Charging house battery from alternator---disconnect switch??

I'm curious ... I wonder when Lazy Daze started using boost switches in their Class C models? (I assume they all have it now.)

Mine is '11 and has none. It does have a relay, not diode.

I'm at campground now. I'm just about to disconnect power. I'll fire up solar panels and see if ignition switch without starting has any impact on output. I definitely want the ability to easily tie the two systems together if necessary,

OK I'm in luck! Just turning the key on without starting engine connects the two systems together.

Solar at .8 amp with key off, and 6 amps with key on.

You could do something similar to a MH. Connect the batteries with a continuous duty solenoid. Then it could be activated with a manual switch and/or ignition.

OR use a BIRD electronic module so that if either battery is charging the other will be charged as needed. This is ideal as both banks are charged from the charger, alternator or solar and manual activation can be added.

I wasn't thinking straight in my post above talking about a boost switch.

There's no need to tape a momentary boost switch ON when going down the road. The house batteries are direct connected (no diodes - but maybe a fuse) in parallel with the chassis battery via a heavy current continuous duty solenoid whenever the ignition is turned ON. Running the generator when going down the road will keep all batteries charged up - even with a failed alternator.

FWIW, the heavy duty solenoid connecting these batteries together is one I put in to replace the stock one. The one I installed has silver alloy contacts to keep this system more reliable by preventing the solenoid's contacts from being damaged from corrosion or electrical sparking/arching.

tpi wrote:

wwest wrote:
My class C has a relay that couples the engine charging system to the house battery ONLY when the alternator is powering the rotor winding internally.

In other words it requires alternator output to connect the two systems? Is this a typical wiring scheme, rather than ignition on to connect the batteries?

Reason I ask is in alternator failure scenario I am hoping to run generator and back power the engine from the power converter.

If there is 12 volts in the chassis circuit the relay will be closed and the power will run from higher voltage to lower voltage, period, it doesn't know or care which direction.

A diode is different altogether, it would only allow current to flow in one direction.

The instructions on how to wire a jumper from the chassis circuit to the house batteries should include a fuse on each end of the run. If the wire shorts to ground while the jumper is activated, it would short both the chassis and house batteries to ground.

My 1990 Winnebago Warrior as a rocker switch on the dash that rocks left, middle, right.

To the left is a charging position. It will stay in that position when put in that position. In that position, if the engine is providing charge it will charge the house battery. In that position it will NOT, however, let the house battery slave to the chassis battery. In other words, it only allows juice to go INTO the house battery, not out of it.

However, to the right is momentary, and as long as you hold it down to the right it will gang the house battery to the engine battery so that you can start the vehicle off of the house battery if the chassis battery is dead.

In the center the house battery is isolated.

I have to be careful because if you leave it in charge mode and run the generator you will damage the vehicle and/or generator voltage regulator, which I have done.

Steve