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Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: DaveLarose on December 29, 2013, 01:21:31 am

Title: Random Battery Question
Post by: DaveLarose on December 29, 2013, 01:21:31 am
Hi, I am curious, does a 1991 Unihome GV have 3 batteries, whereas my '91 GV only has two? Or have I been missing one this entire time..?


Thanks


Dave
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: kenhat on December 29, 2013, 01:48:59 am
@Dave My 92' Unihome has 3 8D batteries. 1 start and 2 house batteries. All in the same battery box in the wet bay (D4).

see ya
ken 

Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: Bill Chaplin on December 29, 2013, 07:22:21 am
my '93 Unihome, 6v92, has/had;
 3 AGM's, located in the engine compartment , don't remember size, but smaller than 8d's
 2 8D's in compartment behind of left rear tires. I replaced then with 2 270 AH AGM's
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: Johnstons on December 29, 2013, 10:05:23 am
Best I remember our 91 GV only had one 8D. 
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart on December 29, 2013, 10:25:45 am
@Dave My 92' Unihome has 3 8D batteries. 1 start and 2 house batteries. All in the same battery box in the wet bay (D4).

see ya
ken 





Ken,

At the fire department, we had problems starting the 8V-71s on just one 8D so when we opened the driver's door, we turned the battery switch to both. The non-turbo engines had a higher compression ratio so may be part of the reason. On both batteries, they would start in a tenth of a second on the first revolution hot or cold.

Pierce
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: JohnFitz on December 29, 2013, 02:19:47 pm
Dave,
On my '91 the OEM set up is 3 8d batteries in compartment in front of drivers side rear wheel housed in a fiberglass box with a PVC pipe to vent out the rear bulkhead.  Two for house, one for chassis (starting).  I modified those three for house only and added a chassis battery bank on the passenger side behind the rear wheels.
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: Jerryetc on December 29, 2013, 06:58:34 pm
My 1991 Grand Villa was just like Ken's. Three 8D's, two paralleled for house batteries and one for the chassis battery. 
Jerry
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: DaveLarose on December 29, 2013, 07:01:20 pm
Mine looks like it was setup for 2 8D's. They are in a battery bay under the steps, pretty complex wiring setup, and an isolator back by the engine, which I guess you need to choose close to the engine, or close to the batteries. It also sounds like there is some sort of charger in above my septic valves...

Something seems not quite happy about this setup, as I am having to charge more often than what would 'seem' normal. I bought a new Interstate Workhorse 8D a couple of months ago, and the other (same type and brand, etc.) is only a couple of years old. Even with the Boost switch on it sometimes will not have enough juice to crank over, jumping is easy, or hard depending upon how/where I am parked, and the GenSet will charge them if I have enough juice to start it. Makes me want to add another deep cycle for just the Genny...
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: fouroureye on December 29, 2013, 07:51:12 pm
Dave,

My 88 ORED had 2 8D (wet cell) under the steps also, I had enough room 8" between them. Should be a straight forward to add another 8D for engine.

The converter in the sewer bay, overcharged all the time!
I replaced it w 45amp smart charger.

Hope our experience helps you.
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: red tractor on December 29, 2013, 08:36:29 pm
On my 84 ored with the 2 8d batteries under the step the boos solenoid there by the batteries had the contacts welded together, so if one battery went down they both went down. I changed that solenoid and no more trouble. On your coach I would change that old converter for one of the new smart charger converters
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: fkjohns6083 on December 29, 2013, 08:41:10 pm
Our 91 ORED GV has four deep cycle golf cart batteries in a series/parallel setup and located under the steps.  The engine battery is an 8D and is in the compartment where the shore power cable is stored.  I like the golf cart battery setup, it seems to give better overall performance than 2
Title: Re: Random Battery Question
Post by: wa_desert_rat on December 29, 2013, 09:29:17 pm
Something seems not quite happy about this setup, as I am having to charge more often than what would 'seem' normal. I bought a new Interstate Workhorse 8D a couple of months ago, and the other (same type and brand, etc.) is only a couple of years old. Even with the Boost switch on it sometimes will not have enough juice to crank over, jumping is easy, or hard depending upon how/where I am parked, and the GenSet will charge them if I have enough juice to start it. Makes me want to add another deep cycle for just the Genny...

Check electrolyte levels in the cells. If you are charging more frequently than you feel is normal there is a good chance that the charger has boiled the cells dry.

Craig