I was thinking of just using my two 6v batteries as "house" batteries for powering the residential fridge, TV's, lights..ect.And having one 12v battery (because I already have it)to be the "starting" battery..powering just the slides and the leveling system (ground control 3.0)Does anyone know if using a dual battery isolator will work with the coach's charging system?The converter is a Progressive Dynamic with the charge wizard.Will the charger sometimes see a low battery and stay at a "boost" voltage and eventually cook one of the isolated battery banks?I want to do this because after running the batteries down (dry camping for a short time) there isn't much power left to operate the slides, and the ground control 3.0 needs to see a healthy voltage or it will error out.If I have a separate battery it would be topped up for the brief high current use.Thoughts?

klassic wrote:I was thinking of just using my two 6v batteries as "house" batteries for powering the residential fridge, TV's, lights..ect.And having one 12v battery (because I already have it)to be the "starting" battery..powering just the slides and the leveling system (ground control 3.0)Does anyone know if using a dual battery isolator will work with the coach's charging system?The converter is a Progressive Dynamic with the charge wizard.Will the charger sometimes see a low battery and stay at a "boost" voltage and eventually cook one of the isolated battery banks?I want to do this because after running the batteries down (dry camping for a short time) there isn't much power left to operate the slides, and the ground control 3.0 needs to see a healthy voltage or it will error out.If I have a separate battery it would be topped up for the brief high current use.Thoughts?Your post is confusing as I dont think you understand how your system works.What do you want to isolate?If you have 2 6V batterys and run them down that you cant put the slides in then you just plug into the truck and start the truck. The trucks battery and alternator will bring in the slides. And on the way home charge your 6 v batterys too.Your truck being a 2012 most likely has an isolator to keep it seperate from the 5th wheel batterys. Esy to check with a volt meter.Your charger only comes into play when you are plugged into shore power.If you are dry camping your 5th wheel shows propane/electric not just electric. You should be running on propane.Do you have an onboard invertor? Your batterys will die quick using the fridge on electric..Additionally you probably have the space for 4 6v batterys. If your going to be dry camping that would be best for a camper of that size.Your outside kitchen refridge will not work unless plugged into shore power.Last do you have the optional generator? If not that would be a very good investment to get a portable if you dry camp. So to answer what your asking, no isolator needed. You just need to learn how your system works.Dry camping:::::Run refridge on propaneGet/use led lightingTurn off invertor if you have one unless needed. ( Your unit shows its not an option so I dont think you have one.Put slides in and out only when truck is plugged in and running.Thats a start. Let us know..

In my motorhome I have two 6 volt batteries for the coach and 1 12 volt for starting the diesel engine. When I am parked I shut the chassis battery off and use the 2 six volts run everything else. I do have a small solar panel built into the air conditioner on the roof that tops up the coach batteries.I have no problem staying for several days on batteries. I have also changed all my lights to LEDs.Not sure how yours are hooked up but should be able to isolate both.

Your residential refer is going to drag down your batteries, whether it is the two 6 volters or the 12 volter.Yes, you could use a battery disconnect switch with multiple battery inputs and use either one at a time or both. You still will not have sufficient battery supply.

Thanks for the replies..Yes I have an inverter, because as I said I have a residential fridge. It doesn't run on propane.All the lights are LEDI have a battery compartment for 6 batteries, but I'm not interested in the additional weight and cost.I'm slightly interested in an inverter generator, but I don't have an extra $1200 kicking around.My trucks batteries don't necessarily have the voltage to keep up, once the 6v's are low, after the voltage drop through small guage wire travelling from the front of the truck to operate 3 electric slides and a high demand electric 6 point leveling system.I DO, however, have this $25 90amp isolator and a brand new 12 volt battery sitting around.My thought was to always have a fully charged 12v battery to operate only the slides and Ground Control, by separating those systems from the 6v's. Or, for that matter, just to have an extra battery if the 6v's die. Very similar to a MH that has separate "house" and "starting" battery banks.I dry camp very little, but I have had to park (with no power) for many hours in the heat with the exhaust fan running, fridge running, and having very little power left to operate the slides.I just don't know how the progressive charging system of the converter will act being hooked to an isolator charging two separate battery banks.

klassic wrote:Thanks for the replies..Yes I have an inverter, because as I said I have a residential fridge. It doesn't run on propane.All the lights are LEDOK we better understandI have a battery compartment for 6 batteries, but I'm not interested in the additional weight and cost.I'm slightly interested in an inverter generator, but I don't have an extra $1200 kicking around.What bramd batterys do you have now? 6 volt duracells @ sams club are 89 bucksI would add two more of tha same AH that you have.. Its the smartest move IMO for your power needs.My trucks batteries don't necessarily have the voltage to keep up, once the 6v's are low, You have to start your truck before moving a slide or what not. The alternator will power the slides and such.The trailer needs to be plugged to the truck.after the voltage drop through small guage wire travelling from the front of the truck to operate 3 electric slides and a high demand electric 6 point leveling system.Are you saying with the truck plugged in and low batterys on the camper and truck running you cant operate the slides?I DO, however, have this $25 90amp isolator and a brand new 12 volt battery sitting around.My thought was to always have a fully charged 12v battery to operate only the slides and Ground Control, by separating those systems from the 6v's. Or, for that matter, just to have an extra battery if the 6v's die. Where are you putting this battery? You cant charge different batterys of the campers charger. You need same AH batterys or your will just cook the 12 volt and overcharge it...Very similar to a MH that has separate "house" and "starting" battery banks.Its what you have now. House batterys on the camper and starting on the truck.Your truck has an isolater Im sure. So if you leave the camper plugged into the truck , the camper will not drain your truck battery.With truck running the truck battery trys to dump to the camper batterys but the alt will amp up to supply the needed power for charging.With your truck running your alt should be supplying 13.5 plus volts to the trailer batterysOne thing too is make sure truck is in tow haul mOde. Some trucks try to save fuel and reduce voltage from the alt. tow haul mode disables this to send full alt ability to charge/I dry camp very little, but I have had to park (with no power) for many hours in the heat with the exhaust fan running, fridge running, and having very little power left to operate the slides.[COLOR=]Can you explain more on this?I just don't know how the progressive charging system of the converter will act being hooked to an isolator charging two separate battery banks.as I stated above thats a no no.IMO your best off getting two move 6 volts. Then get a 3 way battery switch.Run on both banks when driving. When stopped swith to bank one or two. Alternate betwwen stops.See here.

Battery isolator help | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

Coach-man
Explorer
Sep 10, 2015
klassic wrote:
CA Traveler wrote:
Parallel batteries should be the same type and size for best results.

But your 12V would have very little draw (high amps devices but for a very short period). So just buy a 2A 2 stage charger for about $30, connect it to the 12V battery and it will get charged whenever you plug in and keep 2 separate battery banks.

Even easier!
good plan
thanks!

I was thinking about the dual battery isolator because it is sitting on my shelf doing nothing, but so is a small 2A charger.

X 2, sometimes the simplest solution is the best!
klassic
Explorer
Sep 10, 2015
CA Traveler wrote:
Parallel batteries should be the same type and size for best results.

But your 12V would have very little draw (high amps devices but for a very short period). So just buy a 2A 2 stage charger for about $30, connect it to the 12V battery and it will get charged whenever you plug in and keep 2 separate battery banks.

Even easier!
good plan
thanks!

I was thinking about the dual battery isolator because it is sitting on my shelf doing nothing, but so is a small 2A charger.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Sep 10, 2015
Parallel batteries should be the same type and size for best results.

But your 12V would have very little draw (high amps devices but for a very short period). So just buy a 2A 2 stage charger for about $30, connect it to the 12V battery and it will get charged whenever you plug in and keep 2 separate battery banks.
klassic
Explorer
Sep 09, 2015
CA Traveler... the wires for the levelers and slide controller would be alone to the 12v battery. Thus the isolator to keep the 12v from discharging to the 6v's

Lawrosa.. I like the switch. I never knew of such an animal. Maybe that's all I need.

Basically I want to do this because I have 2 Trojan 105's in the rig now, along with a brand new 12v that isn't hooked to anything.(just sitting there)

I could take the 12v out and toss it in my garage and forget about it until it rots, or I could use it. I don't want to waste it.
Remember I'm in Canada and there's no "Sam's clubs batteries" or "Costco 6volts" and things cost almost twice as much here.

Is it a bad idea to just simply parallel the 6's to the 12v?
I haven't heard of anyone doing that before.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Sep 09, 2015
Not sure what you want to do: Yes a charger will charge 2 battery banks with the isolator or just a switch between the batteries and there are many ways to do this.

But since you want to charge with the charger then you already have 120V so why did you let the batteries run down?

If you are boon docking and run down the 6's just switch over to the fresh 12V battery and bring in the slides. But a isolator or switch connecting the 2 banks may not work because the discharged 6's will start pulling some power from the 12's. It all depends upon the batteries capacity, SOC and how much power the slides draw. Typically the slides can require a large amp draw and you may not have enough voltage from the connected battery banks.

You could setup the situation you want and try it and see if it works.
lawrosa
Explorer
Sep 09, 2015
Also how many watst is your invertor? Is the refridge the only thing it powers?

Have you tried turning off the fridge/invertor temperarily while moving your slides?

Why are you operating the jacks? Are you doing this while still hitched up? For stability?
lawrosa
Explorer
Sep 09, 2015
klassic wrote:
Thanks for the replies..
Yes I have an inverter, because as I said I have a residential fridge. It doesn't run on propane.
All the lights are LED

OK we better understand

I have a battery compartment for 6 batteries, but I'm not interested in the additional weight and cost.
I'm slightly interested in an inverter generator, but I don't have an extra $1200 kicking around.

What bramd batterys do you have now? 6 volt duracells @ sams club are 89 bucks

I would add two more of tha same AH that you have.. Its the smartest move IMO for your power needs.

My trucks batteries don't necessarily have the voltage to keep up, once the 6v's are low,

You have to start your truck before moving a slide or what not. The alternator will power the slides and such.

The trailer needs to be plugged to the truck.

after the voltage drop through small guage wire travelling from the front of the truck to operate 3 electric slides and a high demand electric 6 point leveling system.

Are you saying with the truck plugged in and low batterys on the camper and truck running you cant operate the slides?

I DO, however, have this $25 90amp isolator and a brand new 12 volt battery sitting around.
My thought was to always have a fully charged 12v battery to operate only the slides and Ground Control, by separating those systems from the 6v's. Or, for that matter, just to have an extra battery if the 6v's die.

Where are you putting this battery? You cant charge different batterys of the campers charger. You need same AH batterys or your will just cook the 12 volt and overcharge it...

Very similar to a MH that has separate "house" and "starting" battery banks.

Its what you have now. House batterys on the camper and starting on the truck.

Your truck has an isolater Im sure. So if you leave the camper plugged into the truck , the camper will not drain your truck battery.

With truck running the truck battery trys to dump to the camper batterys but the alt will amp up to supply the needed power for charging.

With your truck running your alt should be supplying 13.5 plus volts to the trailer batterys

One thing too is make sure truck is in tow haul mOde. Some trucks try to save fuel and reduce voltage from the alt. tow haul mode disables this to send full alt ability to charge/

I dry camp very little, but I have had to park (with no power) for many hours in the heat with the exhaust fan running, fridge running, and having very little power left to operate the slides.

[COLOR=]Can you explain more on this?

I just don't know how the progressive charging system of the converter will act being hooked to an isolator charging two separate battery banks.

as I stated above thats a no no.

IMO your best off getting two move 6 volts. Then get a 3 way battery switch.

Run on both banks when driving. When stopped swith to bank one or two. Alternate betwwen stops.

See here.
klassic
Explorer
Sep 09, 2015
Thanks for the replies..
Yes I have an inverter, because as I said I have a residential fridge. It doesn't run on propane.
All the lights are LED
I have a battery compartment for 6 batteries, but I'm not interested in the additional weight and cost.
I'm slightly interested in an inverter generator, but I don't have an extra $1200 kicking around.

My trucks batteries don't necessarily have the voltage to keep up, once the 6v's are low, after the voltage drop through small guage wire travelling from the front of the truck to operate 3 electric slides and a high demand electric 6 point leveling system.

I DO, however, have this $25 90amp isolator and a brand new 12 volt battery sitting around.
My thought was to always have a fully charged 12v battery to operate only the slides and Ground Control, by separating those systems from the 6v's. Or, for that matter, just to have an extra battery if the 6v's die.

Very similar to a MH that has separate "house" and "starting" battery banks.

I dry camp very little, but I have had to park (with no power) for many hours in the heat with the exhaust fan running, fridge running, and having very little power left to operate the slides.

I just don't know how the progressive charging system of the converter will act being hooked to an isolator charging two separate battery banks.
enblethen
Nomad
Sep 09, 2015
Your residential refer is going to drag down your batteries, whether it is the two 6 volters or the 12 volter.
Yes, you could use a battery disconnect switch with multiple battery inputs and use either one at a time or both.
You still will not have sufficient battery supply.
Ava
Explorer
Sep 09, 2015
In my motorhome I have two 6 volt batteries for the coach and 1 12 volt for starting the diesel engine. When I am parked I shut the chassis battery off and use the 2 six volts run everything else.
I do have a small solar panel built into the air conditioner on the roof that tops up the coach batteries.
I have no problem staying for several days on batteries. I have also changed all my lights to LEDs.
Not sure how yours are hooked up but should be able to isolate both.