House, Chassis battery relay

[jaywolf]

I have 2000 Tradewinds, DSDP From what I can tell the connecting relay between the four 6 volt coach batteries and the two 12 volt House batteries has them connected all the time.

When should this relay be closed and when should it be open?

I know it should be close when you push the boost button on the dash.

Does it close when you are hooked up to 120 volts to charge both sets of batteries from shore power?

Does it close when you are running the generator to charge both sets of batteries from the diesel generator?

Does it close when you are driving down the road to charge both sets of batteries from the alternator ?

[mrk]

Jay, I believe the relay closes whenever either set of batteries, house or chassis, has voltage exceeding 12.20 volts. In other words, both batteries will be charged/discharged/utilized in unison until voltage drops below 12.2 volts. The relay then opens, probably so you don't run down the chassis batteries.

[Skip426]

If your battery system has a BIRD relay ( sometimes called a Big Boy ) the only time it will be open is when the coach is parked , engine off , with no shore or get set power being supplied.
Info on two different , battery interconnect systems , are in this file , along with other battery system info.

[jaywolf]

Originally Posted by mrk

Jay, I believe the relay closes whenever either set of batteries, house or chassis, has voltage exceeding 12.20 volts. In other words, both batteries will be charged/discharged/utilized in unison until voltage drops below 12.2 volts. The relay then opens, probably so you don't run down the chassis batteries.

That would explain why it seems like it is always closed with my new batteries.


Skip, Thanks for PDF the explains everything.

[jaywolf]

When I got my 2000 Tradewinds one of the circuits on the inverter/converter was disconnected (un-wired). The wire to the kitchen sink was there but disconnected and I found wire was shorted.
I pulled in a new romex wire to the GFI at the kitchen sink. I need a wiring diagram of how this should be wired to the GFI. I wired it as I thought it should, but something is not right. The inverter works fine boondocking but when I plug the coach in to shore power after a while the inverter flashed over heat. The only way I can get it out of overheat is disconnection all power to it 12 volt and 120.

It works fine with just to GFI at the bathroom sink on, so it is something I wired at the kitchen sink on that GFI.

A wiring diagram would be greatly appreciated.

[Skip426]

Jay ; do I understand that the inverter will default to over heat , even if there are no loads on the kitchen GFI Circuit; when on shore power. But everything functions properly while the inverter is producing power from the batteries.

This could be an indication of internal problems with the inverter, maybe the charge side of the inverter is an issue , or the internal transfer switch isn't sending the shore power through the unit the way it should.

Could you add the inverter , make and model to the post , perhaps we can come up with a troubleshooting guide.

One thing I did find when I had to replace a GFIC outlet in my coach was , that the original and replacement had different place to hook the incoming wiring , so you have to be very careful to read the fine print on both to hook them up correctly.

EDIT: Just in case this is your inverter , I'll attach this file , from your description , I believe your inverter install would be option 5.

[twinboat]

Originally Posted by mrk

Jay, I believe the relay closes whenever either set of batteries, house or chassis, has voltage exceeding 12.20 volts. In other words, both batteries will be charged/discharged/utilized in unison until voltage drops below 12.2 volts. The relay then opens, probably so you don't run down the chassis batteries.

All BIRD and other type voltage sensing relays close and connect the 2 battery banks at 13.2 to 13.4 volts, not 12.2 volts.
12.2 volts is a low battery. 12.6 is a charged battery.

[twinboat]

To the OP;

Do you have one of these in near the solenoid ?

If you do, the boost relay should only be closed if you hold the switch. It is not for full time charging.

[mrk]

Originally Posted by twinboat

All BIRD and other type voltage sensing relays close and connect the 2 battery banks at 13.2 to 13.4 volts, not 12.2 volts.
12.2 volts is a low battery. 12.6 is a charged battery.

Oops, you are right. Thanks for correcting my faux pas.

Jay, my kitchen GFI does not run when on inverter, but works fine on 120Vac. I'll be following this thread and maybe I can get mine operating, too. I wonder if this is a common problem with Tradewinds?

[chboone]

Originally Posted by jaywolf

I have 2000 Tradewinds, DSDP From what I can tell the connecting relay between the four 6 volt coach batteries and the two 12 volt House batteries has them connected all the time.

When should this relay be closed and when should it be open?

I know it should be close when you push the boost button on the dash.

Does it close when you are hooked up to 120 volts to charge both sets of batteries from shore power?

Does it close when you are running the generator to charge both sets of batteries from the diesel generator?

Does it close when you are driving down the road to charge both sets of batteries from the alternator ?

Give RV Custom Products a call and ask for the documentation for your Battery Control Center (BCC). Mary will email it to including the troubleshooting guide. Explains how your BCC operates and how to troubleshoot problems.

RV Custom Products
14000 Anson Ave, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
(562) 921-8353

[jaywolf]

Could you add the inverter , make and model to the post , perhaps we can come up with a troubleshooting guide.

One thing I did find when I had to replace a GFIC outlet in my coach was , that the original and replacement had different place to hook the incoming wiring , so you have to be very careful to read the fine print on both to hook them up correctly.

EDIT: Just in case this is your inverter , I'll attach this file , from your description , I believe your inverter install would be option 5.

What I have is a Xantrex 81-2022-12 Freedom 458 Inverter/Charger.

When I first put the replacement wire in I think it worked OK, But my wife overloaded the gfi and it went bad refusing to reset, I purchased a new GFI but it was larger, (in physical size) and where this is mounted with the sink behind it I did not have room for a larger box so I pig-tailed the leads to it connecting both input wires together then running the pigtail to the GFI.
What I need is a diagram of how this is supposed to be wired? One other odd thing I found is the the bathroom GFI (other Inverter circuit) and the Kitchen GFI are both on the same shore line breaker, so maybe the at disconnected wire wasn't what I thought it was? I need a wiring diagram.
I have a diagram but it just shows one line from the inverter to the GFI. I connected it to the input side of the gfi, maybe it is supposed to connect to the output side? To me it looks like the put the wires on the gfi put it in the box then mounted the box in the coach as they left zero slack in any of the wires that is what make it so hard to work with.
Maybe I need special RV GFI?

[jaywolf]

I found this RV DESIGNER Outlet, Dual GFCI w/ Cover, White 19-2407 S801 55-0849.
in an RV catalog. Note is says Dual GFCI

My I need a Dual GFCI not a GFI?

[Sbrownstein]

Here is the RV custom products information. Had one on my 1997 Bounder. Only replaced the solenoid once...not a bad job. There is a big issue on board revision, but yours should charge the chassis from the house as well as the house from the chassis.

[chboone]

Sbrownstein,
I'm sure jaywolf appreciates you posting the information. However, there are differences between the Fleetwood supplied BCC and the National RV supplied BCC.