Questions about battery charging indications

[noserider]

I noticed the other day when I got in my coach my batteries were not fully charged. I was not hooked up to electric. It had been 3 or 4 days without being charged. When I opened the door the steps were very slow to extend. I checked the reading on the battery disconnect panel and indeed it was below 12volts. I started the generator and charged up the batteries. A couple days later it was back down. I'm still learning my coach so I have a few questions I need help on.

1) Do my electric steps run off house batteries?

I thought they do but when I put my battery store switch in the store position it kills 12 volt power to the house battery but the steps still retracted when I closed the door . I have a single store switch so it only kills the house battery so I read. I know the LP detector is supposed to still remain powered but do the steps also remain powered?

2) Does the generator use the chassis or house battery to start?

I thought it was the house but the generator fired right up when the house batteries were very low. I have two 6 volt house batteries.

3) When you press the indicator panel that lights up showing black tank, grey tank and fresh water level there is a battery indicator there also. What batteries are they indicating house or chassis?

This was also indicating a poor charge so I'm guessing looks at house batteries.

I'm going to remove all the batteries (marking the wiring carefully and taking pics) and clean everything up, charge them and have them load tested to start a base line. Right now everything looks very clean and tight.

["007"]

#1 The steps work off your chassis batteries because if your battery disconnect is off in coach for house batteries you would not be able to operate your steps if feed off the house batteries..
# 2 On most DP's the chassis batteries start your Gen, gas coach the house batteries.
# 3 The indicator panel is reading your house batteries.
In QT's # 3 you will find this link of many for reference for battery system.
Cleaning up your battery cable connections will be a good idea and do not forget cable connections to the chassis frame.
When you have the coach stored the battery disconnect is off and you may have a LP Detector switch in display area that needs to be off or it will drain your chassis battery as on my gas coach. LP COULD BE OFF YOUR HOUSE POSSIBLY.
If you have 110-120 outlet near coach shore line plugged in your Bird System would keep all your batteries fully charged, if not than you will have to charge with Gen but will take some time to do so.
While your running Gen also run your AC's to exercise them.
Some DP's have a master switch to cut off chassis batteries.

[noserider]

007

Thanks for the reply. That's a bit perplexing as the state of the house batteries on the push to test monitor showing poor along with the battery disconnect meter confirming this with less than 12V and the steps barely moving (on chassis power) would indicate BOTH house and chassis low charge. More investigating. Unfortunately no power available at current storage location. I'm on the waiting list at some other places with power. Sounds like a business opportunity to build some RV storage in my area. The generator sure started easily. Did not seem like a low battery at all. More test tomorrow with the voltmeter before I charge anything.

[BFlinn181]

Since the steps don't use power except when extending or retracting, they could be wired around the battery cut off switch. If you are storing your RV with no shore power available, you might want to install physical battery disconnect switches. There's always parasitic loads on both systems, even when the shut off near the door is off.

[GregOk80]

Sorry 007 but you are wrong. The steps are ran off the House batteries and also the Gen is also started from the house batteries. That way you can have the steps retract and then hit your house battery disconnect (salesman switch) and the steps will stay retracted so someone parking next to you in storage does not rip your steps off.

["007"]

You may be right with your Fleetwood but we are talking about Newmar's ,sorry.
If you disconnect your chassis battery what do you read?
Display and BDS are reading your house batteries.
If Gen starts right up its from your chassis battery supply.
Steps still work off chassis battery and when is last time you lubed the steps if they are slow to operate?
If this is a used coach someone may have wire steps to house batteries but they should be off your chassis batteries.
Have you ever taken a reading directly off your house batteries?
Step information

[noserider]

Originally Posted by 007";2301754]You may be right with your Fleetwood but we are talking about Newmar's ,sorry.
If you disconnect your chassis battery what do you read?
Display and BDS are reading your house batteries.
If Gen starts right up its from your chassis battery supply.
Steps still work off chassis battery and when is last time you lubed the steps if they are slow to operate?
If this is a used coach someone may have wire steps to house batteries but they should be off your chassis batteries.
Have you ever taken a reading directly off your house batteries?
[B][URL="http://www.irv2.com/forums/f113/power-step-not-working-122700.html#post1166192

Step information[/URL][/B]

I have not disconnected any batteries yet. The readings I took with my voltmeter were after I charged them up with the generator so readings were normal and not very useful. I'll check them next time before charging. I doubt the previous owner rewired the power source to the steps. I have not lubed the steps yet. It's on my list but there is no problem there. When the batteries are charged steps operate perfectly. I was thinking the batteries should stayed charged for a couple weeks with no charging but I might be mistaken with all the current draw from various items.

[nothermark]

I would not bet on a couple of weeks with either set of batteries and no disconnects. There are parasitic loads from computers and safety sensors that will slowly drain all the batteries. That is why most people end up either keeping the unit plugged in or add manual disconnects to their battery banks.

[noserider]

Originally Posted by nothermark

I would not bet on a couple of weeks with either set of batteries and no disconnects. There are parasitic loads from computers and safety sensors that will slowly drain all the batteries. That is why most people end up either keeping the unit plugged in or add manual disconnects to their battery banks.

I did have the house batteries in the store position with the disconnect. I know this only isolates most of the power draws. I'm not sure if I have a chassis battery disconnect. I'll look for 1 in the electrical bay.

["007"]

I would check and make sure your LP Detector is disconnected when in storage its a heavy current draw if off the house batteries.
Mine is off the chassis battery but I have a cut off switch in my display area, your 02 maybe different.

[GaryKD]

Hi noserider,
What starts what is easy to determine.
Disconnect the coach batteries, and see if the generator starts. The entry/exit steps work off the chassis battery and are always powered. Since they take no power while just sitting idle, this should be no concern. The battery indicator panel is what the battery charger is supplying to the coach batteries when connected to shore power. When not connected to shore power, the indicator shows the state of charge of the coach batteries.

[noserider]

Originally Posted by GaryKD

Hi noserider,
What starts what is easy to determine.
Disconnect the coach batteries, and see if the generator starts. The entry/exit steps work off the chassis battery and are always powered. Since they take no power while just sitting idle, this should be no concern. The battery indicator panel is what the battery charger is supplying to the coach batteries when connected to shore power. When not connected to shore power, the indicator shows the state of charge of the coach batteries.

I disconnected the house batteries today (two 6 volt). They were powering the steps. The generator was still able to start so it's powered from the house batteries. I removed the house batteries and will charge them and have them load tested.

["007"]

Maybe a miss quote you say you disconnected the house batteries but Gen still started, that would be your chassis battery, is what you meant to say.
If you could your steps would be more convenient to be supplied from chassis batteries especially if you had the BDS operated for the house batteries, they would still work.

[noserider]

Originally Posted by "007"

Maybe a miss quote you say you disconnected the house batteries but Gen still started, that would be your chassis battery, is what you meant to say.
If you could your steps would be more convenient to be supplied from chassis batteries especially if you had the BDS operated for the house batteries, they would still work.

Yes I screwed that up. My chassis battery is supplying power to my generator and my house is powering the steps. Interesting thing happened. I started my generator with the house batts disconnected. When I shut it down all the things normally powered by the house batteries were powered but after a few minutes whatever logic that connected the chassis batteries to power those items went away and the chassis batts did not power them. BTW I removed my house batteries and brought them home for service. They were very low on water. I filled them with distilled water and they are charging now. Not good. They are Interstate Workaholic Extreme Heavy duty 232 AMP.