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01-13-2019, 08:25 AM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,349
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duckboatking
Ok, so my generator is hooked up to my house batteries. I mostly dry camp with it, and have run into the house batteries getting too low to start the generator, which is a major issue when you are dry camping, and 4 or 5 days drive away from home. I can't remember if I have tried my boost button when this happens, I believe I tried it once and it didn't seem to do much so I didn't bother with it again.
How would I switch my generator from starting off the house batteries to the chassis batteries ? This seems like it would be a benifit to how we use our Monaco. Otherwise, is there anyway I can " Jump " start the generator off my chassis batteries in the event the house batteries are too low to start it ?
Thanks
Michael
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If you do the switch, make sure you have some working way to keep the chassis battery charging while the generator is drawing off it.
If your generator doesn't have a charging system it will run down the chassis battery. A few days of that and now you have all of your batteries to low to start anything.
You may want to fix that boost relay too. That way you can combine all of the batteries if needed.
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01-13-2019, 08:47 AM
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#16
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Underwood WA
Posts: 451
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Chassis batteries on my 2005 Safari
__________________
Bev & Dick and Fuzzy the cat
2005 Safari Cheetah 38
2009 Honda CRV dinghy
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01-14-2019, 01:49 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Wingham, ON, Canada
Posts: 189
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On our 2007 HR Scepter the generator starts off the house batteries. If you hold down your battery boost switch for a minute before starting geny and keep holding down the switch it will start off of house and chassis batteries. Never hit the boost switch after hitting the generator starter or you will get a big arc in the Big Boy solenoid and damage it. Ask me how I know
__________________
Wintering in the Fortuna Foothills of Yuma Arizona
2007 HR Scepter 42' PDQ
2006 Jeep Liberty Renegade ; M&G brake system
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01-14-2019, 02:03 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,731
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How do you know ?
__________________
Ben & Sharon
2008 43' Holiday Rambler Scepter PDQ
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05-21-2019, 04:27 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Yuma, AZ
Posts: 100
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Why do they insist on calling it a Battery Disconnect switch??? If the disconnect is activated (On) that would mean the battery is off and vice versa... but it doesn't work that way....
__________________
Ron & Peri
2007 Travel Supreme Select Limited 45SS24
Cummins 600hp ISX15 Spartan K3 Chassis
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05-21-2019, 04:54 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Watertown NY USA
Posts: 6,440
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Carry along a good quality long set of jumper cables. Be sure if when connected together they are long enough to connect the chassis positive battery terminal and the house positive battery terminal which feeds the chassis. You don't need cables attached to the negative (ground) side. Both chassis and house batteries use the vehicle frame for the ground.
Lynn
__________________
2002 Fleetwood Storm 30H on Workhorse P32 chassis 8.1 gas.
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05-22-2019, 09:45 AM
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#21
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Wingham, ON, Canada
Posts: 189
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dgm51
I have been reading the owners manual on the electrical systems installed in our new to us 2013 Knight. I am trying to find a clear answer to which batteries are used to start the generator, house or chassis. Any thoughts or direction to go look would be greatly appreciated.
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In our 2007 HR Scepter the generator starts off the House Batteries. I always hold down the boost switch for a couple of seconds, then hold the generator start switch. This way you have maximum 12v available for cranking the generator from all batteries. Never hit the boost switch during starting the generator or you could get a big spark in your boost/isolation solenoid and disable it.
__________________
Wintering in the Fortuna Foothills of Yuma Arizona
2007 HR Scepter 42' PDQ
2006 Jeep Liberty Renegade ; M&G brake system
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05-26-2019, 07:19 AM
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#22
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Member
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Dryden, NY
Posts: 47
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Battery boost.
Interesting, I carry a gasoline powered generator and a medium sized battery charger. I decided to do this after having to be jumped a few times. I no longer have that embarrassment and can rescue myself if there is a system failure. Big Boy solenoids are not reliable (I have replaced mine three times in 28 months) and when boondocking or even just traveling there can be unexpected gremlins lurking. You just don't know when the gremlins might show up. I discovered my alternator was half a volt shy of giving me a full charge while driving. Fixed that this week but still going to carry the extra generator and battery charger. happy travels beat sitting with low or discharged waiting for help to arrive. Check your grounding locations.
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05-27-2019, 12:59 PM
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#23
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Braidwood Il.
Posts: 8,300
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LETMGROW
Carry along a good quality long set of jumper cables. Be sure if when connected together they are long enough to connect the chassis positive battery terminal and the house positive battery terminal which feeds the chassis. You don't need cables attached to the negative (ground) side. Both chassis and house batteries use the vehicle frame for the ground.
Lynn
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Always a good idea to have a good set of cables. Most cars have 100amp alternators now to recharge whatever batts you need . Just in Case. And / or
build a short pos. jumper cable if all batts are close.
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05-27-2019, 02:17 PM
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#24
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Senior Member
Holiday Rambler Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2010
Posts: 9,731
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duckboatking
Ok, so my generator is hooked up to my house batteries. I mostly dry camp with it, and have run into the house batteries getting too low to start the generator, which is a major issue when you are dry camping, and 4 or 5 days drive away from home. I can't remember if I have tried my boost button when this happens, I believe I tried it once and it didn't seem to do much so I didn't bother with it again.
How would I switch my generator from starting off the house batteries to the chassis batteries ? This seems like it would be a benifit to how we use our Monaco. Otherwise, is there anyway I can " Jump " start the generator off my chassis batteries in the event the house batteries are too low to start it ?
Thanks
Michael
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Without the year, or model of your rig, it's pretty hard to say what you would need to do!
On my Scepter, I changed it in the rear run box. Just needed an ANL fuse holder, and a pre-made 12" #4 cable.
Your coach may use a large ANL fuse, or a breaker.
__________________
Ben & Sharon
2008 43' Holiday Rambler Scepter PDQ
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05-28-2019, 10:59 AM
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#25
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Watertown NY USA
Posts: 6,440
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duckboatking
Ok, so my generator is hooked up to my house batteries. I mostly dry camp with it, and have run into the house batteries getting too low to start the generator, which is a major issue when you are dry camping, and 4 or 5 days drive away from home. I can't remember if I have tried my boost button when this happens, I believe I tried it once and it didn't seem to do much so I didn't bother with it again.
How would I switch my generator from starting off the house batteries to the chassis batteries ? This seems like it would be a benifit to how we use our Monaco. Otherwise, is there anyway I can " Jump " start the generator off my chassis batteries in the event the house batteries are too low to start it ?
Thanks
Michael
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You could run a permanent cable from the chassis battery positive to the house batteries. I would use a knife type switch to connect the cable to the house batteries. This way with the switch open there will be no connection between the battery packs until you engage the knife switch. After the generator starts simply open the switch so if the house batteries get run down they will not draw the chassis battery down.
As I said in another post you don't need a ground wire between the battery packs. Both battery packs share a common ground at the vehicle's frame.
Battery disconnect switch: https://www.google.com/search?q=auto...hrome&ie=UTF-8
Lynn
__________________
2002 Fleetwood Storm 30H on Workhorse P32 chassis 8.1 gas.
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