All, your help is sincerely appreciated!Traveling down the road, we'll occasionally fire up the inverter to power computers and charge phones. Nothing else.In this case, we can usually make it an hour before the inverter automatically turns off with a message saying it turned off due to low battery voltage.The alternator, by all indications, functions normally, and should be charging the house batteries as we drive.Is it normal that a few charging phones and a computer would deplete the charge of the house batteries faster than the alternator keeps the charge up? Is it possible my alternator is not charging my house batteries while we're driving?

What kind of coach and what brand of inverter? On my Monaco coach, the inverter is never turned off, either automatically or manually, and I have no problem using 120 volt items when on the road. I have a Xantrex inverter with a 140 amp alternator.

When in doubt, call the manufacturer, they can tell you if your batteries are being charged while going down the road. Your inverter should not shut down after a short period. I turn my inverter on when I need it, otherwise it stays off.

Yes, OP, it is possible. Evidently you have exactly the rig upon which it happens, whatever that is.If you are towing a trailer, for example, and have a high capacity inverter, you need to know that your tow vehicle probably will only send 8-10 amps to the house batteries for a number of technical reasons. So, yes it is charging the house batteries, but not very vigorously.If you are using a large inverter, say a 2000 watt one, it is going to draw a lot more than 8-10 amps just being turned on, let alone powering any load. So, yes, you can easily deplete the house battery while towing, especially if your house battery isn't fully charged to begin with.And indeed, it is also possible that the alternator isn't charging the house batteries, either by design or because there's a problem.

Check the voltage to both batteries, coach and engine. One might not be charging. .. I found this problem while at a air show in San Diego. The drive home should have fully charged my batteries, but it did not. Normally I might expect the battery to be depleted after a long weekend of camping, but this one day trip, I did not expect it to be depleted at all, with the 20 amps of solar keeping it full. On the way home, I did not expect it to be discharged. Anyway it was the time that I discovered that the engine to coach battery relay was bad, and I installed a new one myself.Good luck,Fred.

Sorry:2007 Itaska Horizon 40' DP2000W inverter. Offhand, not sure which kind/company.I do tow a frog, but it is not electrically connected to my coach except to power a set of magnetic brake lights.

Inverter/Alternator Question | Good Sam Community

Lurker1
Explorer
Nov 25, 2014
Sorry:

2007 Itaska Horizon 40' DP

2000W inverter. Offhand, not sure which kind/company.

I do tow a frog, but it is not electrically connected to my coach except to power a set of magnetic brake lights.
Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Nov 25, 2014
Check the voltage to both batteries, coach and engine. One might not be charging. ..

I found this problem while at a air show in San Diego. The drive home should have fully charged my batteries, but it did not. Normally I might expect the battery to be depleted after a long weekend of camping, but this one day trip, I did not expect it to be depleted at all, with the 20 amps of solar keeping it full. On the way home, I did not expect it to be discharged. Anyway it was the time that I discovered that the engine to coach battery relay was bad, and I installed a new one myself.

Good luck,

Fred.
naturist
Nomad
Nov 25, 2014
Yes, OP, it is possible. Evidently you have exactly the rig upon which it happens, whatever that is.

If you are towing a trailer, for example, and have a high capacity inverter, you need to know that your tow vehicle probably will only send 8-10 amps to the house batteries for a number of technical reasons. So, yes it is charging the house batteries, but not very vigorously.

If you are using a large inverter, say a 2000 watt one, it is going to draw a lot more than 8-10 amps just being turned on, let alone powering any load. So, yes, you can easily deplete the house battery while towing, especially if your house battery isn't fully charged to begin with.

And indeed, it is also possible that the alternator isn't charging the house batteries, either by design or because there's a problem.
Blaster_Man
Explorer
Nov 25, 2014
When in doubt, call the manufacturer, they can tell you if your batteries are being charged while going down the road. Your inverter should not shut down after a short period. I turn my inverter on when I need it, otherwise it stays off.
rgatijnet1
Explorer III
Nov 25, 2014
What kind of coach and what brand of inverter?
On my Monaco coach, the inverter is never turned off, either automatically or manually, and I have no problem using 120 volt items when on the road. I have a Xantrex inverter with a 140 amp alternator.

Forum Discussion

Inverter/Alternator Question

About Motorhome Group

Related Content

Xantrex Lithium/Alternator/Inverter Package

Battery question

Cleaning Question

Fridge Question

Sailun Tires Question