On my 91 when I plug into shore power do all three batterys charge or just the house battery's?
On my 93 the converters/chargers charge only the house batteries. I've got a Trik-L-Charger that I need to attach so that the engine batteries will also be charged when plugged in.
Thanks thats what I thought, Another question,If the boost switch is left on would they all 3 charge then?
Yes, that is the way it was wired. BUT, that is not the best solution 24/7.
Brett what would be a better setup for keeping all 3 up while plugged in? I have it in the driveway and ran a 115v power cord to an adaptor on the 30 amp cord so I can keep the house batteries up while I putz with this thing.
What really works well for me is the house battery monitor that I installed to tell me the status of the house batteries. I charge them until the charging voltage stops increasing (i.e., the charging current is zero) then I turn off the charger. I then keep an eye on the charge state and when the battery voltage drops to around 12 volts I turn the charger back on and repeat the cycle. The time interval will depend on the house battery usage. I do not keep a charger on the engine battery unless I am using it for something. I will cross connect with boost switch on occasion just to make sure that the engine battery is up where it needs to be. I don't feel that it is good for the batteries to have a continuous charge so using a trickle charger really isn't necessary. If you plan to be gone for some time, then the use of a trickle charger should be considered, especially during the winter. I also wired in my battery monitor so that I can plug it into the house battery or the engine battery. Just my way of doing business which has served me well. Have a great day ---- Fritz
Assume you have two battery banks.
Your converter or inverter charger keeps the house battery bank charged while on shore power.
To keep your chassis batteries charged, you need either a separate smart charger (2 amps will do) or a relay-based combiner such as the Xantrex Echo charger. Either approach will work fine.
The least expensive method for keeping the chassis batteries charged is to use a jumper from house battery positive to chassis battery positive. This can be done battery to battery or at any location where both batteries come together such as isolator, boost switch, etc.
You do have to be very careful with the jumpers, as touching any metal on the coach (ground) would be a dead short and with the amperage of either battery bank would be a real mess. So I do not recommend this as a long term solution. And NEVER start the engine with a jumper connecting the two banks-- way too easy for a jumper to come loose while driving and cause a dead short.
Stump,
Another possible consideration might be a voltage sensing relay. These can be purchased at FOT.
I think I'd like to go that route, even though my OEM system with an added AC powered maintainer is working fine. I like the idea of solar also getting to the chassis batteries.
What was the one Don found? I did a web search and found one by Marino that sells for $80 shipped, and is digital (which I consider nice but not necessary)
I asked Keith Risch at MOT what he thought was the best way and he said the ECO charger. It charges the starting batteries while on shore power or while the generator is running. I believe it will also work with solar, but not sure about that.
I have it on my coach now and seems to be working fine.
I am looking at a Progressive Dynamics 9280 80 amp converter charger with charge wizard to replace the stock factory charger. It us loud and hums all the time switching on and off. What are your opinions on this charger or do you recommend another type or brand?
Many of us with older coaches have moved to the Progressive Dynamics units if varying capacity. They seem to be very good devices at reasonable cost. That was my first upgrade when I bought my coach in 2011
Craig