Southwind Trickle Charger

[Ottawa]

I have a 99 Southwind 32V, in which I have added a Trickle Charger as the chassis battery was running down when in storage. I now have noticed the following. When I use the two battery disconnect switches that the chassis battery discharges, and the Trickle Charger indicates that it is charging the chassis battery. Yet when I do not use the disconnect switches the chassis battery maintains a higher voltage and the Trickle Charger indicates that it is in maintenance mode. This seems counterintuitive.

[Gary RVRoamer]

Your Southwind should have its own system for charging the chassis battery from the converter/charger that handles the house batteries. Every Fleetwood Class A I have even seen had such a system. With the battery disconnect engaged, you are isolating the battery form the onboard charging system, so the trickle charger does its thing. With the battery disconnect in normal operating psoition, the house charger should be supplying voltage & current to the chassis battery as needed.

[Ottawa]

That assumes you have an external power supply. In my case even with an external power supply it still does not charge the chassis battery. My main problem is when the MH is being stored with only the solar panel working.

[Gary RVRoamer]

You said you added a trickle charger, so I figured you had power for that. Is it a solar trickle? How much amperage does it put out in full sun?

You have something wrong if your chassis battery doesn't charge when you have external power and the disconnect switch is in normal position. Your coach should have a control board and solenoids that handle that chore for you.