Do I have a BIRD?

[Norm Mac]

I have been looking all over for the BIRD unit. I have checked the battery bay, the front run bay and anywhere else I can think of.
I found the Trombetta solenoid but no BIRD
I have a 2007 Holiday Rambler Ambassador
It will not charge the chassis batteries while on shore power and I don't think it will charge them from the genny either.
Slow draw on the chassis batteries makes the unit hard to start after a week or so of camping.

If I have a BIRD, I will try to track the charging problem down. If I don't have the BIRD system I will install a TrikLStart or similar unit to keep the chassis batts up while camping.

Thanks

[Drifter]

Front road side compartment, lools like this.

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by Norm Mac

I have been looking all over for the BIRD unit. I have checked the battery bay, the front run bay and anywhere else I can think of.
I found the Trombetta solenoid but no BIRD
I have a 2007 Holiday Rambler Ambassador
It will not charge the chassis batteries while on shore power and I don't think it will charge them from the genny either.
Slow draw on the chassis batteries makes the unit hard to start after a week or so of camping.

If I have a BIRD, I will try to track the charging problem down. If I don't have the BIRD system I will install a TrikLStart or similar unit to keep the chassis batts up while camping.

Thanks

My 1997 HR Endeavor has one in the Chassis Battery Bay in the back corner. It is about 1 foot away from the solenoid. Yours could be almost anywhere since they have no heavy gauge wiring.

[Drifter]

If you open the fuse panel and see the red/black/blue wires plugged into where you see the yellow/white/purple in this picture, then you have a IRD system which is behind the green fuse holder. The IRD system will not charge your chassis batteries.

[bruceisla]

See here for an explanation of the IRD (not BIRD). As mentioned, by design, an IRD only allows charging of the House Batteries from the alternator. It does not allow charging the Chassis Batteries from Genset/Shore Power.
Isolator Relay Delay

[slickest1]

Originally Posted by bruceisla

See here for an explanation of the IRD (not BIRD). As mentioned, by design, an IRD only allows charging of the House Batteries from the alternator. It does not allow charging the Chassis Batteries from Genset/Shore Power.
Isolator Relay Delay

Good info!!

[Gorlininc]

I have a 2001 diplomat 38A

My house batteries don't seem to be charging the house batteries anymore by the alternator. Any idea where is isolated relay is on my rig. That would explain why it's not charging those batteries. The chassis batteries are fine.
Thanks
Rick

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by Gorlininc

I have a 2001 diplomat 38A

My house batteries don't seem to be charging the house batteries anymore by the alternator. Any idea where is isolated relay is on my rig. That would explain why it's not charging those batteries. The chassis batteries are fine.
Thanks
Rick

Don't know but you may be able to find it by having a helper cycle the dashboard switch that ties the house and chassis batteries while you walk around coach and listen for the click of the solenoid.

[Gorlininc]

I know where the booster solenoid is. Is that the same solenoid used to charge the batteries when driving?

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by Gorlininc

I know where the booster solenoid is. Is that the same solenoid used to charge the batteries when driving?

Yours may be different but my booster solenoid is also the BIRD solenoid.

[Gorlininc]

I guess it's different. I don't have a bird system. But there must be a circuit that allows the alternator to charge the house batteries.
I believe the bird system allows the inverter to charge the chassis batteries after the house batteries are charged when you are on shore power. I believe it's a one way system and has nothing to do with the alternator charging should running. I pretty sure that's correct.

[Gorlininc]

My last sentence should be.

The bird system has nothing to do with the charging of chassis and house batteries by the alternator.

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by Gorlininc

My last sentence should be.

The bird system has nothing to do with the charging of chassis and house batteries by the alternator.

See here for BIRD explanation:
http://www.dodgenmobiletech.com/site...ay%20Delay.pdf

This may also be of help:
http://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/echo...tec-35398.html

NOTE: an IRD and a BIRD are different but both allow charging the House batteries from the alternator.

Here is an explanation and diagram for an IRD:
http://www.intellitecmv.com/former/p...latorrelay.pdf

If you don't have an IRD or a BIRD I don't know how you charged the House battery from the alternator ... did you say that it was working before ???

[Gorlininc]

Hi Bruce

First I want to thank you for you time and post. The information you gave me was very helpful.
I bought this rig last May and I am learning this rig system by system.
I always thought the solenoid between my battery banks was the booster solenoid. I found the booster solenoid in the front compartment yesterday.
Then I realized the solenoid in the battery compartment is for charging.



Black box label



Coil label




This is what I have. Right now the house batteries have 13.7 volts and the chassis is 12.6 volts with 50amp service to my rig and inverter is ON.
So the chassis batteries are not charging.
I always assumed they were, maybe not.
I do know my house batteries were charging while driving, and they are not now.
I know this because the alternator gauge is 14 volts and the house batteries were 12.0 going down to 11.5 volts. They use to be at 13.5 to 14.0 volts while driving.
Either the solenoid or sensor is bad.
I will call intellitec today to find out exactly what this part is. The part installed 00-00629-120 may be uni-directional. Or it's possibly bi-directional and not working properly.
You have really helped me a lot and I just want to say Thank You
Rick