06 Tropical Battery Charging

[Don and Kim]

In the process of replacing the original house batteries which had a date of code 2003.(Appears the starting batteries were replaced a year after the coach was made and they're hanging in there ok) I was reading the Xantrex (2000 W inverter) battery charging manual and they do not recommend connecting the starting batteries to the charging circuit. Our coach is apparently wired this way since the starting batteries are always charged if we're plugged in. If I followed their direction and didn't connect the starting batteries, how would they stay charged? The only means to recharge them would be to run the engine so the alternator would charge them. Curious how your DP is wired?

[Dmreese1]

Don,

My 05 Tropical is wired the same as yours, my start batteries charge with the house batteries. I have only owned the MH a little over a year but I have had no issues with this setup. We stay in place usually 3-6 weeks and then do a little traveling.

If you re-wire this you will have to put in a separate charger system for the start batteries if you want them to charge.

[wa8yxm]

A lot depends on the isolator system... On my coach the starting batteries are connected once teh hosue batteries are charged, and heaven forbid the house system shorts out .. the chassis system is very quickly DISconnected so it is not run down.

I think most of the systems that do this are like that

Strange that Xantrex does not recommend the dual-charge systems.. They make one (The Echo Charge) that, I might add, also works like this, Kicks in when the house is near full and drops out if the house runs down too far.

[Don and Kim]

Thanks for the comments so far. I did some troubleshooting and noticed that the coach/chassis battery solenoid is pulled in. There's currently no coach batteries in the unit and I shut off the coach disconnect switch. Why would the aux solenoid be pulled in? It would seem to me that this would cause the chassis batteries to drain quicker. I pulled the connector on the BCC (battery control board) and the aux solenoid continues to have voltage on it so its not a wiring problem or a stuck "emerg start switch". I suppose it could be a defective BCC, but trying to see if this normal operation. I'll try to find a schematic for the BCC, it has a drawing # of 130325-1.
Don

[Don and Kim]

Update, I called RV Custom Products and they immediately emailed the wiring diagrams along w/a 2 page doc that explains the battery charging circuitry. It does seem ours is working according to the way it was designed. Depending on the battery voltage of either chassis or coach, the batteries will be jumpered together. If there's a way to post the schematics and the troubleshooting doc I'd be glad to post them.
Don

[two2go]

I'm guessing National RV did not vary much in systems design between all their coach models. My Dolphin seems to work like described above. Whenever I check the battery voltages while hooked up to AC or after driving, they are pretty much the same. I have a 60w solar panel that charges through the original solar wiring, and even in storage for a couple of months and the battery disconnect enabled, all batteries are charged the same. It's magic!