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Old 05-19-2018, 08:05 PM   #1
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Charging coach batteries

Just a quick question which I have to admit I am embarrassed some by not knowing the answer.

Does the engine while running charge the coach batteries in my 2005 Travel Supreme 38 foot motor home. If not, then by toggling the battery boost rocker switch on the drivers left to the on position, would that then charge the coach batteries. I know this was this case in my Winnebego Adventurer that I used to own, but not sure how this Travel Supreme is wired.

Thank you so much in advance for any input.

Lou Renshaw
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Old 05-19-2018, 09:27 PM   #2
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Think you will find there are two schools of thought on your question. On mine the battery boost switch is spring loaded and not maintained. Rather than take the time to do all the checks to confirm if mine did or not I installed a Trick-L-Start. https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Ultra...-p/tls-oem.htm Now I am sure mine does and secure in knowing that a failure of one battery won't drain all batteries as it would if I used the battery boost switch to connect all batteries.
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Old 05-19-2018, 09:38 PM   #3
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On our Tiffin Phaeton the same solenoid that provides the boost switch function of tying the house and chassis banks together also is activated when the ignition key is switched on - thus enabling the engine alternator to charge the house batteries as well as the chassis batteries.

You can prove if your house batteries are being charged by the alternator. Check house battery bank voltage with no charging active. Then start the engine. If charging the voltage should increase by about 1 volt. No change = not charging.
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Old 05-19-2018, 09:51 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vsheetz View Post
...
You can prove if your house batteries are being charged by the alternator. Check house battery bank voltage with no charging active. Then start the engine. If charging the voltage should increase by about 1 volt. No change = not charging.
IF the coach is not plugged in to shore power when you do the test and IF the coach battery voltage is less than the alternator is putting out the voltage check will be accurate.

The selling point for me on the Trick-L-Start is it will allow the alternator to charge the house batteries and has the capability to charge the chassis batteries through the coach battery charger. (You'll have to read the definitions on the Trick-L-STart page to understand how it does this magic trick!) Keeps my chassis batteries from draining when I have coach stored in the barn over the winter.
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Old 05-20-2018, 12:40 AM   #5
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IF the coach is not plugged in to shore power when you do the test and IF the coach battery voltage is less than the alternator is putting out the voltage check will be accurate.

The selling point for me on the Trick-L-Start is it will allow the alternator to charge the house batteries and has the capability to charge the chassis batteries through the coach battery charger. (You'll have to read the definitions on the Trick-L-STart page to understand how it does this magic trick!) Keeps my chassis batteries from draining when I have coach stored in the barn over the winter.
Your Trik l start device is not bi-directional. It only charges the chassis battery IF the house batteries are being charged. This is not the OPs question.

As mentioned, start your engine ( no shore or generator power ) and check for an increase in voltage on the house batteries.

Some MHs close the solenoid by ignition switch being on and others use voltage sensing controllers.

With voltage sensing controls, it may take some time for the solenoid to close. The controller assures that the chassis battery is at the proper charging voltage before adding in the house battery charging.

In most systems, the charging solenoid, called the isolation solenoid, doubles as the boost solenoid. It is controlled by the dash switch and automaticly. If you don't get the increase in voltage automaticly or while holding the boost switch, the solenoid may not be closing or has bad internal contacts, a common issue. If you hear it activating and not connecting, its bad.
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Old 05-20-2018, 01:57 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rag_ftw View Post
IF the coach is not plugged in to shore power when you do the test and IF the coach battery voltage is less than the alternator is putting out the voltage check will be accurate.

The selling point for me on the Trick-L-Start is it will allow the alternator to charge the house batteries and has the capability to charge the chassis batteries through the coach battery charger. (You'll have to read the definitions on the Trick-L-STart page to understand how it does this magic trick!) Keeps my chassis batteries from draining when I have coach stored in the barn over the winter.
Yes. I commented to measure with no charging active. This would of course include shore power - and generator.

The alternator should be putting out a higher voltage than the resting house batteries...

The Trik L Start doesn't work both ways. Its for maintaing the chassis batteries in a storage scenario by using a bit of the charging that is occurring to the house batteries. Its very good for this job. But not the issue the OP is trying to address.

Thanks.
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Old 05-20-2018, 03:20 AM   #7
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Simple test...when you press the boost switch, you should hear the solenoid "clunk." Start up and give it a minute, then press the boost switch...do you still hear a clunk? If so, no, the engine is not charging the house. If not...the solenoid is already engaged and charging the house.

If you have a dash voltmeter, when you start up, after a few seconds, you will see the voltmeter "quiver." That would be the house being connected and the alternator's voltage regulator adjusting for the increased load.

Finally, even if you only have a 4 LED battery condition on your tank panel, the top LED is not "full" it is CHARGING and will only light if your converter or engine alternator is putting voltage to the house bank.

Voltage over 13 volts means you are charging.

Virtually all RVs charge the house from the engine, a little fewer charge the engine battery from the house. You don't need to add something. If its broke...fix it!
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Old 05-20-2018, 07:43 AM   #8
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My 06 TS Select has a BIRD that makes the process more complicated. If the OP's coach has one...$5 says it does...then starting the engine and checking voltages to house batteries will probably not prove anything.

I'm not certain how it works, but the BIRD controls when each set of batteries gets charged, and will only charge one set sometimes, and then charge the other for a certain amount of time, etc.
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Old 05-20-2018, 08:09 AM   #9
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Lou,

On my TS the engine charges the coach batteries via the boost solenoid. As noted above, the best way to check if your setup is the same and operating properly is to measure the coach battery voltage with the engine running and shore power off.
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Old 05-20-2018, 08:18 AM   #10
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Thanks guys, for correcting my error. If I had followed my advice about reading the specs I would have discovered trick-l-start doesn't posses all the "magic" i gave it credt for!

Another way to check is with your Xantrex control panel. In the morning my battery condition indicator usually has the yellow light. After a days driving the green light will be illuminated.

I do stand by my original statement that the OPs question will ellict numerous differnt answers. Your best advice is to get an answer from someone who has the same year and model coach as yours, (Sailor Lou). It will vary between models of the same manufacturer!
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Old 05-20-2018, 08:30 AM   #11
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Quote:
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My 06 TS Select has a BIRD that makes the process more complicated. If the OP's coach had one...$5 says it does...then starting the engine and checking voltages to house batteries will probably not prove anything.

I'm not certain how it works, but the BIRD controls when each set of batteries gets charged, and will only charge one set sometimes, and then charge the other for a certain amount of time, etc.
That's not how a BIRD works.

Your alternator will always charge your chassis battery. The electronic controls, headlights and most other accessories depend on steady voltage.

The BIRD , ( Bi-directional Isolation Relay with Delay ) senses charging voltage from the chassis battery and connects in the house batteries, charging all of them together, like any MH.
The Bi-directional part comes in play when your on shore or generator power. Once your house batteries start charging and come up to 13.4 volts, the BIRD connects the house batteries to the chassis batteries and they all charge together.
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Old 05-20-2018, 08:51 AM   #12
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Bird...BCC...all the same. These things are not rocket science. There are some designs that will stop charging the house battery when its voltage rises to a certain point and then only start charging again when the house drops below a lower voltage threshold.

My comments are still valid. If you can, check the voltage with a meter, otherwise you can do any of the methods that I suggested, including the missing "clunk."
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Old 05-20-2018, 09:25 AM   #13
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As Robert (rag ftw) pointed out, every rig is different. I know with the TS line even models of the same year are often configured differently. Start by measuring the voltage at the batteries after the engine has been running for awhile and the chassis batteries have been fully charged. Good luck.
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