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RichardSmith · 02-28-2013, 07:48 PM

We just purchased this very nice 2000 Beaver Contessa coach. We just sold our 1999 Hoilday Rambler Endeavor. . and wanted to take a step up. The question I have is that this coach has what they call an Echo Charger. We were told it is suppose to charge both engine and house batteries equally when pluged in to ac outlet. It seems to work fine but over charges the house batteries and you can hear the batteries sizzle. My last coach had the same inverter/charger as this coach but no echo charger, never had this kind of problem with it. Why do we need the echo charger if the inverter does the charging. If you have any info. that can enlighten me on this subject it would be appriciated. THANK YOU

RV Wizard · 03-01-2013, 02:40 AM

Hello Richard and

We are glad to have you join us here and we look forward to reading of your adventures and experiences. Congratulations on the new to you Beaver. I am sure you will enjoy the website and forums. Good luck, stay safe and keep us posted.
More than likely you have a bad cell in the house battery. I would suggest you have all of them checked out and if need be invest in a new set for the house side of things. In order to keep the chassis battery(s) charged the one design the Beaver has is the use of the Echo charger. If you remove it, the chassis battery will only get charged with the drive engine running.

LJ2654 · 03-01-2013, 06:21 AM

Hi Richard, I see you got an answer while I was getting ready to answer you. It is correct. I purchased a 2001 Beaver Contessa Naples DBL slide in January 2012. Any other questions on anything please respond and will be more than happy to help out.

Gary RVRoamer · 03-01-2013, 08:32 AM

The Xantrex Echo Charger simply makes the house charging source (your inverter) available to the chassis batteries as well. It is not a charger itself and does not charge the house batteries. As RV Wizrd says, you undoubtedly have at least one bad cell in a house battery, which is triggering the inverter/charger to keep trying to charge a battery that cannot be fully charged. A battery test should easily identify the culprit, but you probably need a whole new set of batteries anyway.

zmotorsports · 03-01-2013, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gary RVRoamer

The Xantrex Echo Charger simply makes the house charging source (your inverter) available to the chassis batteries as well. It is not a charger itself and does not charge the house batteries. As RV Wizrd says, you undoubtedly have at least one bad cell in a house battery, which is triggering the inverter/charger to keep trying to charge a battery that cannot be fully charged. A battery test should easily identify the culprit, but you probably need a whole new set of batteries anyway.

^^This. The Xantrex Echo Charger is not a charger per say, it merely allows some of the current that is being delivered to the house batteries from the battery charger/inverter to also be delivered to the chassis batteries while plugged in to shore power. It senses the condition of charge on the chassis battery and if determined it needs current then the Echo Charger will simply switch on and allow current to flow into the chassis battery. It does this without effecting the house battery bank.

I would also look towards a bad cell in the house bank. Also look at the age of all of the batteries in the house bank. Don't change just one as batteries when hooked into a bank seem to "seek" the condition of their weakest link. If you have on old one and three new ones that older one will literally suck life out of the newer ones.

Mike.