Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

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Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

May 10, 2015, 08:52:11 am

We purchased a 1992 Grand Villa U-225 36' a couple weeks ago and cannot find the location of the chassis battery. We've called Foretravel and they say it is under the second entry step. If it is there, we sure can't figure out how to open the step to see it! Seems like the top of the step would flip up. We believe the coach has original carpet but on the chance it has been replaced, it is possible the carpet is not allowing the step to be opened. We don't want to cut the carpet unless we are sure the battery is under there.

Anyone know for sure where the chassis battery is located and/or how the step opens?

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #1 – May 10, 2015, 09:39:41 am

Quote from: EPEisenman – May 10, 2015, 08:52:11 am

Anyone know for sure where the chassis battery is located and/or how the step opens?

Welcome, Jack and Emily, to the Forum! You have come to the right place to find answers to your question. Unfortunately, not from me...
BUT FEAR NOT - help is on the way, as soon as the lazy U225 owners and ex-owners wake up and see your question.

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #2 – May 10, 2015, 09:48:55 am

While we wait...that is some slick looking paint on your coach! When you have time, I am sure everyone would enjoy seeing some really nice "beauty shots" of your new ride. We LIKE photos around here...

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #3 – May 10, 2015, 10:12:30 am

Check here:

Passenger's side bay just forward of the rear wheel. You might have a fiberglass "inner cover" held with two rubber tie-downs.

Remove it being careful with the upper vent pipe. Do you have one battery bank there or two. Common on that vintage to have two separate banks (with possibly multiple batteries in each bank).

Let us know what you find.

Also, be sure to check the RIDE HEIGHT, as you have the Torsilastic Suspension.

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #4 – May 10, 2015, 10:14:01 am

Thank you, it is a real pretty coach. We have been motorhoming in gas Class C's for the past 8 years and really wanted to get into a diesel and wanted something really unique looking, so "vintage" fit the bill. Having heard of Foretravel's quality we focused our search and came up with this one. It was painted by a motorcycle artist in North Carolina a couple years ago, the only motorcoach he has ever done, so we're told. I am sure some Foretravel owners would consider the paint job blasphemy but my husband just couldn't get excited about the standard white with stripes. I'm all about the interior and this one was very well kept - a coach we both could agree on!

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #5 – May 10, 2015, 10:22:00 am

Brett:
Here is a photo of the batteries in the compartment you describe (covered with a fiberglass case). We thought these were house batteries, but maybe they also supply chassis power? How would one go about determining that?
~Emily

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #6 – May 10, 2015, 10:27:47 am

Quote from: EPEisenman – May 10, 2015, 10:14:01 am

I am sure some Foretravel owners would consider the paint job blasphemy...

I really think you are wrong about that - I have found Foretravel owners to be VERY open-minded about all sorts of exterior and interior modifications. If you peruse the media section of this Forum, you will see some paint jobs that make yours look conservative.

Personally, I think your paint job looks GREAT, and is a welcome breath of fresh air in a sea of "white with stripes" coaches (like ours...

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #7 – May 10, 2015, 10:31:22 am

Quote from: cajk – May 10, 2015, 10:27:47 am

I really think you are wrong about that - I have found Foretravel owners to be VERY open-minded about all sorts of exterior and interior modifications. If you peruse the media section of this Forum, you will see some paint jobs that make yours look conservative.

Personally, I think your coach looks GREAT, and is a welcome breath of fresh air in a sea of "white with stripes" coaches (like ours... ).

Glad to hear that! I was a bit worried

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #8 – May 10, 2015, 10:34:53 am

Great looking paint job.

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #9 – May 10, 2015, 10:48:32 am

Quote from: EPEisenman – May 10, 2015, 10:22:00 am

Brett: How would one go about determining that?

You will learn that Brett has a lot of irons in the fire, and his expertise is in high demand. Sometimes he pops in and out of our Forum, and then is gone for a while. Other members (like me) have TOO much spare time and spend a lot of it hanging out here.

The easy way to check battery function is to disconnect it, or them, and then see what does (or does not) work. Also gives you a chance to clean up those connections. Be SURE to disconnect from shore power (and, of course, have generator OFF) before you work on the batteries.

Pull the battery cables - then see what happens. If the engine still cranks... (conclusion is obvious).

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #10 – May 10, 2015, 10:54:52 am

Yup, from the photo, can not tell if you have one battery per bank or if that is just the house bank. Because it looks like there is a positive and ground cable from each to

, suspect one is house and one is chassis. Perfectly adequate unless you do a lot of dry camping. Test as Chuck said and/or look at the numbers on the cables and compare with our wiring schematic.

And, please re-install the fiberglass "shield" that separates the relays from the batteries-- it fits on the threaded "studs", one of which you can see on the right side of your photo. If you do not have the shield, I am sure someone can post a picture of one and you can make one. Keeping sulfuric acid, hydrogen and oxygen from the batteries away from electronics is a very good and important safety consideration.

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #11 – May 10, 2015, 11:01:34 am

Thank you all for the responses. We'll try Chuck's suggestion to find out for sure what is what.
We do have the fiberglass shield, just took it off for the photo, so we will get that reinstalled.

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #12 – May 10, 2015, 11:57:40 am

Roll up under the coach at the front of the door and look aft, battery MAY be under the step, if so step will lift out for service.
I think the paint job is way cool as my grandson would say6. You will be easily recognizable on the road and will make FT friends real easily.
Gary B

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #13 – May 10, 2015, 01:35:21 pm

I am pretty sure the "G4" on the batteries is a date code, but cannot find my secret decoder ring.

Good luck on your adventures,

Trent

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #14 – May 10, 2015, 02:16:52 pm

Welcome to the madness lol you have a very nice looking Coach and your interior is spot on to ours , well close> Have fun and ask away, as chuck said lots of great people on the site.

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #15 – May 10, 2015, 02:42:29 pm

I believe that G4 on a battery would indicate 7-14 or July 2014.
Gary B

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #16 – May 10, 2015, 02:57:15 pm

Quote from: Gary Bouland – May 10, 2015, 02:42:29 pm

I believe that G4 on a battery would indicate 7-14 or July 2014.
Gary B

Thanks for the info, Gary. That would align with the receipt in the maintenance records showing two "house batteries" replaced in September 2014.

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #17 – May 10, 2015, 04:14:05 pm

Love the color scheme. It shows some individuality. And someone else footed the bill for it

Larry

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #18 – May 10, 2015, 06:02:21 pm

Hi Jack,
That is a great looking coach. I'm sure you will love your Foretravel. Enjoy.
Raymond

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #19 – May 10, 2015, 09:20:46 pm

That's maybe the best looking U225 I've seen. I had a 1993 U225 which we dearly loved but moved to a larger unit for full timing in 2010.

Our 93 had the batteries in the bay under the fiberglass cover like yours. Our starting batteries, two series 31 lead acid starting batteries, were on the right side towards the front of the coach. Next we had an 8D lead acid battery for the house batteries just to the rear of the starting batteries. Then I added a 4D lead acid battery rear of the house 8D as an auxiliary battery for the house just in case our 8D ran down. We boondocked frequently, even in the winter using the furnace blowers. Our coach did not have an inverter so we got along great with the 8D and the 4D for up to five days without external electricity.

I think you will love your coach and have may happy days of RVing.

Just a note, the BT5.9, 230 hp Cummins runs fairly hot in the summer months. Don't worry if it gets up to 220 going up hills if the ambient temps are over 90 degrees. Mine went as high as 225 in that situation but I learned that was normal for the 5.9.

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #20 – May 11, 2015, 09:48:08 am

Personally, I think you will need to brighten up that paint job a little, but then that may just be me!

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #21 – May 11, 2015, 10:02:34 am

Our 1993 U225 (which does not have the superb paint job yours has, darn it) has two 8D (the big ones) batteries linked together and then two "red top" (smaller) batteries linked together. The 8Ds are the "house" batteries and the "red top" make up the starting bank. All of them fit under that fiber glass cover. It looks like someone may have eliminated the start bank and simply wired up the two 8D batteries to perform both house and start duties. Unless there are batteries to the left of the two 8Ds in the photo.

I'll get over to the shop later this morning (after I take Hailey - who is in a cast from a soccer related broken leg - to school) and take a photograph of how my battery bay looks.

Craig

"Girls who break a leg in two places....
Should stay out of those places."

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #22 – May 11, 2015, 10:15:06 am

Looking at your photo again, it's not easy to determine how yours are configured. My house and chassis batteries have no cabling between them. But I can see that your negative terminals are connected. This, however, may be just a simple way of getting them both to a common on the chassis.

To determine whether one of them is a separate "start" (or chassis) battery you will need to pull the positive terminal from one of them and see if both house and chassis functions. Here is a way to determine which is which:

1. If you pull the positive lead from battery "A" and the engine starts but the interior lights don't turn on then that is the chassis battery.

2. If you pull the positive lead from battery "B" and the interior lights come on but the engine won't start then that is the house battery.

3. If the interior lights work AND the engine starts when either battery positive cable is disconnected then they are tied together for both function (probably not a great idea).

4. If you pull the positive lead from both batteries and the engine still starts then the chassis battery is located somewhere else.

Over 25 years of life an RV can have many different modifications done to it depending upon the owners' ability to pay for things. (Can't afford another battery but still want to go camping? Just wire it up so the house batteries start the engine.) Check for notes in the owner's manuals.

Craig

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #23 – May 11, 2015, 12:18:13 pm

I'm an expert in blasphemy, and I think that paint job is wonderful!

Enjoy your "new" coach.

Chris

Re: Location of Chassis Battery in 1992 GV U-225

Reply #24 – May 11, 2015, 01:00:01 pm

Jack and Emily,

Welcome to the forum and all the fun we have. Full body paint jobs like yours are strikingly beautiful to me on a Grand Villa with it's bullet front end. I know they can be expensive and some feel not worth the cost, but can you tell us who the artist is or the shop where it was painted?

I too moved up from a class C and found the transition well worth it in terms of comfort and drivability. All the technical knowledge will come later from the devoted members here that truly love these Foretravel coaches. Right now I'd like to see more pictures so I can drool some more!

Jerry

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