Installation of TRIK-L-Start - September of 2018 ($60)

 Update: As part of the Electrical Upgrade the Trik-L-Start had to be removed. It is not compatible with Lithium batteries. It was removed in January of 2024.

****The following is the original post when it was installed***

In late August of 2018, we spent about a week at Matt and Erica's in New Hampshire. We delivered and installed a new large Bow/Bay Window for his house. 

It was a big improvememnt over his old window which was old, just a picture window in which the seals had failed.  

It was quite a chore to get the new window in place. 

The result was worth it. 

During the week at Matt's it was really hot. His house did not have an outside receptical anywhere near his driveway so he ran a lead cord from his basement out a window to give us shore power. Of course it was only a 15A outlet (on a 20A breaker).  We were suffering without AC, so we ran it even though we know it is a stretch to run it on a 15A and even worse with a long lead cord. It was OK for most of the week, but eventually my Dogbone (the cord that converts from a 20A to a 30A connection) started to melt. It was a bit of a surprise that it failed before the lead cord, but it must have had a bad connection  I think the quality of the dogbone is important, don't go cheap. We were using what came with the RV.  Finally, don't run the AC off the a 15A outlet, it is asking for trouble. 

During our visit we stayed in the LTV and I left my laaptop plugged into the front 12V socket below the radio in the dash.  I used the laptop every day and it apparently took down my chassis battery enough that the LTV would not start when we got ready leave. I was unaware that sometime after 2009 Mercedez stopped letting upfitters connect to the chassis battery with anything, even a charger. My 2009 Roadtrek on a Sprinter did charge the chassis battery when on shore power, my 2016 LTV does not.

After some research, my solution to this was to purchase a TRIK-L-Start from LSL Products for about $60. . 

I installed this device under the left dinette seat and have not had any problems since.