Fleetwood 2015 Discovery, Owner'S Manual

Page: 76 / 111

electrical systems
08-2
Battery Disconnect
(If equipped)
Some accessories or equipment such as clocks,
radios or the refrigerator may draw small
amounts of current even when turned OFF . For
your convenience, your motor home may be
equipped with, relay operated disconnect cir-
cuits . These circuits isolate selected electrical
systems from either the chassis or the house bat-
teries . Deactivating the relay(s) will prevent bat-
tery discharge which may occur over extended
storage periods . During normal use of your
motor home the relays must always be in the
“on” position .
If you plan to store the motor home for an
extended period, press the disconnect switch/es
to OFF . Remember to press the switch/es to ON
when you take the motor home out of storage .
Battery Inspection and Care
Check the external condition of the battery
periodically . Look for cracks in the cover and
case . Check the vent plugs and replace any that
are cracked or broken . Keep the battery clean .
Acid film and dirt on the battery top may permit
current to flow between the terminals and dis -
charge the battery .
To clean the battery:
1 . Be sure the vent caps are installed and tight .
2 . Wash the battery with a diluted solution
of baking soda and water to neutralize any
acid present .
3 . Flush with clean water . Foaming around
terminals or on top of the battery is normal
acid neutralization . Avoid getting the soda
solution in the battery .
4 . Dry the cables and terminals .
5 . Do not use grease on the bare metal inside
the cable terminals to prevent corrosion .
Grease is an insulator . Electricity will not
flow through it. A plastic battery terminal
spray will protect the terminals after you
have cleaned and reinstalled them .
6 . Check the battery, including water level,
at least once a week . Keep the carrier and
hold down hardware clean and free of cor-
rosion and chemical accumulation .
Battery Charging
Both sets of batteries will be kept charged by the
chassis engine alternator and charging system
while you are driving . The DC power converter
will charge the chassis and house batteries when
plugged into 120-volt AC service or by the gen-
erator (if equipped) . If the battery needs to be
charged from a different charging source, please
follow these safety guidelines :
• Leaving a charger connected to a battery for
an extended period of time can shorten bat-
tery life .
• Do not smoke near batteries being charged
or which have been recently charged . Please
note that batteries are being charged while
you drive, and while you are connected to
Note
A trouble shooting guide and function manual that
explains this system is included with your motor home
owner’s Info rmation Package.
3
Note
When charging the batteries, the battery disconnect
switches must be ON.
3
warnIng
Do not use the motor home when the chassis bat-
tery is disconnected. The power step will not operate
as designed if the chassis battery is disconnected. If
the step is not in the correct extended position, you
may be injured if you step out of the motor home.
!
warnIng
Disconnect the 120-volt shore cord and the nega-
tive terminal from the battery/ies before working on
either electrical system. If you work on the electrical
systems with the power cord connected, you may be
shocked, electrocuted, or severely burned.
!