Foretravel Owners' Forum For owners and Fans of Foretravel Motorcoaches September 11, 2025 ...

Battery charging

October 30, 2023, 02:18:50 pm

I currently have the coach plugged into 20amp 110 circuit and a battery minder plugged into the same circuit for the chassis batteries to charge. I disconnected the coach shore power to run the generator which I do once a month to keep it up and after the gen complaining a couple of times to start, it did start. As the attached pic shows my system is charging in absorb charging but the charge rate is at 15.1. Is there anything I should be concerned about with this as I have not noted before it charging at that high a rate?

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Re: Battery charging

Reply #1 – October 30, 2023, 02:21:35 pm

Do you have a temp sensor? If so it will adjust the voltage up when cold.

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Re: Battery charging

Reply #2 – October 30, 2023, 02:26:23 pm

Yes I do have a temp sensor on my house batteries. Option purchased with my magnum inverter. Makes sense now

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Re: Battery charging

Reply #3 – October 30, 2023, 03:46:14 pm

Proper bulk and absorption as well as float voltage IS temperature dependent.

If it is 80 degrees F, that is too high.  If 30 degrees F about perfect.

You can always unplug the temperature sensor from the inverter/charger and see what voltage does. Most are simple "telephone-type" plug ins.

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Re: Battery charging

Reply #4 – October 30, 2023, 07:52:43 pm

Starting your generator in cold weather you need to cycle your glow plugs. press the start switch
and wait 9 seconds and press it again and the press it again and the it should start right up. At -30
cycle the plugs 3 times.

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Re: Battery charging

Reply #5 – October 30, 2023, 10:38:41 pm

Tried that with the 3 cycles before starting ( temp 22F) and got a red fault light ...reset it and cycled 3 times and it happened again. Third attempt with the 3 cycle it started up. Maybe a glow plug issue???

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Re: Battery charging

Reply #6 – October 31, 2023, 12:27:36 am

You need to check the voltage to you glow plugs. Should be 12-13 volts when you first hit the start sw. If you have 12 volts most likely bad glow plugs. I started mine at 22 degrees it did start but didn't like it lots of white smoke and rough run. all it takes is one bad glow plug. I had 2 bad.

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