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Bodean56 · 03-11-2022, 12:23 PM

While parked at home I have an extension cord plugged in to keep my batteries topped off. I’ve now noticed my generator will not start up like it use to just being plugged in to a 110 outlet. I now have to start my coach to allow the batteries to charge and only then I can start the generator for my monthly maintenance of the generator. My question to all the good and knowledgeable folks on this forum is this. Could my battery isolator pictured below which is just below my Xantrex Inverter be the actual problem and how does one rule that out? I do have a multi meter but I’m not exactly sure how one uses it to rule out that the battery isolator is the actual problem or is there something else I should check for to remedy the problem. Any and all recommendations would surly be appreciated.

wolfe10 · 03-11-2022, 12:31 PM

You need to pull out your digital voltmeter and check readings on both CHASSIS and HOUSE battery banks.

That will at least put you on the right track.

rag_ftw · 03-11-2022, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bodean56

While parked at home I have an extension cord plugged in to keep my batteries topped off. I’ve now noticed my generator will not start up like it use to just being plugged in to a 110 outlet. I now have to start my coach to allow the batteries to charge and only then I can start the generator for my monthly maintenance of the generator. My question to all the good and knowledgeable folks on this forum is this. Could my battery isolator pictured below which is just below my Xantrex Inverter be the actual problem and how does one rule that out? I do have a multi meter but I’m not exactly sure how one uses it to rule out that the battery isolator is the actual problem or is there something else I should check for to remedy the problem. Any and all recommendations would surly be appreciated.

The battery isolator (salesman switch relay) is on the right in your photo. If it fails you will loose most DC power to the inside of the coach. That relay is controlled by the switch inside the entry door on the left. Not sure if it controls power to the generator or not.

The relay on the left is the one that connects house and chassis batteries together. Switch is labeled battery boost and it is located on the left console. Unless your batteries are dead you should be able to start the generator when this switch is depressed.

As Wolf said first check the voltage on the house and chassis batteries and tell us what it is when you have your 110 extension cord plugged in and what it is when unplugged.

twinboat · 03-11-2022, 01:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rag_ftw

The battery isolator (salesman switch relay) is on the right in your photo. If it fails you will loose most DC power to the inside of the coach. That relay is controlled by the switch inside the entry door on the left. Not sure if it controls power to the generator or not.

The relay on the left is the one that connects house and chassis batteries together. Switch is labeled battery boost and it is located on the left console. Unless your batteries are dead you should be able to start the generator when this switch is depressed.

.

The isolation relay is in the center. It isolates the batteries if no charging.

The battery disconnect is on the right. It turns off the house loads.

twinboat · 03-11-2022, 01:57 PM

If starting your engine charges your house batteries, your isolation relay is working.

You need to check the Xantrex for proper charging, that what charges the house batteries. No relays in that circuit.

See what kind of voltage your house batteries are showing. Just probe + and - on terminals with more then one cable on them.

May have a popped out breaker on the Xantrex.

rag_ftw · 03-11-2022, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

The isolation relay is in the center. It isolates the batteries if no charging.
The battery disconnect is on the right. It turns off the house loads.

The relay on the left is the battery boost relay, which connects all batteries together. It is activated with the battery boost switch and when the ignition is first turned on.
The right relay does disconnect most house loads but not all and, on mine, the generator will start if this relay is open or closed.
He does not have a visible BIRD or other isolator in his photo that I can see.

Bodean56 · 03-12-2022, 11:37 AM

After using the multi meter the starting Interstate batteries I bought in 10/2018 are 12.9 volts and the Lifeline house batteries bought in 9/2010 are 6.5 volts. So I suspect that those house batteries are in fact in need of replacement. I did utilize the battery boost switch as mentioned to fire up the generator and it started immediately so I believe that relay is working just fine. I also turned off the salesman switch with lights on and they turned off indicating that that relay is also good.

The original owner that I bought the coach from gave me all the receipts including the Lifeline batteries he purchased for $170 each. Today that same exact battery on Amazon is $489 WOW! I don’t particularly want to spend that much money of 4 house batteries so any and all recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all my good buddies on this forum who guided me through determining what the actual problem was and what it wasn’t. I have learned so much from you all that I truly feel fortunate to have stumbled across this forum.

rag_ftw · 03-12-2022, 12:06 PM

I wouldn't condemn your house batteries just yet. That being said, 11 years on a set of batteries is exceptional. If there is a problem with the xfer switch they may not be getting charged.

Are your house batteries 6 or 12 volt? 6.9 volts on a 6 volt battery tells me it is being charged.

With the generator running what voltage are your house batteries showing?

Bodean56 · 03-15-2022, 05:11 PM

Thanks Robert for pointing me in the right direction. Yes my house batteries are in fact 6V instead of the 12V I thought they were. They looked to be the same size and therefore I didn’t think they were 6V batteries until I looked at the original receipt.

When I start the generator the volts shot up to 7.5 and when shut off and hooked up to 110 the batteries show 6.68V which I’m assuming is just fine for 6 volt batteries. This all started when I couldn’t start the generator without using the boost switch or starting the coach up to allow the batteries to recharge.

The one thing I did do on the Xantrex panel was hold down the charge button down for 5 seconds like it said to do in the manual to reset and I believe that might have fixed the problem. I’m sure hoping so.

DA_BUS · 03-22-2022, 07:38 PM

I am not an electrical person at all. I do know on my coach - when plugged into 110 - I have to have the invert on (green) to get the house batteries to charge. Otherwise the "charge level lights" are red....invert - they go to green.