Community Forums

Algoma · 03-12-2012, 09:16 AM

Bruce, FWIW I just checked the voltage on my batteries with the Eco-Charger on. The house battery is 13.4v and the chassis battery is 12.8v.

wbhubbert3 · 03-12-2012, 10:42 PM

I checked the Echo-Charger wiring with the following results: The red wire goes to the large blue finned "Battery Isolator" and then over to house battery(s); and the striped wire goes to the other post of the "Battery Isolator" and then over to the chassis/starter battery(s).

Would that have any effect? Bad isolator? All six (6) house and two (2) chassis batteries are seven (7) months old.

Thanks for everyone's input. Much appreciated.

Bruce

Algoma · 03-13-2012, 05:56 PM

Your Echo-Charger seems to be wired correctly so could be faulty. Unlikely the isolator is faulty but you could check by running the engine and seeing that you get a 0.4v drop between the alternator connection and each of the battery posts. 14.2v is too high for float charge so you may also have a problem with the charger/inverter. May be time to get professional help.

wa8yxm · 03-13-2012, 06:19 PM

IF the chassis bank was very low, it may take a day or more to bring it up.. Just so you know, The echo charger is not a "High current" device (That is it can not pass the kind of charging current a bi-directional isolator passes)

takepride · 03-13-2012, 11:11 PM

Bruce:

I found that my batteries were finally kaput when the engine batteries never received a charge from the Echo-Charger after the House batteries had been charging (endlessly). The cause was that the chassis batteries never achieved enough charge to tell the Echo Charger to switch over to the engine batteries.

The end result was the engine batteries needed replaced because they were never recharged and the chassis batteries needed replaced because they would accept enough charge.

Now I have all new AGMs and 1120 Ah. Now it takes a long time to fully charge, but a LONG time to discharge, too.

Arch Hoagland · 03-13-2012, 11:24 PM

The solution I use is to disconnect my engine battery. With mine Monaco built in a heavy duty switch in the forward storage compartment.

I just have to turn the switch. It's the same for my two house batteries with the switch being in a rear storage compartment

I turn off the house batteries too because the old ones (7 years) were occasionally boiling over.

By disconnecting both house and engine batteries my problems are solved.

takepride · 03-13-2012, 11:30 PM

IIRC, on Alpines, turning off the master switches will do nothing to stop the charger from doing its thing. That would need to to be turned off separately. (Shore power, solar power, etc. are still going on.) They also do not eliminate many of the numerous draws that are directly wired to the batteries.

TBS, one could rewire the batteries to disallow any connections beyond the Master Switch, but that would only eliminate draws, not overcharging.

TomJames · 03-16-2012, 03:29 PM

I want to thank each of you who responded to me regarding my coach not charging the chassis battery's when hooked up to shore power. I read many of the threads regarding this problem and it appeared that I should replace the solenoid. I did and guess what -- everthing now works properly. Not only are you guys/gals great but this forum is fantastic. --Tom-- 2005 Alpine 34'.