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etrippe's avatar
etrippe
Explorer
Jun 20, 2014

pd charge wizard question

We live in our mh and when plugged into shore power should the charge wizard be in "normal mode" or "storage mode" ? Shouldn't the mh be draining the batteries just a little while parked and plugged in shore power? My start battery is 1 year old and was dead the other day when I tried to start up. Which started my investigation into the converter and charge wizard. It was then in "storage mode"
I used the "aux start" switch and the mh started up. I cleaned the battery connections at the start battery (they weren't bad) and watched the wizards light sequence. It went into "boost mode" for awhile and then into "normal mode". After about 30 hours it went back into "storage mode". That is where it is now.

(changed coach battery to start battery)

ok, what charges or keeps charged the start battery when sitting plugged into shore power for extended periods of time?

10 Replies

  • IAMICHABOD's avatar
    IAMICHABOD
    Explorer II
    Jun 22, 2014
    smkettner wrote:
    Wizard storage mode or normal mode is fine while in use. Converter supplies all 12v power while plugged in. Wizard is automatic. Just let it do it's thing.

    To prevent starting issues, you need a Trik-L-Start combiner to send some charge power to the chassis battery.

    Or you can get a BIRD
    Mine came with a Bi-Directional Isolator Relay Delay or a BIRD as they are called.

    This allows me to charge ALL the batteries,Coach and Chassis,at one time while plugged in.
    The controller also senses heavy loads on either battery to prevent the wrong battery from being inadvertently discharged
  • time2roll's avatar
    time2roll
    Nomad
    Jun 22, 2014
    Wizard storage mode or normal mode is fine while in use. Converter supplies all 12v power while plugged in. Wizard is automatic. Just let it do it's thing.

    To prevent starting issues, you need a Trik-L-Start combiner to send some charge power to the chassis battery.
  • BarneyS's avatar
    BarneyS
    Explorer III
    Jun 22, 2014
    I have had a PD converter with the Charge Wizard on my trailers since about 1998. I don't check the display very often because it is not necessary. The Charge Wizard takes care of the battery completely and all I do is check the water level about once a month or so.

    Ours stays plugged in 24/7 for about 6 months of the year. The rest of the time is either spent moving or sitting in storage where the batteries stay on the tongue but are disconnected via a discnnect switch. Never had a single problem and the batteries last about 6 or 7 years or more.
    Barney
  • wwest's avatar
    wwest
    Explorer
    Jun 21, 2014
    etrippe wrote:
    Thanks for the replies however still wondering. Anybody out there w/ a charge wizard? what does yours read when plugged into shore power using lights, a water pump and fans, all of with are 12 volt. Does it go into "storage mode" ?


    When plugged in to shore power the house battery is completely isolated from the load. The PD supplies "load" power while separately charging the battery. Once the PD detects a fully charge battery it will go into "storage"/maintenance mode
  • IAMICHABOD's avatar
    IAMICHABOD
    Explorer II
    Jun 21, 2014
    I have a PD9245 with a Charge Wizard and when it is plugged in it stays in the Normal Mode.13.6 with nothing on and when running fans and such it drops to about 13.1 but stays in the normal mode.

    The only time that it will go into the Boost mode is when I have been Boondocking with no power for a while and I start the Onan up it will go in to Boost mode at 14.4 until it is back to at least 90 percent.

    The only time it goes into storage mode is if is setting home plugged in and it hasn't moved or any power used for a few days.

    I Don't know if you have a chart or not but THIS explains it pretty well.
  • etrippe's avatar
    etrippe
    Explorer
    Jun 21, 2014
    Thanks for the replies however still wondering. Anybody out there w/ a charge wizard? what does yours read when plugged into shore power using lights, a water pump and fans, all of with are 12 volt. Does it go into "storage mode" ?
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Jun 20, 2014
    I always get confused here when folks are using COACH and HOUSE names for the battery systems.

    I always call the battery for the truck the START or TRUCK battery. To me its only function is to start the truck and run the truck electronic systems. I try to never tap into the truck system as that is my way to get back home haha...

    Sounds like your Progressive Dynamics Charger is seeing a charged up battery...

    I monitor my TRAILER batteries with a BATTERY MONITOR PANEL that reads actual DC VOLTAGES. Then there is no mistake on what the battery system is doing.


    Just my thoughts
    Roy Ken
  • Matt_Colie's avatar
    Matt_Colie
    Explorer II
    Jun 20, 2014
    If by coach battery you mean the house battery, then that is part of the issue. Few motorhomes start the main engine on the house battery. That should be what the PD is taking care off and the chassis battery is not. There are devices that can be fit so the main engine start (chassis) gets taken care of by the house bank system.

    I put a lot of these in performance cruisers (retired racing sailboats) before the depression ended our business.

    Matt
  • richheck's avatar
    richheck
    Explorer
    Jun 20, 2014
    I believe the PD charge wizard is probable only connected to your house battery bank and not the coach battery. Usually the two battery systems are isolated from each other until you connect both with your "boost mode".

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