Charging and checking batteries

[sflabrkr]

My house batteries are about a 1 1/2 years old.
I want to check them with a hydrometer.
Here's where I'm confused. I have 6 6volt batteries.
Since my RV is not plugged in I want to hook up a battery charger to it.
I'm not sure how. If I had only 2 6volt batteries that would not be a problem.
Do I disconnect them from each other and charge them separately?

[HHIDan]

If you want to hook up a charger, I am assuming that you have access to a 120v plug nearby. Just go ahead and plug in the coach and let the on-board charger do its job.

I am assuming that your Tourmaster built on a XCR chassis probably has a system where both banks will be charged/maintained when plugged in.

If you wish to confirm then try measuring the voltage at your batteries after a couple of hours, you should see around 12.9 or more on both banks (chassis and coach).

[twinboat]

Plugging in the onboard charger would be best.

If you do want to hook up a separate charger just look for the positive and negative cables leading away from the 6 batteries. Hook the charger there.

One charger will charge them all. It is a bank of batteries, they all charge and discharge together.

[sflabrkr]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Plugging in the onboard charger would be best.
Not sure if I can. Where I'm keeping it I'm having a problem with the owner of the house. If I plug in the RV she thinks her electric bill is going to be very expensive
If you do want to hook up a separate charger just look for the positive and negative cables leading away from the 6 batteries. Hook the charger there.

One charger will charge them all. It is a bank of batteries, they all charge and discharge together.

The way my batteries are setup, there are 3 sets of 2 all connected together and there are 3 sets of cables going into the RV.

[twinboat]

Send a picture, we can point out the connection points.

[JumboJet2]

[JumboJet2]

...and you have to figure out the routing and connection of all the cables. My coach has cables to/from the Inverter/Charger and cables to the Coach 12 volt Load Center.

[sflabrkr]

Originally Posted by JumboJet2

...and you have to figure out the routing and connection of all the cables. My coach has cables to/from the Inverter/Charger and cables to the Coach 12 volt Load Center.

I have 3 sets of cables going from the batteries to the coach.
I understand series/parallel. I don't understand tying them together and then separating them with 3 sets of cables going into the coach

[sflabrkr]

Originally Posted by JumboJet2

why can't I connect it to where the leads come out. just asking

[twinboat]

You can.

I would think the cables are 3 of the following.

#1 Cable to inverter/charger.

#2 Cable to 12 volt house loads.

#3 cable to isolator solenoid.

#4 cable to generator if not hooked to chassis battery.

[sflabrkr]

Originally Posted by twinboat

You can.

I would think the cables are 3 of the following.

#1 Cable to inverter/charger.

#2 Cable to 12 volt house loads.

#3 cable to isolator solenoid.

#4 cable to generator if not hooked to chassis battery.

This makes sense

[dpinvidic]

Originally Posted by sflabrkr

This makes sense

All three sets "should" come from the same point on the battery.

3 black leads should be connected together and the three red leads should be connected together.

Don't be confused by two cables going to one negative terminal, the third negative cable going to a different terminal.....as long as the is a cable tying these two together.

Regards,

Dan

[twinboat]

They may have used this arangment, rather then stacking 3 large cables plus a jumper, to the other batteries, on 1 post.

The best setup would be 2 ( + & - ) buss bars with equal length cables.

[sflabrkr]

Originally Posted by dpinvidic

All three sets "should" come from the same point on the battery.

3 black leads should be connected together and the three red leads should be connected together.

Don't be confused by two cables going to one negative terminal, the third negative cable going to a different terminal.....as long as the is a cable tying these two together.

Regards,

Dan

That's not it. each pair of batteries have a set of cables going into the coach