House battery charging by alternator
I am trying to understand how the charging system works on our 2007 Coachmen Concord. It seems that the truck alternator charges the house batteries at different times. For instance on a recent day t...
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As it happens, I monitor and record battery voltages continuously. This is what I got on the last drive. On start, the chassis batteries go to (about) 14.2 and slowly drift down to 13.6 over the 90 minutes of driving. The house batteries are at 12.0 and slowing increase as solar builds in the morning. After 20 minute break, the chassis batteries go to 13.7 but soon settle at 13.2 where they stay. The house batteries continue to build and are at 13.2 at engine off. It appears that at this point the solenoid is activated. From this point on the voltages of both sets of batteries are the same and it is obvious that they are connected. It now appears that the solar charge controller is controlling the voltage as both sets now start increasing. It is difficult to see what is going on as solar is variable but both are held at around 13.6. At the end of the drive the solenoid is deactivated - can't be sure exactly when but before final switch off. Trying to understand what is going on.....maybe just faulty solenoid?
