Battery cutoffs

[mncattail]

do the battery cutoffs disconnect the batteries from the charger?

[r___r]

Hi mncattail,

Your picture isn't painted clearly enough, but, I'll take a stab at your question.

A battery disconnect disconnects connection between the positive cable and the battery post, or, a battery disconnect could disconnect two batteries connected together.

Rich

[palehorse89]

Please take the time in the "User CP" on the tool bar above top left and fill out your user profile so people know what kind of equipment you have when asking questions.
I only see we are in the vintage section........
On mine, no........batteries still charge when switch is off.

[PeterS]

Yup! Which I discovered 20 miles from home. I had a no-start in the entrance bay of the Dmv. A $300 tow later, my 2.5 year old Bosche battery was half- dead.

[nothermark]

Originally Posted by mncattail

do the battery cutoffs disconnect the batteries from the charger?

Maybe. I had one that did and one that did not. It also depends on whether you are talking the built in setup or an after market disconnect that usually kills everything.

The best thing to do is to adjust the batteries to where you can get to them. Turn the battery disconnect off. Start the unit and see if the voltage on the house batteries goes up. Repeat with the engine off and plugging in the shore power cord. Finish by checking the chassis battery with and without the shore power plugged in. Any increase in voltage is an indicator it is probably charging.

FWIW I have not seen a smaller unit that charged the chassis battery when plugged in. I see problems with the higher end units failing to charge so assume they normally do. It seems to be one of the many things one needs to find out for one's self.

That reminds me that I need to set up a charger to feed the cigarette lighter plug on the new unit. I plan on plugging it into the coach AC so that when I plug the winter cord in it tops off both battery sets. I do not trust either charger to properly float charge either battery set so I just run a cord out to the MH and plug it in overnight once a month or so. A quick look with a DMM checks the condition when the weather is OK and I get curious. ;-)

[camato5]

Does it hurt to leave the MH plugged in all winter charging the batteries? I've heard it dries the batteries and also heard it does not hurt a thing.

[nothermark]

Originally Posted by camato5

Does it hurt to leave the MH plugged in all winter charging the batteries? I've heard it dries the batteries and also heard it does not hurt a thing.

It depends what you have for a charger. If you have the basic converter charger a lot of companies put in most of their units then it cooks the batteries. IF you have a high end converter charger then it has a float mode that just keeps the batteries topped off.

The other thing to watch is the engine battery. Some units charge it in storage and many do not. You may want to add a float charger for the engine battery.

[ahicks]

Unfortunately, maybe and maybe not are the best answers to both your questions. Even if it left the factory one way or the other, the systems are very easily modified to suit the individual owners desires/needs. Bottom line, no generic answer available for your questions.

Thankfully, not hard to get the answers if you have a volt meter?