Shore Power Question

Blaster Man wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Blaster Man wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:
Yes, your Fleetwood coach is designed to charge all batteries when on shore power or generator. That has been a Fleetwood feature since the early 90s.


Richard
95 Bounder

Not always so. On my coach, shore power charges the coach batteries, but has to be putting out at least 13.3 volts for the coach batteries to let the charge go through to the chassis batteries. I found this out the hard way when the chassis batteries were dead and the coach would not start.

Yes, this is true of ALL motorhomes that have the Intellitec BIRD system. In theory, the system should keep the chassis up, but will fail to keep the Chassis if the voltage drops to float charge. Newmar uses the BIRD system but installed a small solar charger just for the chassis batteries to keep the chassis charged when the BIRD went to float. A way to fool this system if leaving plugged in for weeks at a time, is every 7 days or so, to disconnect Shore Power for a few seconds and reconnect. That will make the Coach charging system go to bulk charge and go over the 13.3 volt threshold. Doug

I have a Magnum controller for my charging system, so another option is to increase the charge rate.

You are confusing charge RATE with continued charging after the Magnum has fully charged the coach batteries. Regardless of the charge RATE, it will go to Float charge eventually and THAT voltage is below the BIRD 13.3 threshold to keep the solenoid that combines BOTH battery banks closed to charge the Chassis battery bank. Both Magnum and Xantrex you can modify the charge rate to your liking. Doug