How can I charge chassis batteries off of coach charger

[midasman]

My chassis batteries do not charge except off the coach alternator. I have an '06 Holiday Ambassador 8.3 ISC. I made some jumpers with alligator clips to try when it is parked and plugged in but then I got cold feet. So my questions are:
1. Can I just hook up + to the + feed to the coach batteries and - to the - feed without any diodes or other hocus-pocus?
2. Might it affect charging rate and float to the chassis batteries (which normally float to essentially zero amps)?

[Dutch_12078]

kdk wrote:
...as others have said a "Tric-L-Start" or "Amp-L-Start" will also solve your issue, but don't think your house batteries would charge off the alternator while driving then.
PM me if you would like more info!
Blessings Keith

The Trik-L-Start or Amp-L-Start installation has no effect on engine charging. The coach batteries still get charged along with the engine battery.

[Bea_PA]

Battery Tender plus, batteries are original.

[kdk]

Midasman; I have the same coach as you and experienced the same issue. I called Monaco and they sent me an upgraded circuit board that allowed the chassis batteries to be charged while on shore power(easy install). Shortly thereafter the problem came back, I then found the Trombetta relay (boost relay) would energize but would not conduct any current flow. Took it apart and filed the contacts and it worked for awhile, then failed again. Called Trombetta and was told I should upgrade to a relay with silver contacts that they sold. System has functioned with out any trouble for 5 years now. But as others have said a "Tric-L-Start" or "Amp-L-Start" will also solve your issue, but don't think your house batteries would charge off the alternator while driving then.
PM me if you would like more info!
Blessings Keith

[bukib]

On my Airstream I simply turn on the alt batt switch and both sets of batteries are charged and maintained. Try it on yours and see.

[John_Ruszaj]

I have a battery minder under the dash that is hooked to the
starter battery. It is plugged into the plug for the front TV, and
the plug shuts down as soon as you start the engine but in on when
on shore power or gen.

[BarbaraOK]

John & Angela wrote:

donsuefuggrwe wrote:
Sounds like you have a large diesel pusher. I would think it came with a inverter with a built in charger which should charge batteries when hooked up to shore power. Mine is a Heart Inverter 2000 whatever.

In the majority of motorhomes, inverter/charger does not charge the chassis batteries, only the coach batteries. There are exceptions, American coach, some of the bounders, some monacos and a few others.

I think you will find that most DPs above entry level use something like an Echo charger. All Alpines did, all the CC, Foretravels, Newmars, and Tiffins we've seen have had them. our coach is 11 years old, so no, it is not something new.

Barb

[John___Angela]

cbeierl wrote:

John & Angela wrote:
...
Good afternoon. I haven't seen any units that came stock with a trickle start although I am certainly not an expert....

Just fyi, starting in 2006 Winnebago added the Trik-L-Start to all of its diesel pushers (that's why it has a Winnebago part number on it). I'm not sure if they're still using it or have another solution to the issue now.

Thanks for the info. Nice to know.

[cbeierl]

John & Angela wrote:
...
Good afternoon. I haven't seen any units that came stock with a trickle start although I am certainly not an expert....

Just fyi, starting in 2006 Winnebago added the Trik-L-Start to all of its diesel pushers (that's why it has a Winnebago part number on it). I'm not sure if they're still using it or have another solution to the issue now.

[John___Angela]

nemo45 wrote:

John & Angela wrote:

donsuefuggrwe wrote:
Sounds like you have a large diesel pusher. I would think it came with a inverter with a built in charger which should charge batteries when hooked up to shore power. Mine is a Heart Inverter 2000 whatever.

In the majority of motorhomes, inverter/charger does not charge the chassis batteries, only the coach batteries. There are exceptions, American coach, some of the bounders, some monacos and a few others.

And they all use the trk-l start to do it.

Good afternoon. I haven't seen any units that came stock with a trickle start although I am certainly not an expert. Our 2001 fleetwood southwind had no BCC (Battery control centre) that would charge the chassis batteries but met a friend in a casino that had one so its probably model and year dependant. Our Revolution has a BCC that automatically connects and reconnects the chassis batteries to the coach batteries if they get low. (think it is set for 12.4 volts)

[midasman]

Thank-you guys for all the great answers. Any of these suggestions would work. Probably the cheapest way is a Trick-l-start. That Magnum Combiner really looks like a good solution too for $120 or so. It may not be a huge problem since the first time it failed (batteries 6+ years old) I jumped it off with my Jeep toad. And that's because I then found out the Trombetta relay was bad--no parallelling. And I could have jumped it off itself except it seemed safer to keep all sparks out of the battery bay.
Thank-you again.
Pete

[Canadian_Rainbi]

larry cad wrote:
Another suggestion is a Xantrex Echo Charge. I have one and it works perfectly.

Works great--even from solar since it charges the chassis battery from the house batteries WHEN/IF the house batteries are at 13.0 or higher.

[RLS7201]

Sully2 wrote:

RLS7201 wrote:
Yes, you can hook your 2 battery banks together (+ to +) with alligator clips. I would suggest at least 8 gauge wire. Just remember to remove the jumper if you boon dock.
As previously mentioned, the Ultra Trik-L-Start is a very good option.
Install it and forget it.

Richard

The wire in most battery chargers themselves is close to 16 gauge!!! You wont be charging at a high enough rate to require 8 gauge wires,.

Fuse the wire running from PLUS terminal to chassis PLUS terminal in case one of the alligators pops off a post

Your right Sully, but the OP wasn't talking about using a stand alone battery charger. His intentions were to use the on board converter. Thus high amp flow is possible.

Richard

[nemo45]

John & Angela wrote:

donsuefuggrwe wrote:
Sounds like you have a large diesel pusher. I would think it came with a inverter with a built in charger which should charge batteries when hooked up to shore power. Mine is a Heart Inverter 2000 whatever.

In the majority of motorhomes, inverter/charger does not charge the chassis batteries, only the coach batteries. There are exceptions, American coach, some of the bounders, some monacos and a few others.

And they all use the trk-l start to do it.

[nemo45]

John & Angela wrote:

donsuefuggrwe wrote:
Sounds like you have a large diesel pusher. I would think it came with a inverter with a built in charger which should charge batteries when hooked up to shore power. Mine is a Heart Inverter 2000 whatever.

In the majority of motorhomes, inverter/charger does not charge the chassis batteries, only the coach batteries. There are exceptions, American coach, some of the bounders, some monacos and a few others.

And they all use the trk-l charge to do it.