I have a 95 U320,I was wondering has anyone just hooked up a trickle charge to the 3 start batteries to keep them topped off.
If I have to use the boost to start my rig,,, my inverter blinks and seems to be on real low on charge. I have to start my gen and run it to get things back on track, and all the while my light on my inverter blinks my toilet valve just keeps opening and closing until I disconnect the fuse
Any suggestions will help
Rick Maddox
rlmlimited@comcast.net
509-939-0740
Many of us use various trickle chargers,would get at least 6 amps for 3 batteries.In regards to the rest of your question,if you have power to run a trickle charger your house charger should be charging the house batteries,are they in good shape?Which inverter/charger do you have and are you sure the alternator is in good working condition?
Search on the forum:
"trik-l-start"
"trik-l-charge"
"triklstart"
Mega TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer (http://www.lslproducts.net/TLSPage.html)
AMP-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer - Overview Page (http://www.lslproducts.net/ALS_Overview_Page.html)
I use a knock off trickle charger at two amps. I tie the 6 house and 3 engine batteries together at the dash lighter plugs but the two amps keeps both at 13.2 to 13.6 volts.
Pierce
Trickle start. It is awesome!
Very small, 10 amp charge, awesome
I just turn on the boost swt. when connected to shore power. House charger will maintain both start and house batteries. I do turn off the 12 volt swt. at the door so door bell button light is not on all the time.
Pat,
We have Hong Kong Freight (Harbor freight) $20.00 cheapo one plugged into the block heater plug, and hard wired to the batt's It's always on when coach is plugged in.
Have a digital read out USB plug in the cig light at the dash that is connected to the engine batts.
Love looking at the green light through the back vents.
Watch the USB every time I go in the coach.
Chris
Our LEDs while connected to shore power at home plus lighter plug to lighter plug battery equalizer.
Pierce
I use a trickle charger but also have a dedicated solar panel for start batteries. It is only 7 amps but has been working like a charm for umteen years, summer and winter.
JohnH
This is for pthurman48. That will work but if you loose electricity you can end up with all batteries dead.
To add to above,and no way to start generator.
If you lose shore power, you will not only flatten both sets of batteries, but if for more than a few hours, cost yourself thousands of battery dollars.
Pierce
how do i check if altenator is chargeing properly and if the inverter /charger is working properly on the voltage on the dash it only gets up to 11 volts 93 grandvilla cummings thanks for your help trying to learn how the system works
94
Buy a DIGITAL VOLT METER (start under $20 at box stores, auto parts stores, etc).
Check connections on both battery banks are clean and tight.
Take readings at both HOUSE and CHASSIS batteries. Compare chassis battery readings with dash gauge reading. Tell us what you get.
Plug into shore power and recheck both banks. Tell us what you get on each battery bank.
Unplug from shore power, start the engine and raise RPM to around 1,100. Take readings at both HOUSE and CHASSIS batteries. Tell us what you get.
THEN we can give you advice based on the FACTS.
great thank, you just got dark ,will check tomorrow i had 12.5 at house and start batteries, will follow the balance of directions and let you know tomorrow thanks, so much
I hope it was "mister sun" who got dark, not the coach electrical system!
dragnet
yes sun light brett, i dont get in till later i work on electric material handling equipment just not familar with coach chargeing systems it will be this weekend when i can go thur these steps , the guy i bought this from said he had the altenator rebuilt so this tells me he had a issue i have new house batteries and removed coach batteries cleaned all checked water cleaned corrosion but still shows 11 volts so i will follow the protcall you suggest and see were we are thank you for all you do, keith williams
Keith,
Do you have any idea how long ago he had the alternator rebuilt? OEM your coach has a DUVAC system. If the alternator was rebuild to go on a dump truck rather than a RV with 2 battery banks and an isolator (DUVAC system) then that may be part of your problem.
Mike
I use my U240 and if I don't I check on things almost daily. In Lufkin,TX I don't lose electricity for more than a few hours., and that is not often.
Pat,
oki checked house battries sitting with every thing off 11.7 sane with start batteries i start unit up wjth engine and start battries stay the sane the house battries jumps to 16.7 volts no change to start batteries new in may water good no corrosion cleaned well set meter on pos and neg on alt running i show 19.5 v iam un able to connect to shore power at home any thoughts thank you keith williams 94 grand villa u225 cummings
Boost switch in "ON"or "CHARGE" position?
not sure about the rebuild , it was in may prior to purchase i cleaned very well all connections even on inverter ,start batteries ane ne not running battries house and start were 11.7 volts i started and house went to 16.7 volts and stare battries un changed amp gauge is at 11.7 ish i put meter to the pos and ned off alt ahd reads 19.5 volts shut off and house battries and up 12.8 start un changed iam unable to connect to shore power at home any thoughts thank for your help keith
16.7 is too high of voltage.
Could this.be.a isolator issue?
Check the lines coming to isolator with meter and report volts there
John
switch on isolator has 4connectors voltage running one is12.5 two is 9.9 three is 12.5 and four is 12.2 this comes from alt so why isn't it higher thank you
the boost switch was not on should this always be on when running/driveing ,my amp gauge should show about 13 v when just running@1500 rpm iam learning this system
yes 16.7 is too high but why dont it reflect that at the start battery and the 4th post on the isolator where the lead from alt goes to thats whats puzzling
brett, iam not quite following you , still learning this system i understand automotive chargeing systems but learning rvs thanks very much keith
Check the SENSE WIRE and terminals. It is a small gauge wire. If it is mostly broken (like one or two strands left or corroded connections, it can falsely report battery voltage to the alternator.
If in doubt, just run a new one from any connection on the chassis battery side of the isolator. So chassis battery lug of the isolator, chassis battery terminal of the boost switch, chassis battery positive terminal itself, etc.
May not be the problem, but $2 worth of wire beats ASSUMING that the alternator is bad.
i recall seeing that brett. ill check in the morning if the other option i think would be the alt because it should show voltage going into isolator even it isolator was bad just would not have voltage comeing out do you agree thanks so muck brett, keith
the leece neville 14 amp alt can be adjusted it ramped up 10 17 volts and i will adjust changes can me mad on interinal wireing to also se wireing i looke at the thin wire looks ok iam going to adjust volts and go from there