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12-29-2019, 11:01 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Katy, TX
Posts: 153
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Charging Engine batteries
Have a question on how to determine if engine batteries are charging while plugged into 20-amp shore power.
Twice now, while the coach has been in storage, I've gone out to start the coach and the batteries were drained down. Both times it had been just shy of a month since I had started the coach. Seems I read a previous post about a switch that is supposed to register shore power and send a charge to the engine batteries but I can't find the post. Is there anywhere I can use a meter to check and see if the batteries are getting a trickle charge while plugged in? Will be sending an email to Entegra tomorrow to ask but Any help would be appreciated.
__________________
Rob & Jeanne White
2017 Entegra Aspire 44B
2017 Jeep Wrangler Sport
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12-29-2019, 11:18 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Bayfield, Ontario
Posts: 5,470
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rlwhite
Have a question on how to determine if engine batteries are charging while plugged into 20-amp shore power.
Twice now, while the coach has been in storage, I've gone out to start the coach and the batteries were drained down. Both times it had been just shy of a month since I had started the coach. Seems I read a previous post about a switch that is supposed to register shore power and send a charge to the engine batteries but I can't find the post. Is there anywhere I can use a meter to check and see if the batteries are getting a trickle charge while plugged in? Will be sending an email to Entegra tomorrow to ask but Any help would be appreciated.
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Rob,
While plugged into shore power there should be a charge going to your chassis batteries IF your house batteries are being charged AND the house batteries are at of above 13.3v AND your chassis batteries are below 12.6v. In this instance the chassis batteries will receive a charge for 1 hour and the pattern will repeat as necessary.
If you have the Onan EC-30 panel above the entrance door you can see the voltages for both house and chassis in that display by using the up/down buttons.
If you do not see any indication of a charge to the chassis batteries then I would suspect a bad BIM (battery isolation manager).
__________________
Don & Gerri
2014 Entegra Anthem 44B
2014 Honda CRV Touring
1300W Solar, 1200AH LiFePO4 FMCA F443497
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12-29-2019, 11:23 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Thor Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 289
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I have 2 shutoff switches one for the house and one for the chassis. They both have to be on for the both batteries to charge. If I turn off the chassis battery it will not charge. My house batteries can not be turned off if the shore power is plugged in.
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Waldo
2005 Thor Four Winds Hurricane 33'
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12-29-2019, 11:25 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Kamloops, BC, 60 miles from the Center of the Universe according to the Rinpoche, of the SF monks.
Posts: 7,397
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Bad BIM would be my first guess as well.
Happy Glamping.
__________________
Happy Glamping, Norman & Elna. 2008 Winnebago Adventurer 38J, W24, dozens of small thirsty ponies. Retired after 40 years wrenching on trucks! 2010 Ford Ranger toad with bicycles or KLR 650 in the back. Easy to spot an RVer, they always walk around with a screwdriver or wrench in one hand!
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12-29-2019, 11:47 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Katy, TX
Posts: 153
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Thanks everyone for your responses, I couldn't remember what the "BMI" was called or new that the EC30 could tell me that status of the engine batteries.
__________________
Rob & Jeanne White
2017 Entegra Aspire 44B
2017 Jeep Wrangler Sport
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12-31-2019, 09:29 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Katy, TX
Posts: 153
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Is the BIM located behind the panel with the verticle row of breaker switches in the rear passenger side cargo bay?
__________________
Rob & Jeanne White
2017 Entegra Aspire 44B
2017 Jeep Wrangler Sport
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12-31-2019, 01:45 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Bayfield, Ontario
Posts: 5,470
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rlwhite
Is the BIM located behind the panel with the verticle row of breaker switches in the rear passenger side cargo bay?
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Rob,
You should not need to remove the panel with the breakers and disconnects but inboard of this should be a panel to remove which will have the BIM behind it.
__________________
Don & Gerri
2014 Entegra Anthem 44B
2014 Honda CRV Touring
1300W Solar, 1200AH LiFePO4 FMCA F443497
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12-31-2019, 02:27 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 170
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Jumping on this. How can someone test if shore power charges chassis battery. not using ec panel.
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12-31-2019, 02:40 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 11,537
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If you have a volt-ohm-meter or a digital volt meter this is a simple test. Simply measure the voltage across the batteries with the shore power plugged in and with the coach unplugged. A fully charged battery should have a resting voltage of approximately 12.9 volts (and if it is discharged, obviously, below that).
A battery being charged by either the alternator or the an on board charger, should show a voltage significantly higher than that, often around ~13.5 - 14.2 volts.
If you can read the voltage through some other meter already on board the coach, then you can use that instead of a voltmeter. However, if you dont have one already, you should buy one.... there are a hundred things a good meter can help you solve. You can find a good one for about $60 at Harbor Freight.
Gary
__________________
Gary and Dee, Zowie and Bowie (traveling cat sibs)
2019 Cornerstone 45B, X15-605hp, Imperial, Spartan K3,
2013 Honda CR-V toad, Demco Excali-Bar II,
Demco Baseplate, Demco Toad Light system, 73 de W5FI
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12-31-2019, 02:55 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,358
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gary.Jones
If you have a volt-ohm-meter or a digital volt meter this is a simple test. Simply measure the voltage across the batteries with the shore power plugged in and with the coach unplugged. A fully charged battery should have a resting voltage of approximately 12.9 volts (and if it is discharged, obviously, below that).
A battery being charged by either the alternator or the an on board charger, should show a voltage significantly higher than that, often around ~13.5 - 14.2 volts.
If you can read the voltage through some other meter already on board the coach, then you can use that instead of a voltmeter. However, if you dont have one already, you should buy one.... there are a hundred things a good meter can help you solve. You can find a good one for about $60 at Harbor Freight.
Gary
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Gary...good info, but you won't see any charge going to your chassis battery bank until your charged up on the house battery bank and the BIM switches to charge chassis. At least that is the way my 2017 works.
Also, good advice to get a VOM as that will help you get a handle on things.
__________________
Jim & Clatie
2017 Anthem 44A, 2014 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited, Blue Ox Avail, M&G Braking
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12-31-2019, 03:46 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 35,442
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MoHoGo
Gary...good info, but you won't see any charge going to your chassis battery bank until your charged up on the house battery bank and the BIM switches to charge chassis. At least that is the way my 2017 works.
Also, good advice to get a VOM as that will help you get a handle on things.
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The BIM doesn't really switch to the chassis battery for charging it.
It combines the chassis battery to the house battery, at 13.4 volts, so that they all charge together.
As mentioned, its not a continuous charge, so it may not be in charge mode when your testing voltages. If you turn on the headlight, that draw should cause it to combine. Then test for charging volts.
I can hear my BIM cycle on and off at all different times of the day. It also causes my ScanGauge II to activate for a few seconds. Not sure if its during the combining or disconnecting cycle.
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12-31-2019, 05:37 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 11,537
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Jim
I appreciate the expansion. I knew that, but forgot to mention it in my post. Thanks. The principle is the same but the BIM has to have the batteries charging.
Thanks
Gary
__________________
Gary and Dee, Zowie and Bowie (traveling cat sibs)
2019 Cornerstone 45B, X15-605hp, Imperial, Spartan K3,
2013 Honda CR-V toad, Demco Excali-Bar II,
Demco Baseplate, Demco Toad Light system, 73 de W5FI
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01-01-2020, 05:57 AM
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#13
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Registered User
Join Date: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,385
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I simply must always know my battery voltage. Not sure why I feel this way, it's a thing with me.
I put these voltmeters in the dash.
They are made by Lascar, mount with a single 1/4" hole, and cost about $30.
Top one connects to house power at the lighter socket.
Bottom one to chassis battery power at the ignition switch.
I can clearly see the BIM switching, along with everything else battery.
There is a thread on the installation.
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01-01-2020, 06:23 AM
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#14
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Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: SW FL
Posts: 31,735
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Jim, that was a nice Mod. Takes all the guess work out and very functional.
__________________
Chuck in SW FL
Digital 2021 Cornerstone "B"
A "Digital" 2019 Cornerstone "B" Traded
A "Classic" 2014 Anthem 42 RBQ---Sold
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