Has anyone every used one of these to start a bird?

[hippieforever3]

> run the generator, for a while press the parrell switch and hopefully
> the big engine will kick over


My problem is that my charger takes a long time to get to starting
voltage. I'm looking to replace the charger too.

Regards,
GPSGary

[Chuck Wheeler]

Gary,

We travel in cold weather a lot with some dry camping. I have been concerned about the batteries being down and not being able to get started. I carry a small Honda in one side compartment for emergencies. I used it one weekend when the lights were left on and could start the BB after about 20 minutes.If you could run the generator I don't understand why the chargers would not have brought the batteries up so you could start. We have a 60 amp Intell-Power charger and it will geta dead battery to enough power to start in less than a half an hour.

- Chuck Wheeler-

FC 31SB Fort Worth TX

---

From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of hippieforever3
Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 4:19 PM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Has anyone every used one of these to start a bird?

I'm still in search of an economical way to ABSOLUTELY quickly get
started after dry camping.

I'm a little paranoid because we accidently turned on the security
lights one night and had to wait the entire next day for a jump.
Couldn't get the genset to charge the batteries enough within a few
hours.

Has anyone ever used something like either of these two items to
start a bird?

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46944
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47449

I used to have one like the first item to start my tractors after
sitting for a week or two but am curious if they would provide a
nearly immediate start as long as the genset came alive.

If you take the time to read the manual of the second item, it could
be rigged up to autostart the genset with a minimum of trouble.

Movin on,
GPSGary
1984FC35

[Jack & Donna Smith]

I donno, but if I have a dead battery in our old 'Bird when dry
camping or leaving something on, I just wheel the trusty CJ over and
use the K-mart jumper cables... Starts every time, but then, the
Jeep probably thinks the 391 in the 'Bird is just a Thunderbird. :-)
Jack Smith
1973FC31
SoCal


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Chuck Wheeler"
wrote:
>
> Gary,
>
> We travel in cold weather a lot with some dry camping. I have been
> concerned about the batteries being down and not being able to get
started.
> I carry a small Honda in one side compartment for emergencies. I
used it
> one weekend when the lights were left on and could start the BB
after about
> 20 minutes. If you could run the generator I don't understand why
the
> chargers would not have brought the batteries up so you could
start. We
> have a 60 amp Intell-Power charger and it will get a dead battery
to enough
> power to start in less than a half an hour.
>
> - Chuck Wheeler-
> FC 31SB Fort Worth TX
>
>
> _____
>
> From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of
hippieforever3
> Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2008 4:19 PM
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Has anyone every used one of these to
start a
> bird?
>
>
>
> I'm still in search of an economical way to ABSOLUTELY quickly get
> started after dry camping.
>
> I'm a little paranoid because we accidently turned on the security
> lights one night and had to wait the entire next day for a jump.
> Couldn't get the genset to charge the batteries enough within a few
> hours.
>
> Has anyone ever used something like either of these two items to
> start a bird?
>
> http://www.harborfr
> <http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?
Itemnumber=46944>
> eight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=46944
> http://www.harborfr
> <http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?
Itemnumber=47449>
> eight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=47449
>
> I used to have one like the first item to start my tractors after
> sitting for a week or two but am curious if they would provide a
> nearly immediate start as long as the genset came alive.
>
> If you take the time to read the manual of the second item, it
could
> be rigged up to autostart the genset with a minimum of trouble.
>
> Movin on,
> GPSGary
> 1984FC35
>

[Pete Masterson]

The generator will bring up my batteries (sufficiently to start the
engine) in a couple of hours. If your batteries aren't charging that
quickly, I'd suggest checking your regular chargers and upgrading
them to more modern ones. Check out offerings from Iota. A charger
with 40 to 60 amps ought to be plenty fast to get you on the road
after running the generator for an hour or two.

I note, too, that it's very unwise to run batteries down below 50% of
their rated amp-hours as that can damage them. Even at 50%, most BBs
should be able to turn over the engine -- but I've never had to put
my coach to that test...

Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
aeonix1@...
On the road at Lockhart Texas

[sfedeli3]

Gary,

On my '85, you can rock the "aux battery" switch on the dash and it
will bridge the house and genny batteries- giving you added power to
start the genset. If the genny battery is losing its charge, it would
be cheaper to solve that problem with a "Battery Link ACR" (just
google it) and get rid of whatever convoluted crap was in there
before- usually a diode or battery isolator- to eliminate the voltage
drain. My genny battery stays connected all winter while in storage
and is like new in the spring.

Shane Fedeli
85PT40
Hershey, PA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "hippieforever3"
wrote:
>
> If the bird is asleep, how do you get to the generator battery to get
> jumper cables on it? My gen tray won't come out without air up.
>
> I can start the generator but it takes a long time to get the
> batteries to where the Cat will purr.
>
> Regards,
> GPSGary
> 1984FC35
>
>
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, erniecarpet@ wrote:
> >
> > Gary, when I had my coach on a consignment lot, they never had it
> on shore
> > power. Thus the batteries were dead. I attached jumper cables to
> the generator
> > battery and started the generator. In just a short time, I was up
> and running
> > and left that facility.
> >
> > Ernie Ekberg
> > 83PT40
> > Weatherford, Texas
> >
> > **************Get the Moviefone Toolbar. Showtimes, theaters, movie
> news &
> > more!
> (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x...12037/aol?
> redir=htt
> > p://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?
> ncid=emlcntusdown00000001)
> >
>

[Al Scudder]

I was just going to say that. I have left my BB for 6 weeks (the longest) at rest-not plugged in. I learned the hard way that you must, turn off the DC main at the door, turn off the aux battery on the dash, turn off the converter or you will not start after a short period. I learned this AFTER I had found out that the AC power that I was using at storage barn was on a ground fault on the other side of a barn

When I am stopped for any period of time and do not need any power that is what I have done.At other times I just turn on the switch for auto start if the coach is standing alone for a unexpectedlonger time than what was planned.

Scooter

2000XL

Plymouth, MI

----- Original Message -----

From: sfedeli3

Sent: Thursday, November 13, 2008 6:07 AM

To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Has anyone every used one of these to start a bird?

Gary,

On my '85, you can rock the "aux battery" switch on the dash and it
will bridge the house and genny batteries- giving you added power to
start the genset. If the genny battery is losing its charge, it would
be cheaper to solve that problem with a "Battery Link ACR" (just
google it) and get rid of whatever convoluted crap was in there
before- usually a diode or battery isolator- to eliminate the voltage
drain. My genny battery stays connected all winter while in storage
and is like new in the spring.

Shane Fedeli
85PT40
Hershey, PA

--- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", "hippieforever3"
wrote:
>
> If the bird is asleep, how do you get to the generator battery to get
> jumper cables on it? My gen tray won't come out without air up.
>
> I can start the generator but it takes a long time to get the
> batteries to where the Cat will purr.
>
> Regards,
> GPSGary
> 1984FC35
>
>
>
> --- In "WanderlodgeForum%40yahoogroups.com", erniecarpet@ wrote:
> >
> > Gary, when I had my coach on a consignment lot, they never had it
> on shore
> > power. Thus the batteries were dead. I attached jumper cables to
> the generator
> > battery and started the generator. In just a short time, I was up
> and running
> > and left that facility.
> >
> > Ernie Ekberg
> > 83PT40
> > Weatherford, Texas
> >
> > **************Get the Moviefone Toolbar. Showtimes, theaters, movie
> news &
> > more!
> (http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212774565x1200812037/aol?
> redir=htt
> > p://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?
> ncid=emlcntusdown00000001)
> >
>

[Jean Eichenlaub]

I have two "portable power" units. Both are small 12 volt batteries. One has
started the coach, though only when there was some power in the coach batteries.
When the batteries were really flat it took an F-350 plus the portable power.

Jean Eichenlaub
'87 FC 35'

[Frank Damp]

I inherited a Coleman "Emergency Start" unit when my son emigrated to
Japan. The main thing I use it for is its compressor, to assist in
keeping tires up to pressure.

The other day, a neighbor had a dead battery in her Mazda 3, having
left a door not properly closed for a few days. The Coleman couldn't
give the Mazda battery enough juice to get the engine to turn over.

I've figured out why Coleman don't sell that unit any more!