Foretravel Owners' Forum

Foretravel Motorhome Forums => Foretravel Tech Talk => Topic started by: Peter on May 18, 2022, 10:50:09 am

Title: House battery charging
Post by: Peter on May 18, 2022, 10:50:09 am
Just confirming that the house batteries will charge while driving when the boost button is on?
Peter
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: craneman on May 18, 2022, 10:54:39 am
Absolutely that ties the house and the start batteries together. The alternator will charge both and the generator will charge both.
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: John44 on May 18, 2022, 11:05:08 am
On my coach both battery banks charge when driving with the boost switch on or off,the boost switch is used to give the start
batteries some extra oomff when starting.
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: oldguy on May 18, 2022, 11:07:49 am
As Chuck said the boost switch ties the house and the chassis batteries together but
if your alternator is charging it should be charging both sets of batteries with the boost
switch off.
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: wolfe10 on May 18, 2022, 11:18:52 am
On my coach both battery banks charge when driving with the boost switch on or off,the boost switch is used to give the start
batteries some extra oomff when starting.


Correct.  The BATTERY ISOLATOR has power (12 VDC positive) IN from the alternator and OUT to both house and chassis battery banks.

So no need for boost switch in order for both banks to automatically be charged by the alternator.
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: Bigoil76 on May 18, 2022, 11:52:07 am
Bret, is that also true for the isolator when the generator is running.? No boost switch needed to tie together batteries for charging via generator?
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: oldguy on May 18, 2022, 11:58:56 am
If there isn't some kind a device added to charge the chassis batteries from the house
batteries the chassis batteries won't charge from the generator.
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: Bigoil76 on May 18, 2022, 12:08:36 pm
That's what I thought Pete, thanks. I just thought, up until now that I had to have the boost switch on to charge house batteries while going down the road.....
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: wolfe10 on May 18, 2022, 01:47:47 pm
Think of it this way-- from the ATS (automatic transfer switch) onward, generator is EXACTLY the same as shore power in terms of what things it can power.

Yes, the "fine print" is that the total number of things you can run at the same time may be different, depending on amp/watt rating of your generator.

50 amp shore power= 50 amps @240 VAC= 100 amps @ 120 VAC.
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: turbojack on May 18, 2022, 02:48:40 pm
50 amp shore power= 50 amps @240 VAC= 100 amps @ 120 VAC.

100amps @ 120V = 12KW of generator

A 10KW generator puts out 83.33 amps of 120V power at full rated load.

Not so much with the generators in our coaches but when you see these portable generators that have large rating and low $ cost, good chance the rating advertised is peak rating for part of a second and not continues
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: Old Toolmaker on May 19, 2022, 10:38:20 am
Just confirming that the house batteries will charge while driving when the boost button is on?
Peter
If all is as it should be, the engine driven alternator will charge the house and chassis batteries with the Boost switch in the OFF position.
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: John44 on May 19, 2022, 10:42:49 am
Sounds like what I said yesterday.
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: Peter on May 19, 2022, 10:56:26 am
Thanks all!
Title: Re: House battery charging
Post by: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart on May 19, 2022, 11:27:39 am
Put twin voltmeters or plug in digital meters in the lighter sockets and never wonder what is going on. Ours are on 24/7 for years now. Gives house voltage early in the morning after an evening of TV, etc, driving voltages, floating voltages when parked, etc, etc. Any problems that come up will be seen before you are stranded, etc. and give plenty of time to diagnose.

Pierce