Solar Charging of Chassis Batteries

[Coma]

It appears that my new to me MH has no chassis battery charger. The solar charger has apparently been keeping them topped off until the snow shut off the sunlight.

The right rear Electrical bay has a battery maintainer that is apparently used by the solar charger. Yes/No?

If yes, can I use house 12v power to use the maintainer to charge the chassis batteries. What will the effect on the solar system be when the sun comes out?

The echo charger I've seen recommended seems the easiest way to go absent using the maintainer.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

After I get the chassis batteries charged I will be measuring some voltages for a follow up.

TIA!

-Jim

[Shadowcatche]

This is a bit confusing. A battery maintainer should be 110 AC powered to keep battery up. A converter converts 110Ac TO 12V usually maintains the battery as part of that process. A solar controller will charge the batteries.

Homework for you, look up the manuals for each of these items (often available from the manufacturers on their web site) and gain familiarity.
What I would have to do to answer your question would be to know the brand and model of each component and unless I am already familiar with it look it up.

[Robi.1014]

"The right rear Electrical bay has a battery maintainer that is apparently used by the solar charger. Yes/No?"
> Yes (possibly). My 04-Dip came with a MorningStar (brand) solar regulator. But the factory only had the regulator charging the house batteries. After some internet research, I discovered that the regulator could also be attached to a second bank of batts ... which I did.

>What will the effect on the solar system be when the sun comes out?
When the RV is attached to AC input (genset or shorepower), your Inverter charges the house batts. The solar regulator "sees" this inverter-charging action and essentially stops any current flow from the solar panel into the house battery bank. No harm, no foul.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?
Per my first paragraph, your current solar panel/regulator can "maintain" both banks, possibly. But, as you say, the sun is not with us sometimes. When my RV is in storage, I use the disconnect switches (for house- and chassis- banks) because I've learned that there is some amount of residual current-draw inside the RV ... and that the solar panel can't keep up with this current drain. Using the disconnects remedied this problem. Now: If you're attached to AC power, you'll just need to figure out how to charge both banks (or "maintain" both banks) at the same time. There are other threads on this describing battery isolators and the like.

[Wanabee FTer]

If your solar installation does not have a diode in line or has a shorted diode, the blocked solar panels will discharge the batteries. Some solar systems are wired directly to the batteries and are not affected by the remote battery disconnect. There may be a separate disconnect for the solar system.

[DtBt]

Look in your RR compartment R bottom corner and see if you have a green module with a green LED. That is a circuit that keeps the chassis battery charged from your inverter charger on your house batteries. If the LED is lit it at least thinks it is working.

[The Danes Are Coming]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robi.1014 Now: If you're attached to AC power, you'll just need to figure out how to charge both banks (or "maintain" both banks) at the same time.

The $50 Trik-L-Start is designed to do exactly that. There are also other makes doing this.

[Coma]

Good thoughts all, thank you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DtBt Look in your RR compartment R bottom corner and see if you have a green module with a green LED. That is a circuit that keeps the chassis battery charged from your inverter charger on your house batteries. If the LED is lit it at least thinks it is working.

I have one of these, but the green led is not lit. Thank you for the tip. As LED's fail how would I test it. This module says battery maintainer and output should be above 13.0 for house and chassis, is that correct? Does this Module have a fuse? Where would it be?

Tsk, so many questions.

[DtBt]

LED's rarely fail. The fuse is where to start. You have a Lambert LE-415 battery maintainer. The LED will go off if it thinks the chassis battery is dead or fully charged or house battery is low. Check the voltage on both sides and verify you have a good ground. I'm not sure where the fuse is. I'll look at mine today and get back to you. It could be in that same compartment in one of those covered fuse holder.

[Coma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DtBt LED's rarely fail. The fuse is where to start. You have a Lambert LE-415 battery maintainer. The LED will go off if it thinks the chassis battery is dead or fully charged or house battery is low. Check the voltage on both sides and verify you have a good ground. I'm not sure where the fuse is. I'll look at mine today and get back to you. It could be in that same compartment in one of those covered fuse holder.

Thank you for the info! It will save me a lot of time.

[Downsizer]

2000 Windsor here.... the original solar controller in bathroom before bedroom had 5 wires to it... and charged both house and chassis batteries.... also in the RR electrical compartment are a fuse for each... 5 amp chassis and 30 for house.... be sure they are good and you have 5 wires to controller... if only 4 (had to replace mine - new only has four)... the chassis battery is not being charged by the solar controller... only the house batteries....

[Coma]

Thank you everyone for your help. The Lambert battery maintainer is bad according to the test procedure. I will replace it with a Trik-l-Start.

[Bob (WA0MQE)]

I too found out on our recently purchased '06 Camelot since it did not have the solar option for the chassis batteries these batteries would discharge after awhile while sitting in a campground to the point I couldn't crank the engine. Apparently there is no charging system to maintain the chassis batteries while plugged in. (I may have something else wrong, causing an excess of battery drain) but in the interim I opted for something else.

I installed a BatteryMinder BatteryMINDer® Plus 12 Volt 1.33 Amp Charger-Maintainer-Conditioner (Desulfator) | All | Battery Chargers by BatteryMINDers.com
Charger permanently. These units are designed to be left hooked up all the time. They will not overcharge the battery/s. Although if the moho is left in storage or left unplugged for a length of time, it's recommended to unhook it from the batteries because it does pull a bit of current from the batteries while unplugged from AC power.

[Coma]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob (WA0MQE) I too found out on our recently purchased '06 Camelot since it did not have the solar option for the chassis batteries these batteries would discharge after awhile while sitting in a campground to the point I couldn't crank the engine. Apparently there is no charging system to maintain the chassis batteries while plugged in. (I may have something else wrong, causing an excess of battery drain) but in the interim I opted for something else. I installed a BatteryMinder BatteryMINDer® Plus 12 Volt 1.33 Amp Charger-Maintainer-Conditioner (Desulfator) | All | Battery Chargers by BatteryMINDers.com Charger permanently. These units are designed to be left hooked up all the time. They will not overcharge the battery/s. Although if the moho is left in storage or left unplugged for a length of time, it's recommended to unhook it from the batteries because it does pull a bit of current from the batteries while unplugged from AC power.

I have one of these for my back up generator. Very nice product.

For me it was a value decision. Lambert replacement was near $200 shipped, the Xantrex unit was ~$120 and the Trik-l-Charger was $53 shipped. The first two charge at 15 amp the last at 5 amp. I will install near the the same location as the Lambert since the correct connections are present.