bird relay how to check

[Jones1]

I have a '99 dutch star dp , freightliner, 300 cat. And having problem with the charging system. Engine and gen. Charges both systems but when plugged into shore power the converter does not charge thehouse batteries. Have good dc power in the coach( 13.2 ) volts. Charger is IOTA DLS 75/IQ3. The bird is Intellitec 00-00366-000. Any help/advice will be most appreicated.
Thanks Roy

[dougrainer]

Jones1 wrote:
I was thinking the bird relay selected the charging source. My problem seems to be that the converter is not charging the coach ( house) batteries. When I plug into shore power the voltage to batteries does not change. With engine or gen runnig goes from approx 12.5 to 13.4. Batteries are new ( 2 mo.)
Doug thanks for helping.

What you post does not make sense. IF the voltage goes UP when on Genset, But NOT on Shore Power, this is not able to happen. ALL you are doing(Genset and Shore) is supplying 120 power to the Power Converter. Are you POSITIVE you have 120 volts inside the RV when on Shore Power? Your Genset is started by the Chassis Battery bank. Gensets have NO Charger. Doug

[crasster]

Have you checked for any in line fuses (DC) that may have popped?

[Ivylog]

So the problem is that on shore power there is no increase in house battery voltage but on generator it does increase from 12.5 to 13.4. There is some slight difference in shore power and generator power but my converter/charger likes shore power better... charges more amps. I would try running the house batteries down to`12.0 V and then see if on shore power you have a voltage increase. Like Doug said, the BIRD is not part of your issue... but it is working.

[Jones1]

Battery disconnect is on.

[Jones1]

I was thinking the bird relay selected the charging source. My problem seems to be that the converter is not charging the coach ( house) batteries. When I plug into shore power the voltage to batteries does not change. With engine or gen runnig goes from approx 12.5 to 13.4. Batteries are new ( 2 mo.)
Doug thanks for helping.

[dougrainer]

Lets make sure you are stating the correct batteries.
HOUSE Batteries are the COACH living box batteries
CHASSIS Batteries are used for the Chassis engine and drive train
The BIRD has NOTHING to do with charging the HOUSE(Coach) Batteries. The BIRD helps charge the Chassis Battery bank when the Converter Voltage goes over about 13.1 volts. A Power Converter rarely goes OVER that threshold once the Coach (House) batteries reach full charge. Once the Power Converter voltage drops below that 13.1 volts the BIRD opens and the chassis are no longer trickle charged. Last, there is NO difference between Genset and Shore Power charging the House(Coach) Batteries. ALL the Genset and Shore Power do is supply 120 voltage to the RV and that then supplies 120 power to the Power Converter. Do you have the Onan or Powertech Genset? Doug

PS, On your year Model Newmar, IF the Battery Disconnect is turned OFF, the Coach (House batteries will NOT charge from the Power Converter(Genset or Shore Power). The Red LED will be ON If you have Shore Power or Genset power, but IF the disconnect switch and solenoid is OFF it will not charge the Coach batteries. To test is simple. Disconnect the Shore Power and Genset OFF, IF the Battery Disconnect red LED is ON, the battery disconnect is ON. If the Red LED is OFF your Battery disconnect is OFF. Starting in about 2001/2002, Newmar rewired the charging system to always charge the Coach batteries regardless of the Battery disconnect switch On or OFF. They changed the wiring because people were left with DEAD Coach batteries after being plugged into shore power and they did not know they had the Battery Disconnect in the OFF position due to the Red LED light being on. I always told my customers to push the USE button once a day on those older models to make sure the coach batteries were being charged.