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Old 09-06-2018, 11:18 PM   #15
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13.8 or 13.3Vdc depending on which gauge you trust with the motor running seems low, but not a lot of experience with DP voltage regulators. Just saying.

13.4Vdc on shore power is reasonable.
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Old 09-10-2018, 09:20 PM   #16
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House Batteries Not Charging While Driving

Sorry about not getting back to everyone for the last 4 days. We have been in Mesa Verde National Park and there was no cell service or WIFI. Anyway, When we arrived in Albuquerque today I measured the voltage on the batteries before hooking up to shore power. This was after driving for 5 hours. The voltage on the chassis batteries was 14.2. The next item in line was the Solenoid, input side was 14.2, output side was 14.2. The fuse was next and it was 14.2 (both input side and output side). Then measured the house batteries and they were 13.7. I then measured the voltage on the purple wire (on the solenoid) and there was no voltage??? Didn't measure the the other small wire on the solenoid. The Xantrex showed no charging while driving, but the battery state was 90% charged when I got to my destination.
With no voltage on the purple wire on the solenoid it would seem that the solenoid was bad but there is ample voltage going through the solenoid to charge the batteries. I still have a couple checks to make in the morning.
Still confused. Thanks to all for your knowledge and wisdom.
Don
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Old 09-10-2018, 10:15 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by dongenesse View Post
Still confused. Thanks to all for your knowledge and wisdom.
Don
I have the same issue but I know the problem. My BIRD is not getting any voltage from the 'ignition' lead.

While I am figuring this out, I put a beer bottle cap under the ' battery boost' switch if house batteries need to charged while driving. Not an issue because I still have a propane frig.

Just remember to take the cap our when the engine is not running.

Another issue is dying batteries.


Just had a battery explode on my boat. It was on its 8th season. It would not hold a charge to run the depth sounder for 4 hours. Since it has not been used recently I put in on a battery charger. Normally I use solar PV to maintain both batteries.

Either battery should start the engine. When I turned the the key on the dying batter it self destructed. My ears have stopped ringing.

On my MH, checking the BIRD or boost solenoid put your eye in the wrong place if you have a hydrogen explosion in the battery.

Wear safety glasses and have water for an eye wash.

I was talking to a battery guy who wanted to wait until the compartment had time for any possible hydrogen to vent on a MH. The MH owner said he was in a hurry and would not it himself. Boom.
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Old 09-13-2018, 06:29 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by dongenesse View Post
Sorry about not getting back to everyone for the last 4 days. We have been in Mesa Verde National Park and there was no cell service or WIFI. Anyway, When we arrived in Albuquerque today I measured the voltage on the batteries before hooking up to shore power. This was after driving for 5 hours. The voltage on the chassis batteries was 14.2. The next item in line was the Solenoid, input side was 14.2, output side was 14.2. The fuse was next and it was 14.2 (both input side and output side). Then measured the house batteries and they were 13.7. I then measured the voltage on the purple wire (on the solenoid) and there was no voltage??? Didn't measure the the other small wire on the solenoid. The Xantrex showed no charging while driving, but the battery state was 90% charged when I got to my destination.
With no voltage on the purple wire on the solenoid it would seem that the solenoid was bad but there is ample voltage going through the solenoid to charge the batteries. I still have a couple checks to make in the morning.
Still confused. Thanks to all for your knowledge and wisdom.
Don

If your system uses an isolator, like in my 03 Dynasty, measuring voltages on both battery banks with engine running after that long drive should show the same 14+v at both. (Isolator is (Isolator is a ColeHersee 48160, like the one mentioned by @ElvistheKing.) I've had my isolator go twice in the 13 or so years I've had the coach.

If your system uses time delay relays the results may be different.
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Old 09-13-2018, 07:19 AM   #19
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Originally Posted by dongenesse View Post
Sorry about not getting back to everyone for the last 4 days. We have been in Mesa Verde National Park and there was no cell service or WIFI. Anyway, When we arrived in Albuquerque today I measured the voltage on the batteries before hooking up to shore power. This was after driving for 5 hours. The voltage on the chassis batteries was 14.2. The next item in line was the Solenoid, input side was 14.2, output side was 14.2. The fuse was next and it was 14.2 (both input side and output side). Then measured the house batteries and they were 13.7. I then measured the voltage on the purple wire (on the solenoid) and there was no voltage??? Didn't measure the the other small wire on the solenoid. The Xantrex showed no charging while driving, but the battery state was 90% charged when I got to my destination.
With no voltage on the purple wire on the solenoid it would seem that the solenoid was bad but there is ample voltage going through the solenoid to charge the batteries. I still have a couple checks to make in the morning.
Still confused. Thanks to all for your knowledge and wisdom.
Don
If there is no voltage on the purple wire, its not the solenoid that's bad.

The purple wire sends voltage TO the solenoid, making it close.

Did you do this test with the engine running ?
If the engine was off, the control would not send voltage to the purple wire. The solenoid will only be closed if something is charging the batteries.
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Old 09-13-2018, 07:22 AM   #20
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Here is some info.Click image for larger version

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Old 09-15-2018, 04:26 AM   #21
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Monaco usually uses an IRD or BIRD system to connect the two strings together when the engine is running. It delays the bridging of the batteries until the chassis batteries reach a fully charged state.


The physical connection is thru a solenoid. Either a Trombetta (IRD) or a Big Boy (BIRD). This is the same solenoid used by the "battery boost" switch.

Both solenoids are infamous for contact failure. Try to locate the solenoid and with the engine running check to see if there is a difference in voltage on each side of it. Also you should be able to check the control (small wires) to see if it is receiving 12 volts. If the solenoid is energized (12v present) but different voltages the contacts are bad. If the 12v is not present it is possibly the IRD/BIRD circuit.


Another way to check is to engage the battery boost and check to see if there is a difference in voltage on each side of it.


Good Luck
I have a 2004 Camelot and it has the IRD set-up just like Dial described above. It also works just as he described.
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Old 09-15-2018, 07:52 PM   #22
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Twinboat...Are you assuming my coach has the ird or bird system? Cause I have no clue.
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Old 09-15-2018, 07:56 PM   #23
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Also, you say if chassis bats are depleted (which they are down to 11.6) it will chg up to that voltage. My chassis bats don’t charge through shore power, unless you’re talking about the alternator.
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Old 08-13-2019, 10:38 AM   #24
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Thumbs up House Batteries Not Charging While Driving

I would like to thank everyone that provided input to my problem of the house batteries not charging while I am driving. After a lot of troubleshooting for the last year I have finally fixed the problem. The first problem I found was a couple wires from the alternator were laying against the exhaust manifold. Needless to say that was an issue. Fixed that and I thought I was home free (NOT). After a lot of discussion on this forum I learned how the BIRD works. I was troubleshooting the IRD in the front electronics compartment (that is where the purple wire goes that was a issue from the relay in the battery compartment). The IRD had voltage coming out of it. From that connector it went to the circuit board, then out of a connector that is soldered to the circuit board to the left of The IRD. I did not have any voltage on the back side of that connector. Took the connector off the fixed side and there was voltage coming out of the connector (circuit board side). The removable side has male pins with a slit in the pin. I carefully spread the pin open a little and connected it back to the female side of the connector. Wala, there was now voltage on the back side of the connector. Went to the battery compartment and the purple wire now had the 12 volts on it and the relay was closed. The voltage from the alternator was 13.9 on the chassis side and the same on the house side. The real proof was the next day when changed locations (a 2.5 hours drive). When we arrived at the next campground I checked my monitor panel and the battery was at 100% charged. For the past year, once we arrived at the next destination the battery was usually down considerably depending how long we drove. Happy camper again. Thanks again to everyone.
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