2015 Coachmen Leprechaun 319DS Dead Batteries!

h20guy · 02-23-2015, 09:16 AM

Hi I purchased my Coachmen Leprechaun 319DS new last spring and I live in Michigan. I have it stored in a outdoor storage lot that does NOT have electrical hookups to connect the motorhome to. I have been going there every couple of weeks to check on it and start the engine etc.. I have had surgery recently and we have had very cold temps the past couple of weeks so I haven't been able to go there for 3-4 weeks now. I was able to go check on it this past weekend and the dash lights would come on but not nearly enough power to start the engine. I turned the battery switch on for the house batteries to see if that would help me start it and they are both showing as dead now as well! I'm very surprised about the house batteries being dead because I always shut the power switch off after being inside of it in storage and there was nothing else left on in the coach except I think that the LP / CO detector is always on no matter if you shut the battery switch off or not which seems wrong to me, and I think that detector maybe working off of the engine battery and not the house batteries? I do know that the last time that I checked on it that both house batteries were showing a full charge on the control panel and I had no issues starting up the coach with the engine battery! Please advise what you think may have happened and what can be done to prevent this in the future! Also do you think that my house batteries are really dead or are they just acting that way because of the engine battery dead to the point that it won't start the coach. When the house battery switch was on no lights or anything else were turning on.

Duckogram · 02-23-2015, 11:04 AM

Vampires sapped the juice and cold is what probably happened.
A solar charger is the best solution.
Your CO/LP detector should run off the house batts. The disconnect switch should turn it off.
The bad news is that if your batts are dead they may have frozen. If that is the case, you will probably have to kiss them goodbye.
Your house batts do not charge off the alternator on your engine. You must and should be running the genny to do that. If it is too cold to run the AC so you get at least 1/2 load on the genny, then I suggest you bring some water and coffee/tea. Boil the water in the microwave then enjoy a cup while you boil somemore.
You should also run the defrosters on the coach so your chassis AC does not develop seal leaks.
Hope your feeling better.

rlitz1252 · 11-01-2015, 07:23 PM

I have the same problem with our 2016 Leprechaun purchased in May. RV is stored in central Florida, so no freezing here. Unit sat without a generator run or shore power connected since the middle of September. Six weeks later, the truck started, but no power to anything in the coach. Power disconnect was in the off position while stored. Now I can't start the generator so maybe I need to move the RV to a campground and plug it in to shore power and see if the batteries will recharge.
Thoughts?

MarsMan · 11-01-2015, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlitz1252

I have the same problem with our 2016 Leprechaun purchased in May. RV is stored in central Florida, so no freezing here. Unit sat without a generator run or shore power connected since the middle of September. Six weeks later, the truck started, but no power to anything in the coach. Power disconnect was in the off position while stored. Now I can't start the generator so maybe I need to move the RV to a campground and plug it in to shore power and see if the batteries will recharge.
Thoughts?

Could you take the rig for a drive or even let it idle enuf to put a charge on the coach batteries? Then you can start the genny.... Next time i would disconnect the coach batter at the battery to remove anything drawing juice.

hardoiler · 11-01-2015, 07:38 PM

We bought a 2015 Leprechaun in April and I had to replace the battery in Sept in the truck because it died,but both batteries in the coach were good.The truck sat with me not using it for about six weeks. The battery tested charge and retest which usually means a bad cell, I think?

2013leprechaun319dsf · 11-01-2015, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlitz1252

I have the same problem with our 2016 Leprechaun purchased in May. RV is stored in central Florida, so no freezing here. Unit sat without a generator run or shore power connected since the middle of September. Six weeks later, the truck started, but no power to anything in the coach. Power disconnect was in the off position while stored. Now I can't start the generator so maybe I need to move the RV to a campground and plug it in to shore power and see if the batteries will recharge.
Thoughts?

I have a 2013 Leprechaun 319DSF. I have electric step. In the battery compartment, there are two 5 amp auto type fuses I remove in the winter that operate the steps and co2 alarm. The inside radio in the house still sucks the batteries as it stores the stations and has the dim backlight on. This winter I will disconnect the house and motor batteries and rehook them up when I go out each month to run the Genny.

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2013leprechaun319dsf · 11-01-2015, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rlitz1252

I have the same problem with our 2016 Leprechaun purchased in May. RV is stored in central Florida, so no freezing here. Unit sat without a generator run or shore power connected since the middle of September. Six weeks later, the truck started, but no power to anything in the coach. Power disconnect was in the off position while stored. Now I can't start the generator so maybe I need to move the RV to a campground and plug it in to shore power and see if the batteries will recharge.
Thoughts?

If you can start the V10, you should be charging the house batteries. After a few minutes you should be able the fire up the Genny.

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Up North · 11-05-2015, 04:44 AM

I pull my batteries out every winter and store them in my heated garage with a battery tender on them. They remain happy that way. I don't see a reason for leaving them in a stored coach especially if you are in the part of the country with extended sub freezing weather.

The batteries that come from the manufacturer are probably not the highest quality to begin with so if you are the type of person who only pays attention to your batteries when they go dead they probably won't last but a couple years.

Duckogram · 11-05-2015, 09:45 AM

Since this thread was resurected again I will take the opportunity to correct my earlier post #2. I have discovered that house batteries may indeed charge when the chassis engine is running.

h20guy · 11-08-2015, 08:46 PM

Thanks for the responses everyone! I have just winterized and stored my 319DS 2 weeks ago and when I went to check on it today the batteries have drained down quite a bit. UGHH. I had my motorhome plugged into AC all day while I was winterizing it and cleaning it up and when I put it in storage they showed to be fully charged. I had the switch shut off, the front Radio off, the 5 Amp fuse that controls the CO2 detector removed and still something is draining the house batteries?? I'm starting to wonder if the coach shutoff switch was wired correctly? Any other ideas and should I remove the other 5 amp fuse that's next to the one that I did remove as well?

rzrnaz · 11-15-2015, 05:34 PM

Just put a mechanical battery disconnect like a Blue Sea on your batteries and you wont have battery drain problems or have to pull any more fuses

h20guy · 11-16-2015, 09:21 AM

My point is there is already a mechanical On / OFF Turn switch factory installed and built in to the entry wall of my motorhome that is supposed to be shutting everything off! Which is apparently not shutting everything off when it's in the off position.

Mbylone · 12-28-2015, 11:20 AM

I have the same issue with a 2013 Leprechaun 22QB. I have a battery tender on the truck battery and just installed one on the house batteries. I gave up trying to figure it out and so did the dealership.

2013leprechaun319dsf · 12-28-2015, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by h20guy

Thanks for the responses everyone! I have just winterized and stored my 319DS 2 weeks ago and when I went to check on it today the batteries have drained down quite a bit. UGHH. I had my motorhome plugged into AC all day while I was winterizing it and cleaning it up and when I put it in storage they showed to be fully charged. I had the switch shut off, the front Radio off, the 5 Amp fuse that controls the CO2 detector removed and still something is draining the house batteries?? I'm starting to wonder if the coach shutoff switch was wired correctly? Any other ideas and should I remove the other 5 amp fuse that's next to the one that I did remove as well?

Look at your radio in front of the TV. Mine keeps the stations remembered and had the blue background light on even with the battery disconnect switch in off position. It may be directly wired to batteries.

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