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Since we bought the 5B I have followed the advice to turn off the master switch when it's going to sit for a while. That is until I put it in the barn (literally a barn, not a bus barn) last fall.  Forgot to kill the coach batteries. 

When I reached in to turn the batteries on and felt the switch already on I just knew the chassis batteries were going to be dead, frozen, toast, junk.  Was absolutely sure that when I flipped the dash switch that nothing was going to happen.  Surprise, the low air buzzer and normal looking lights.  Surely there is only enough power to lite up the dash.  Reached for the started button and she turned over just like always. No parasites here. Another reason to love a mechanical engine. 

Sitting all winter?  Your batteries are definite keepers!  Ho-ray!  I would have been worried that winter critters, (mice, rats, snakes, squirrels, etc.) would have roosted inside and decided to chew on some wiring...thus the master switch.  HB of CJ (old coot) we had no winter here in SW OR.

Quote from: Don4107 on March 22, 2014, 09:02:58 PMNo parasites here. Another reason to love a mechanical engine. 

    Nice.  My bus is built so that the license plate lights come on when the master is on (to let people know in the transit garage that the switch is on).  I had to be away for about 2 1/2 months this winter.  I DID turn the master off when I left in early January, but when I got back to the bus this week - after a winter with several spells down in the "low-teens" - it took less than 90 seconds for the 'Stanley Smart Chargers' to go to Float on both batteries.  I love these NAPA batteries (pair of Type 31's).  It's a great feeling.

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