aux. batteries won't charge with shore power
I drained my aux. batteries and main battery last fall. The aux. batteries will charge after running the generator but not while connected to shore power. They actually drain completely after I conn...
Forum Discussion
On most motor homes the generator does NOT charge the batteries exactly.. It provides 120vac to the house systems and sub systems.. One of those sub systems is the converter, which is the device that charges the batteries.
on shore power, the very same converter charges the batteries
Possible issues: if a 30 amp rig.. I can not think of any as the converter will be on the 30 amp breaker on the generator same as the A/C and Microwave.
On a 50 amp rig.. If the Auto transfer switch is flakey and only transferring one leg to Shore (Welded contactor will do that) then it is possible the converter may not convert on shore power.
So, how does a contactor/solenoid/relay get welded? (3 names for one device).
Simply, hot switching. The proper way to transfer is to cold switch, to do this you start by TURNING OFF everything that is a big eater or... By disconnecting from shore power.. THEN you start the generator and about 1/2 to 1 1/2 minute later the box switches over, since there is no current flowing before the switch there is minimum arcing of the contacts at transfer.
With HOT switching (Fire up generator while shore power present) when it switches There is arcing both at break and make, and if there are any motors running (Air Conditioner for example) the inductive "kick" can make that one BIG arc.. Plus strange things happen at Make that increase the size of the arc as well.. The result,, Arc Welded Contacts. A very bad thing.
on shore power, the very same converter charges the batteries
Possible issues: if a 30 amp rig.. I can not think of any as the converter will be on the 30 amp breaker on the generator same as the A/C and Microwave.
On a 50 amp rig.. If the Auto transfer switch is flakey and only transferring one leg to Shore (Welded contactor will do that) then it is possible the converter may not convert on shore power.
So, how does a contactor/solenoid/relay get welded? (3 names for one device).
Simply, hot switching. The proper way to transfer is to cold switch, to do this you start by TURNING OFF everything that is a big eater or... By disconnecting from shore power.. THEN you start the generator and about 1/2 to 1 1/2 minute later the box switches over, since there is no current flowing before the switch there is minimum arcing of the contacts at transfer.
With HOT switching (Fire up generator while shore power present) when it switches There is arcing both at break and make, and if there are any motors running (Air Conditioner for example) the inductive "kick" can make that one BIG arc.. Plus strange things happen at Make that increase the size of the arc as well.. The result,, Arc Welded Contacts. A very bad thing.
