Community Forums

bandmbrown · 03-06-2010, 12:37 PM

Our house batteries gave up the ghost on the diesel pusher. Went in and removed the old ones and found some corrosion etc. I would like to repair and clean. The coach is up in storage and the new batteries and cleaning tools are right here in my garage. The question is: can I drive the thing with no house batteries hooked up. My concern centers on any charge that might come from the the engine and possible damage to the system. I am hoping they are completely independent systems and never a wire crosses.
Also, on my EMS panel are 2 switches labeled "main" and "aux". Assume the main refers to the starting batteries and the aux to the house batteries. Exactly where do these disconnects occur and how isolated are the systems.
Thanks
Bob

lllkrob · 03-06-2010, 01:46 PM

Why don"t you just hook the old batteries back up loosely and drive it to where you need to and unhook them again? No different than driving with dead batteries. That way any charge current will just pass harmlessly through the old batteries to ground.

bandmbrown · 03-06-2010, 04:49 PM

thanks. That sure is an option but, with 4 batteries weighing 60 lbs. each I would prefer to only install them once. However, i am not opposed to your suggestion as a last resort.
thanks

Martind4 · 03-06-2010, 05:23 PM

You wouldn't have to reinstall all 4, just one will make it work.

Route 66 · 03-06-2010, 05:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martind4

You wouldn't have to reinstall all 4, just one will make it work.

Two if they're 6 volt.

Martind4 · 03-06-2010, 06:08 PM

Oops, forgot about the 6 volt option. That's what makes this forum so good, everyone helps to keep me out of trouble. Thanks!

bandmbrown · 03-07-2010, 06:09 AM

so,,,what i'm hearing is the engine charges the house batteries during operation?

Elkhartjim · 03-07-2010, 06:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bandmbrown

so,,,what i'm hearing is the engine charges the house batteries during operation?

The engine does charge the house batteries. Also, make sure you install the engine (two) batteries not the house (four).

wa8yxm · 03-07-2010, 08:49 AM

You said your HOUSE batteries are the ones you removed.

Yes, you can drive without house batteries.. IN fact if you ever have driven with the house battery switch in the DISCONNECT position. you already have driven with out house batteries.

Just do not turn on any house systems as they won't work unless the engine is running.

one safety precaution though

I'd get a roll of painter's tape (Cause it is very cheap and easy to remove) and tap e all the POSITIVE wires that hooked to those batteries (not the battery-battery jumpers, since they are now hooked to nothing at all) but the wires that were hooked to the POSITIVE terminal that run back into the motor home.

Beyond that. no special precautions needed

If you really feel the need for battery.. Use a "Jump start" type battery (one of thos luggable AGM things with pre-attached jumper cables you get at Sam's Costco or your local auto-supplier) They won't last long in house service (I mean they are in the 20-30 amp hour range, but they do simulate a battery well, since they are a battery. Oh, get one with at least 750 amps peak rating incase you need to jump start your car (Smaller ones wont' even jump a motor cycle.. I know. I tried)

Wayne M · 03-07-2010, 09:27 AM

As WA8XYM stated. You do not need your house batteries to drive.

But do tape all positive (+) leads to the batteries you removed.

No connection - no current - no current demand - no alternator damage.

HotMech · 03-27-2010, 11:07 PM

A battery is not needed in any system, House or Chassis, to drive the vehicle.

the battery is only needed to supply power when no charging system is present, and to start the vehicle.

Yes, the vehicle charging system does charge all batteries, it is hooked to, when it is running. Most have Isolation relays in place for that.

Kerry

bandmbrown · 03-28-2010, 06:20 AM

thanks for the reply. the maintenance was done a couple weeks ago. just did the work in the storage lot, had not problems.
thanks all

Alan_Hepburn · 03-28-2010, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotMech

A battery is not needed in any system, House or Chassis, to drive the vehicle.

While this was certainly true in the days of all-mechanical systems, with the advent of engine computers, fuel injection, and the myriad of other electronics in today's vehicles I think driving with only the alternator supplying the power is asking for some major electronics swap-outs. The battery acts as a filter on the power line, smoothing out the alternator's output to prevent most fluctuations from wreaking havoc with the system.