was_butnotnow wrote:
I know there is no charging of coach batteries from charger/inverter or shore power only when engine running. But do have that 2 A charge from the solar controller to the coach batteries.
By the way, they are new.
I can start the MH with the power boost turned on and charge the coach batteries up but then they don't hold that charge.
Will look into getting a more powerful trickle charger for the coach batteries. Anyone recommend a good full-time coach charger that I can run off of my house batteries or inverter. The inverter is always on when not on shore power do to a residential fridge.
Well,
You don't say how long it takes, from the time you shut down your engine, with a fully charged set of CHASSIS batteries, to drop to your lower voltage of 8 or so volts. Hours, minutes, what? The shorter the time frame, the stronger the short or draw there is on them. If it takes DAYS, well then, trying to find the culprit may be a bit harder. But, to simply provide a LARGER CHARGER to try and over power the draw, is not the answer here.
As has been suggested, get out your trusty volt ohm meter and start testing where tests are needed and results can be found. Once the culprit is found, your need for a LARGER battery charger will be greatly diminished. Will your CHASSIS batteries still need a charge while on shore power, sure they will but, only enough charge to overcome the parasitic draws that are standard in many of our coaches.
And that means, pickup either a Trik-L-Start or, it's bigger brother (recommended), the Amp-L-Start. The Trik-L-Start allows a maximum of 5 amps to be diverted to the chassis batteries if and when needed. The Amp-L-Start will allow a maximum of 15 amps to be routed to the chassis batteries, if and when needed. Even though I recommend the larger or, more amperage unit, it is not because of trying to overcome a potential high amp draw, it's because I'm one of those types that, if the 5A unit works, the 15A unit will work just that much better.
If you're not aware of how either one works, it's simple, whichever one you might choose, it ties into both sets of batteries and, when the CHASSIS batteries become even .5V lower than the HOUSE batteries, then which other one you chose, will jump into action and divert SOME of the amperage intended for the HOUSE batteries, and send it to the CHASSIS batteries. This is the most logical choice for these type situations. By the way, the Trik-L-Start or the other ones, is only powered up when shore power is connected and, your inverter/charger is charging the HOUSE batteries.
Scott
was_butnotnow wrote:
The coach batteries are the chassis batteries. My thought is if the kill switch is turned off no power should be used for anything on the chassis. The 4 new AGM house batteries are charged by a solar controller 600 W solar and Magnum 2000 w PSW charger/inverter. We are plugged into 50 A as a camp host site.
We do have a cell phone charging off the 12 v dash cig plug in and wondering why that works when the kill switch is shut down that controls the chassis power.
was_butnotnow,
First off, your coach in in the '05 era. In many coaches, even and especially the diesel ones, the CHASSIS batteries were neglected from the shore power charging system. For some odd reason, many manufacturers deemed it not necessary for the chassis batteries to be charged while on shore power.
So, with all that being said, are you DEAD sure that your chassis batteries are being charged while on shore power? You state you have 600 watts of solar. Well, that's a ton of solar and while I'm not a solar expert, I'd just about guess that, that system is capable of around 20 amps of charging or more.
Your Magnum 2000 watt PSW Inverter/Charger will automatically adjust what it needs to send the house/Coach batteries when they have different amount of voltage present. The lower the voltage, the more the charger side of that magnum unit will put out. The higher voltage it sees, as in the house batteries are topped off, that charger will drop right down to a maintenance/float charge.
This is all in coordination with your roof solar. If it's supplying most of the charging for your house batteries, the Magnum will back down as, it sees no need to supply higher amperage for batteries that are already receiving it. Now, just because you have your chassis batteries switch shut off, that doesn't mean there isn't parasitic draws on on those. There will always be parasitic draws.
In this situation, I'd first get those chassis batteries load tested for prolonged load carrying capability. Then, it they check out fine, then make sure all connections are clean and tight and that also includes an often neglected one, the negative cable ends that normally attach to the frame. Those can get seriously corroded and rusted.
Once all the connections are clean and tight, then you need to determine IF, your Magnum Inverter/Charger is has been set up to send some amperage to the chassis batteries. For us Winnebago and Itasca owners, the same era coach as yours did not have any chassis battery charging from shore power. Winne started adding what's called the "Trik-L-Start" units in early '06 to remedy the dead chassis battery situation after even short term storage. But, any coach prior to that, had no means of charging the chassis batteries while on shore power.
So, this is why I suggest that you may NOT have any chassis battery charging unless an independent charger has been installed. I think I recall you mentioning a 2A unit. That's not much if the chassis batteries are used for purposes that running the engine etc. Things like the steps, slides, and other items. So, these are some things to check. Good luck.
Scott
