How can I charge chassis batteries off of coach charger

larry cad wrote:
Another suggestion is a Xantrex Echo Charge. I have one and it works perfectly.

Works great--even from solar since it charges the chassis battery from the house batteries WHEN/IF the house batteries are at 13.0 or higher.

Sully2 wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:
Yes, you can hook your 2 battery banks together (+ to +) with alligator clips. I would suggest at least 8 gauge wire. Just remember to remove the jumper if you boon dock.
As previously mentioned, the Ultra Trik-L-Start is a very good option.
Install it and forget it.

Richard

The wire in most battery chargers themselves is close to 16 gauge!!! You wont be charging at a high enough rate to require 8 gauge wires,.

Fuse the wire running from PLUS terminal to chassis PLUS terminal in case one of the alligators pops off a post

Your right Sully, but the OP wasn't talking about using a stand alone battery charger. His intentions were to use the on board converter. Thus high amp flow is possible.

Richard

John & Angela wrote:

donsuefuggrwe wrote:
Sounds like you have a large diesel pusher. I would think it came with a inverter with a built in charger which should charge batteries when hooked up to shore power. Mine is a Heart Inverter 2000 whatever.

In the majority of motorhomes, inverter/charger does not charge the chassis batteries, only the coach batteries. There are exceptions, American coach, some of the bounders, some monacos and a few others.

And they all use the trk-l start to do it.

John & Angela wrote:

donsuefuggrwe wrote:
Sounds like you have a large diesel pusher. I would think it came with a inverter with a built in charger which should charge batteries when hooked up to shore power. Mine is a Heart Inverter 2000 whatever.

In the majority of motorhomes, inverter/charger does not charge the chassis batteries, only the coach batteries. There are exceptions, American coach, some of the bounders, some monacos and a few others.

And they all use the trk-l charge to do it.

cbeierl wrote:
Get one of these Ultra Trik-L-Start -- it's easy to hook up and works great!

+1
Install it and forget it. I did, 4 years ago. Killed a battery before installation, no problems after installation.

Ivylog wrote:
I put a quarter under the battery boost switch to hold it on. Yes I know the Big Boy says "intermittent duty" but that's for 1200 amps, not 200 or less.

Are you sure? In electronics "intermittent duty" on a solenoid or relay usually refers to the coil not the contact ratings. Typically a solenoid or relay that is not rated to be continuously energized will overheat and burn out the coil wires. If the circuit was designed for continuous use the manufacturer would have installed a maintained contact switch. It's your rig, but I would be cautious about recommending a practice that defeats the normal operation or design of the system.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

Since I no longer have power where I store RV at, I use solar panel for power and 12 gauge fused wire lead between +posts of coach and chassis batteries. Have been doing this for 4 years with no problems.

I would opt for a secondary charge system like a Trik-L-Charge. The batteries are usually not tied together so if one set fails it does not bring the other set down. That way, you always have a fail safe way of starting your engine or generator.

jorbill2or wrote:

larry cad wrote:
Another suggestion is a Xantrex Echo Charge. I have one and it works perfectly.

X2
It allows charging but keeps them separate

X3

These are the best option although, while I prefer the Magnum product, the function is the same.

Magnum Combiner

I put a quarter under the battery boost switch to hold it on. Yes I know the Big Boy says "intermittent duty" but that's for 1200 amps, not 200 or less.