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Old 01-10-2025, 05:00 PM   #1
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House batteries don't charge off Alternator but Battery Boost still works

Hi All

Can anyone point me in the direction to start investigating as to why my batteries will not charge off the engine.

As stated above, the battery boost still works.

Not a huge issue for me, as Ive gone to Lithium and have a fair bit of solar, but I am curious why and what needed to fix.

thanks
James
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Old 01-10-2025, 06:37 PM   #2
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The engine alternator voltage is not high enough to fully charge a lithium battery. It has a built in regulator designed for lead acid batteries. You need to look at DC to DC chargers if you need to fully charge.
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Old 01-10-2025, 06:43 PM   #3
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You may have a BIRD or BIM that's no good. It's the voltage sensing control for the bridging/boost solenoid. Pushing the boost switch overrides the BIRD or BIM.
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Old 01-11-2025, 08:32 AM   #4
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What voltage are your house batteries dropping to? With your solar it may be the batteries are not dropping to a low enough voltage for the BIRD/BIM to charge them.
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Old 01-11-2025, 02:02 PM   #5
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Both battery isolation systems used by Newmar , will isolate the coach battery from the alternator if the system detects the coach batteries are at what they consider fully charged for a lead acid ; to prevent overcharging .

You need to update the system to accommodate Li batteries .
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Old 01-12-2025, 11:59 AM   #6
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I accidentally ran the voltage way down when first set up the lithium batteries.
Even tho the voltage was quite low, the alternator would would not charge the house.
I’ll have to start following the charge line and see where it stops.
Maybe I can just install a dc-dc charger.
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Old 01-17-2025, 05:27 AM   #7
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If you switched to lithium...it is customary to either replace your Bi-directional relay with the Li-BIM to prevent the low I eternal resistance of LiFePO4 from cooking the alternator. It uses a Duty cycle to allow the alternator time to cool.

The other option is using dc-dc charger set to the correct parameters for your Lithiums.

I haven't seen the exact parameters...but the bi-directional relay looks at certain parameters.

When I am driving...I notice my bi-directional relay normally does not connect to my house. The solar is keeping the voltage high enough that the relay does not see a need. But if my wife makes some microwave popcorn...esp if we go under a bridge to block sunlight...the relay will close, and my solar production goes to zero because the alternator exceed the float voltage of the solar charge co troller.

Going the other way while plugged in...the surface charge on my chassis batteries will droop to the connection parameter ever four hours usually...the bi-directional relay closes...chassis batts charge up and it disconnects. So, unless you have a device that records this activity it is hit or miss if you will even notice it.
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