Community Forums

johnsonjm209 · 01-27-2011, 06:03 PM

2003 HR Ford V10 gas

If I am driving on a hot day and I want to turn on my house a/c, I put my generator on and use the a/c.

If I go to sleep on a cold night (not hooked up to anything and my motor off) I turn on my furnace and it keeps me warm at night. It runs off of my house batteries. In the morning I start the m/h up and continue driving. How do my house batteries recover while I am running on the road. Does my Chassis generator have anything to do with this? I have been doing this for years night after night for about 2 - 3 nights and it just ocurred to me that I don't know what I am doing???? My panel shows my batteries are fine.
Show me how dumb I am.

**JohnRR** · 01-27-2011, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsonjm209

it just ocurred to me that I don't know what I am doing

Well I'm very happy to read I'm not the only one...

"007" · 01-27-2011, 06:41 PM

Maybe its your alternator than maybe its something else. READ THIS

fletch460 · 01-27-2011, 07:33 PM

Joe, if your unit is like most others and your gen is running you are going thru the converter and therefore charging house batts. Please dont tell me I gave you bad info.

Fletch

johnsonjm209 · 01-28-2011, 06:55 AM

I may have mislead you.

When I turn off the heat in the a.m. and drive away I am not using the generator, nor did I use it at night with the furnace on.

I do this on my way South (3 weeks to go) and then on the way back North again.

I have to believe that the furnace is running off of the house batteries. Maybe the alternator is recharging them?

max49 · 01-28-2011, 07:11 AM

The alternator should charge your chassis and house batteries if it's working right
Next time check your voltage before starting the engine then check again after

wa8yxm · 01-28-2011, 08:16 AM

On most motor homes there is an "interconnect" device, called an Isolator, that connects the house to the engine battery when the engine is running and charging, This way the house batteries are charged by the engine's alternator while driving.

On SOME, and I stress SOME motor homes this works both ways, connecting the engine battery to the house charger when it is charging.. But not all work this way.

But it is very common for the engine alternator to charge the house batteries.. Standard on all motor homes and most trailers as well

RickO · 01-28-2011, 08:23 AM

Yep. I'll bet you have a BIRD solenoid which will connect your chassis batteries to the coach batteries when the coach batteries need charging. Mine just went bad and had to be replaced. I was arriving in camp after traveling all day and my house batteries would be very low.

Rick

**JohnRR** · 01-28-2011, 10:43 AM

Mine definitely charges the house batteries with the engine running.

LVJ58 · 01-28-2011, 11:01 AM

Our gas powered coach is equipped with an "Intellitec Battery Control Center" which houses 2 battery disconnect solenoids and 1 isolator solenoid. When voltage from any charging source (engine alternator; converter and/or solar panel) reaches 13.3vdc the isolator solenoid activates and bridges both coach & chassis batteries so they receive charging voltage.

GaryKD · 01-28-2011, 11:15 AM

Hi johnsonjm209,
Manufacturers have different ways to charge the house batteries, from different charging sources. Some have been described in this thread. The best thing for you is to look at the coach documentation, contact the manufacturer or find someone who has a coach like yours. Then you will know how your coach works.

johnsonjm209 · 01-28-2011, 05:35 PM

A wealth of information. Thanks a lot. Now I understand the possibilities that could exist.
Back to sleep in the rest area with a nice heated house.
I like conveniences.

Thanks again.

Old Bounder · 01-31-2011, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsonjm209

I may have mislead you.

When I turn off the heat in the a.m. and drive away I am not using the generator, nor did I use it at night with the furnace on.

I do this on my way South (3 weeks to go) and then on the way back North again.

I have to believe that the furnace is running off of the house batteries. Maybe the alternator is recharging them?

When you are driving, the alternator definitely charges both your chassis and your house batteries. That has been standard in ALL motorhomes for many many years.

What is NOT standard, is whether or not your chassis battery charges from the converter when plugged into shore power or running your generator.
Some do, some don't.

All Fleetwood coaches, since the early '90s, are designed to charge both battery banks from any available source. They have a circuit controlled solenoid in the BCC that does the job, but it sometimes fails after several years.

johnsonjm209 · 02-01-2011, 07:21 AM

Hi Loulong,
Thanks to you and others for the info. I do know that my converter does not charge my chassis battery. I have been monitoring my batteries and found that the chassis battery went down to under 12v. I put it on a charger and bumped it up to 12.5. I left it on a bench and checked it daily. It dropped down to under 12 again. Not bad though for an 8 yr old battery. Out it comes and in with a new one.

By the way you are the first person that mentions (correctly) the "converter" instead of an "inverter". A couple of years ago, I called the factory with a question about it and he re-inforced to me that it was a "converter".

It works well so far.