Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
RV Trip Planning Discussions

Go Back   iRV2 Forums > MOTORHOME FORUMS > MH-General Discussions & Problems
Click Here to Login
Join iRV2 Today

Mission Statement: Supporting thoughtful exchange of knowledge, values and experience among RV enthusiasts.
Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on iRV2
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 08-05-2013, 06:40 AM   #1
Senior Member
 
gmadams's Avatar
 
Thor Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Jamestown, NC
Posts: 1,579
Coach batteries not charging

On our last trip our coach batteries were not charging while driving the MH or with the generator running. They do charge when plugged in to shore power. I am new to MH ownership and need some guidance as to what to look for as to the problem.

Thanks,
Gary
__________________
Gary and Kay & Chipper
2018 Thor Tuscany 38SQ
2019 Ford Ranger XLT Super Crew
gmadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!

iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!

You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!

Old 08-05-2013, 07:04 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
bearaboo's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 325
I would first check to make sure all the cables are connected to the battery/batteries and the generator. You might just have a loose or broken wire.
bearaboo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2013, 10:06 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
gmadams's Avatar
 
Thor Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Jamestown, NC
Posts: 1,579
Fixed - it was the breaker on the generator that had tripped.
__________________
Gary and Kay & Chipper
2018 Thor Tuscany 38SQ
2019 Ford Ranger XLT Super Crew
gmadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2013, 10:59 AM   #4
Senior Member
 
ronspradley's Avatar


 
Gulf Streamers Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,790
But coach batteries should still be charging while driving MH. I cannot see how a breaker on generator would affect that?

ronspradley
__________________
'95 Monaco Windsor DP 32' Cummins 5.9
Toads '96 Tracker 4x4, '06 Honda CRV AWD
Life's too short to drink diet soda.
ronspradley is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2013, 11:28 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
gmadams's Avatar
 
Thor Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Jamestown, NC
Posts: 1,579
Good point. Guess it is back to the drawing board.
__________________
Gary and Kay & Chipper
2018 Thor Tuscany 38SQ
2019 Ford Ranger XLT Super Crew
gmadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2013, 06:12 PM   #6
Senior Member
 
GaryKD's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 13,599
What sources the coach batteries receive a charge from is unique to each manufacturer. It should not be assumed the coach batteries are charged from the engine alternator. A call to the manufacturer's customer service should solve the mystery very quickly.
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
GaryKD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2013, 06:45 PM   #7
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 502
Quote:
Originally Posted by gmadams View Post
I am new to MH ownership and need some guidance as to what to look for as to the problem.
The problem is, that you don't have the basic tools to tell you when something is working and when it isn't!

I can't imagine trying to troubleshoot the simplest of electrical puzzles without utilizing at least a simple electrical meter such as an AC/DC CLAMP meter. With a clamp meter, all you have to do to discover what's happening with your batteries, is place the clamp around one of your house battery cables. It will not only tell you if the batteries are being charged, but accurately will tell you the charging current:

MS2108 RMS DC Clamp Meter Compared W Fluke Inrush Curre | eBay
__________________
Stan Birch
1999 Winnebago Adventurer 32T Ford V-10
Stan.Birch is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-05-2013, 07:19 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
gmadams's Avatar
 
Thor Owners Club
Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Jamestown, NC
Posts: 1,579
Quote:
Originally Posted by Stan.Birch View Post
The problem is, that you don't have the basic tools to tell you when something is working and when it isn't!

I can't imagine trying to troubleshoot the simplest of electrical puzzles without utilizing at least a simple electrical meter such as an AC/DC CLAMP meter. With a clamp meter, all you have to do to discover what's happening with your batteries, is place the clamp around one of your house battery cables. It will not only tell you if the batteries are being charged, but accurately will tell you the charging current:

MS2108 RMS DC Clamp Meter Compared W Fluke Inrush Curre | eBay
Thanks for the tip. I am not the handy man that my dad was and I miss his wisdom. He could fix anything.
__________________
Gary and Kay & Chipper
2018 Thor Tuscany 38SQ
2019 Ford Ranger XLT Super Crew
gmadams is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-08-2013, 08:01 PM   #9
Senior Member
 
Old Bounder's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,636
Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryKD View Post
What sources the coach batteries receive a charge from is unique to each manufacturer. It should not be assumed the coach batteries are charged from the engine alternator. A call to the manufacturer's customer service should solve the mystery very quickly.
You can't show me a coach that was built in the last forty years that wasn't designed to charge both the chassis and house batteries from the alternator.

The same can't be said for charging both batteries from the converter when on shore or generator power though. However, Winnebago gas coaches are just about the last hold out on that score too.
__________________
'97 Bounder 34V, F53 7.5L-460
Old Bounder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2013, 09:23 AM   #10
Senior Member
 
GaryKD's Avatar
 
Newmar Owners Club
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Wellington, Florida
Posts: 13,599
Hi loulong,
How about an 04 HR 40' DP. There may be more. After a day of travel the coach batteries were drained. I went in circles trying to determine why the coach batteries were not charging from the alternator. I had my friend contact HR tech support. The call was on a speaker phone and the tech said the coach was not designed to charge the coach batteries from the alternator. Coach batteries would be charged from the generator or shore power only.

[ moderator edit ]
__________________
Gary
2005 Newmar KSDP 3910 + GMC ENVOY XUV 37K lbs Moving Down The Road
The Avatar Is Many Times Around The USA
Nobody Knows Your Coach Like Somebody Who Owns One Just Like Yours
GaryKD is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2013, 09:58 AM   #11
Moderator Emeritus
 
RickO's Avatar


 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Litchfield Park, Arizona
Posts: 10,530
Quote:
Originally Posted by loulong View Post
You can't show me a coach that was built in the last forty years that wasn't designed to charge both the chassis and house batteries from the alternator.

.
2007 Itasca Ellipse 40 FD.
__________________
Rick, Nancy, Peanut & Lola our Westie Dogs & Bailey the Sheltie.

2007 Itasca Ellipse 40FD
RickO is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2013, 08:49 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Old Bounder's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,636
Quote:
Originally Posted by RickO View Post
2007 Itasca Ellipse 40 FD.
NOT TRUE.....
That coach has a solenoid, specifically installed to bridge the batteries together anytime the ignition is ON. Try again....
__________________
'97 Bounder 34V, F53 7.5L-460
Old Bounder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2013, 09:20 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
JacknKay's Avatar
 
Tiffin Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 597
On mine a circuit breaker trips on occasion and keeps the batteries from being charged.

Jack
__________________
Jack & Kay
2015 Allegro 32CA Ford Chassis
FMCA #341229
JacknKay is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-10-2013, 10:27 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Old Bounder's Avatar
 
Fleetwood Owners Club
Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,636
Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryKD View Post
Hi loulong,
How about an 04 HR 40' DP. There may be more. After a day of travel the coach batteries were drained. I went in circles trying to determine why the coach batteries were not charging from the alternator. I had my friend contact HR tech support. The call was on a speaker phone and the tech said the coach was not designed to charge the coach batteries from the alternator. Coach batteries would be charged from the generator or shore power only.

[ moderator edit ]
I know many folks with HR coaches, ranging in years from 1995 through 2010, and they ALL will charge the coach batteries (along with the chassis batteries) from the alternator when the engine is running. I suggest your friend obtain a wiring diagram for his coach and see for himself.

The HR Tech was simply WRONG. I realize that a speaker phone makes it true (not), but he didn't know his facts.
__________________
'97 Bounder 34V, F53 7.5L-460
Old Bounder is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
batteries, charging



Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:45 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.