How to find out if motor charges house batteries

[ImagineIF]

Sorry Monkey Run, I didn't mean to suggest there's no value in keeping your chassis battery charged. My point was that you really only needed to connect one of the charger outputs, positive connection to one of the batteries, negative to the other battery.

[Monkey Run]

Originally Posted by ImagineIF

Sorry Monkey Run, I didn't mean to suggest there's no value in keeping your chassis battery charged. My point was that you really only needed to connect one of the charger outputs, positive connection to one of the batteries, negative to the other battery.

No apology necessary, we are debating technical fixes, it's how we all learn from one another. The marine multi battery/multi bank chargers require all leads to be connected in order to work properly. I prefer to have one set hooked to each battery but cold have hooked them both the way you suggested. I do have the option of using this charger for both chassis and coach for long term storage based upon it being a two bank charger.

[Monkey Run]

Originally Posted by loulong

Monkey Run,you are correct that the problem you solved was a very simple one of simply maintaining the chassis battery, however your solution is overkill from an expense point of view.
A simple battery tender from Harbor Freight ($6.99) would be just as effective IMO.

I suppose that would work, however, I wanted a waterproof charger that I could wire directly into my 110 volt panel and install its own breaker therein.

In one of my previous posts I stated that the charger is for the coach battery bank, my mistake, it's for the chassis bank, sorry.

[Rwayne]

Originally Posted by Monkey Run

I suppose that would work, however, I wanted a waterproof charger that I could wire directly into my 110 volt panel and install its own breaker therein.

In one of my previous posts I stated that the charger is for the coach battery bank, my mistake, it's for the chassis bank, sorry.

How can I charge house batterys while driving without turning on gen

[ImagineIF]

Originally Posted by Rwayne

How can I charge house batterys while driving without turning on gen

Are you sure thay aren't being charged?

If the aren't install an automatic charging relay, I provided a link to the one I recommend in an earlier post. Keep in mind that a standard automotive alternator is current liited and not intended to provide maximum output for extended periods. That means you should use the engine's alternator to charge a depleted house battery bank. You should use the generator or commercial power to charge the house bank. After it's charged or nearly charged, the automotive alternator will be fine.

BTW, I'm assuming your coach has a standard alternator, which it no doubt does if not configured to charge the house bank. I'm also assuming your house battery bank is not made up of AGM batteries. If they are realize most standard alternators will put out slightly more voltage than recommended for AGMs.

[Monkey Run]

Originally Posted by Rwayne

How can I charge house batterys while driving without turning on gen

I suspect you already have that happening, did you check it out with a voltage meter? Mine is an older rig and both chassis and house are charged when the engine is running.

If they are not being charged, I would be careful, as mentioned in Imagine's post.

By the way, check the ratings on your alternator.

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by Rwayne

How can I charge house batterys while driving without turning on gen

What year, make and model MH do you have? It would be a rare bird indeed if it was NOT designed to charge both the chassis and house batteries from the engine alternator while driving.

[Rwayne]

2005 Allegro Bus hose battery's show half charge going down the rd. Will turn on gen a couple hrs they show full chg

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by Rwayne

2005 Allegro Bus hose battery's show half charge going down the rd. Will turn on gen a couple hrs they show full chg

I'm not sure what Allegro uses for a Battery Control Center, but I suspect they use the isolator/charge/aux start solenoid as the path to charge the house batteries from the alternator while driving.

Next time, instead of turning on the generator to charge them while driving, just push and hold the aux start switch for a few minutes and see if they don't charge. I suspect the solenoid is bad or the circuits controlling it are bad. Good luck with it.

[tropical36]

Plug in to shore or start anything up and all my batteries charge, no matter.

[Old Bounder]

Originally Posted by tropical36

Plug in to shore or start anything up and all my batteries charge, no matter.

Most modern MHs work this way, however, just knowing that fact doesn't help fix it, if you don't know how it is accomplished when it is working correctly.

[tropical36]

Originally Posted by loulong

Most modern MHs work this way, however, just knowing that fact doesn't help fix it, if you don't know how it is accomplished when it is working correctly.

This is true and since the OP's question has been pretty much answered, I thought I'd throw that in, so others might be aware of how they can work, even though not all work the same. I mean if mine didn't work that way, I'd make it work that way. Another reason for posting on some of these is so I might be alerted to new postings by email on the subject.

[Monkey Run]

Rwayne,

Do you have the owners package which came with the coach? I was fortunate enough to find schematics with mine, helped me considerably.

[gemini5362]

Originally Posted by Rwayne

2005 Allegro Bus hose battery's show half charge going down the rd. Will turn on gen a couple hrs they show full chg

First I have a 2005 allegro bus and it has the capabilities to charge the batteries.

I thought it had a bad relay and had the dealer check it out they said it was bad chassis batteries. I did not believe that because they were working just appeared to be weak and did not hold a charge very long. I replaced them because of the weakness issue and I was amazed once I had good batteries they started charging off of the alternator. I have a house refrigerator that runs off the inverter and I do not have to turn on the generator to charge the batteries while running down the road.