Battery Charging Problem ***UPDATE***
While dry camping in freezing weather, the charging system died for the dual type 24 house batteries (2002 Winnebago Mini). It appears to be a solenoid system. It failed two years ago and the RV s...
Forum Discussion
bobndot wrote:theoldwizard1 wrote:
If you want to charge your house batteries while driving, you need a DC-DC battery charger.
This technology is all new to me. I didn't realize that I could add a DC to DC charger to the BIM (Battery Isolation Manager). I thought the BIM was doing that job.
Your BIM is a fairly simple device. It allow the vehicle charging system to send whatever voltage is available from the alternator/chassis battery to the house batteries when there is "adequate" voltage available (ie. the engine is running). It does not allow the house bank to send voltage to the starting battery unless you press the "emergency start switch".
With modern "smart" charging systems ADEQUATE IS NOT SUFFICIENT ! You will NEVER restore a proper, full charge to a house bank without a DC-DC battery charger.
A DC-DC charger takes the voltage available from the vehicle system (somewhere between about 11.5V and about 15V) and raises or lowers that voltage to the appropriate amount for the "stat of charge" of the house bank.
