Drive RV Without Coach Batteries

Some motorhomes are wired fairly strangely. To me, the chassis battery and the house batteries should be separated as they serve completely different functions, only bridged by a switch for emergency starting of the engine or genset, or via some smart charger with a diode that won't drain the chassis battery if the house batteries get completely discharged.

I've thought of getting a MPPT solar charger and using that to bridge between the house batteries and the chassis battery. That way, when the chassis battery is nearly 100% charged, it gets floated, regardless of the SOC on the house jars.

Disconnect the Neg instead of the Pos. No taping needed.

A lot of people use the terms coach and house batteries interchangeably. And the terms starting and chassis batteries the same way.

Without the coach battery, how would you get it started? Now the house batteries could be disconnected.

Have not been given an ETA on mine either. I'm in upstate NY also so probably waiting on replenishment of stock from the same Michelin distribution point yours are coming from.

Hi, 09 I disconnected my house battery before I drove the MH to storage. I got about 2 blocks away from home and the engine died and the unit acted like no power. I reconnected the house battery an everything went back to normal. I don't know if that is the way it works but I talked to the previous owner and he said he never disconnected the house battery, so I guess I won't do that again. See you on the road, Denny and my wee blonde Ida.

Just what I was thinking so far. Trying to have MH ready "if" I ever get called by the Michelin dealer to replace the tires on recall. Glad I am getting a new set, but it is a pain since I live in upstate NY and the MH had to be dug out in addition.

When you start the engine the solenoid will allow charging of the house-batteries even with the house-disconnect off. That solenoid is by-passed by the alternator.

Make sure the (POS/+) cable is taped up and sealed from any possible contact grounding.

No. Just make sure the positive lead doesn't ground out. Put the battery switch in the off position just to be safe.

Make sure the positive cable is insulated so it does not touch grounded frame.