad one in the set pulled the juice out of the others a jump start will get it running, but the alternator will be working at max output creating a lot of heat which will adversely impact the life of the alternator.

    If they are not dead, or bad, but the voltage is too low to spin the engine, charge them and you should be good to go. A number of conversions are set up so the house batteries (24 volt house systems) can jump start the bus and that is a good thing if you absolutely have to do that, but that should be a last resort.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Walla Walla, WA.
    Posts
    504

    Default

    Jim and Jon, thanks for the info. I just neglected to turn off the disconnects--thinking we were leaving again soon, then that trip got cancelled and I forgot the switches. So under those conditions, your suggesting I just blew $800. ?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Posts
    963

    Default

    Can't you just push start it??

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    ON THE ROAD IN THE SOUTH
    Posts
    2,825

    Default

    Larry, in light of the circumstances, you'll probably be OK with a charging of the bat's. Depends on how low they went in voltage and for how long.

    To be sure, after the charge, test each bat., individually in a disconnected configuration, with a battery tester.

    Good Luck JIM

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Port St. Lucie, FL
    Posts
    1,745

    Default

    Larry,

    I think you'll be OK. I drained my at-the-time-new chassis batteries all the way down when I first got the bus, not realizing that there was no provision for keeping them charged while plugged in.

    At that time, I used a 12 volt car battery charger to charge each one back up. All has been fine ever since.

    After Truk helped with my Guest battery charger installation, that is....

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    LaBelle
    Posts
    474

    Default

    Larry,

    You need to add a Battery Tender or Guest charger to your batteries to keep the charge up on them. Several of the CC owners have made this addition and have not have any trouble. CC does not add a charger on the chassis batteries so unless the engine is running there is no charging capability.

    I use the 24 volt Battery Tender and am very satisfied with it.

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