Bounder: Charging Question

[wingguy]

On my 2015 Bounder it has a solar feature that tickle charges the batteries, mounted on the roof. I was wondering if this would charge if the battery disconnect is enabled.
The battery disconnect breaks the connection between the coach and the batteries when it will be idle for any extended amount of time. But is the solar plate still working?

[olddog49]

I was wondering the same thing. Never knew it was on the roof. After having Bounder for a year, I managed to crawl up and take a look, was quite surprised. Salesman never made reference to it. If I did not have back issues, I would have shimmied up that tiny ladder sooner

[Old Bounder]

I'm not familiar with the latest Bounders, but the BCC used by Fleetwood for the past 20 years shows the small solar panel is attached directly to the coach (house/aux) batteries, and does NOT go through any battery disconnect contacts.

[FormerBoater]

Originally Posted by Old Bounder

I'm not familiar with the latest Bounders, but the BCC used by Fleetwood for the past 20 years shows the small solar panel is attached directly to the coach (house/aux) batteries, and does NOT go through any battery disconnect contacts.

That is how they wired my 98 American Eagle....cannot imagine why they would ever change it.

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by 007";2546275]The panel is used to charge the chassis battery to compensate for parasitic discharges from your radio, ECM, TCM maybe enem your LP Detector.
Look at the end [B][URL="https://comnet2.newmarcorp.com/instance1Env99NEWMAR/html/images/elect12v.pdf

of this link[/URL][/B] will explain the circuit of solar panel. Pages 44 - 45.

This link will explain your other charging system for all your batteries.

Here we go again!!. The information you state, and link to, may be correct for your Newmar coach, but NOT for a Fleetwood Bounder.

The OP's Bounder solar panel is wired to the coach/house batteries.

The Fleetwood documentation clearly shows (and I have personally experienced three Bounders) that the panel mounted on the air conditioner shroud is wired directly to the HOUSE batteries.

This photo shows that the solar panel voltage enters the BCC on connector P4-Pin 3 and is connected directly to the coach batteries.

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by "007"

The more I draw out of you the more links you produce maybe they should all be put in one of the sticky's above so everyone has access to them.
What do you think and do you have others that can be access so all owners of Fleetwood products will have them.
You post and I will place them there.

"007", I could do that, but I doubt it would have any effect on those "other Brand owners" who flood the Fleetwood forum with nebulus information just to increase their post count. I prefer to keep my technical experience and reference material available for helping my fellow Fleetwood owners solve Fleetwood related problems. I don't profess to be an expert on any other brand.

["007"]

If that's the case, taking care of Fleetwood friends, than maybe you should make up a thread with all your links and they would be placed top of forum for members future use, we will not be here for ever, members with older coach's will always have a reference point, Old Bounder's links of information.

[rmueller]

I have a 2014 Bounder, solar on the air conditioner will only keep the batteries topped off for a short period. I posted the question to the Fleetwood support team, they confirmed that the panel will only trickle charge. They will send you electrical schematics that show the connections. I found that the solar panel actually is marginal at even keeping the batteries topped off, after about two weeks of not being run or plugged in the battery voltage was down about a little over 1 volt (fully charged around 14.3volts). I keep a 20amp 115 cord connected to the unit all the time, that will keep both the house and engine batteries at full charge (not in disconnect mode). Don't forget to check the water levels once a month. We live in Wisconsin, I left the unit plugged in all winter batteries stayed at full charge all winter and will not freeze.

Ron

[Jimalberta]

Old Bounder......you wouldnt have wiring diagrams for a 2001 Amercan Eagle by any chance?


2001 American Eagle 40 US 8.9 ISL, towing 1999 Cherokee or 2008 GMC Sierra 1500 4x4 with Polaris RZR in the back.