Inverter charge battery?

[Tinstar]

On my 2002 Monaco Windsor. I know it depends on "how it's wired" but does my inverter charge my 8D engine start battery or only the house batteries?

[wa8yxm]

naturist wrote:
Short answer: NO.

No inverter charges any battery. Inverters convert dc current into account current. To the best of my knowledge, no ac batteries exist.

Longer answer
However Inverter/Chargers DO charge the house batteries (Engine optional) As do the house converters.

If you have an inverter it is either an Inverter/Charger -OR- you have a converter -OR- Both (I had both as the inverter/charger was after market. I normally preferred the Progressive Dynamics Wizard to the firmware in the inverter's charge module)

Now as for the engine:
Three options
One is a B.I.R.D. (Bidirectional Isolater Relay Device) This is the isolator by the way there are a few different types but one of them is the BIRD. this type yes the house charger charges the chassis as well as the alternator charges both as well.

One-Way Isolators be they diode or relay type..Common on OLDER rigs. the house does NOT charge the chassis battery.

Option 3: Trick-L-Charger or Echo-Charge

used with a one-way Isolator to provide the reverse function.

How to tell if you have a one or two way system

Pull into a CG and plug in... Come back later with a digital voltmeter Just an hour or 2 will work
Measure voltage on house batteries 13 or higher (13.6 is excelent)

Measure voltage on Chassis <13 (less than 13) one way
>13 (Greater than) Most likely a B.I.R.D.

[dougrainer]

PursuitInsight wrote:
your monaco is surely like mine. The house converter/charger does not charge the engine battery. Only the 4x 6 volts golf cart size house battery

But if an issue happens, there is a battery emergency switch on the dash, it connects the house batteries to engine battery. So you will have enought power to start the engine

Your statement shows what is one of the MOST COMMON mistakes RV'ers make on their RV's. Just because YOU own a particular year/brand, it is NOT the same as other Brands and models of the manufacturer. Especially depending on the model years and the original COST of the Motorhome. Doug

[dougrainer]

The older Signature series Hi Line Monaco's did indeed charge the chassis battery bank on certain models. On that Large Fuse/circuit Board up front in the side storage, there will be a schematic on the door. IF you have the optional Bi directional relay INSTALLED, it will be on that Circuit board. It should be labeled as such. Doug

From your owners manual for 2002

There are two separate 12 Volt systems. One is the chassis system; the
other is the house system. These two systems, for the most part, are separate
from one another. The house system does not operate engine functions; as the
engine system does not operate house functions. However, within the two systems there are some inner connections. For example: While the motorhome is
driven the alternator on the engine will charge the house batteries. Likewise,
while the motorhome is plugged into shore power, or the generator is running,
the engine battery(s) are being charged.

[ferndaleflyer]

I have the same DP and it has an inverter charger.

[wolfe10]

time2roll wrote:
If you have a voltmeter you can plug in overnight and check. 13.2+ volts on the chassis battery is getting a charge. 12.6 volts or less is not getting a charge.

You can add a battery combiner, such as Trik-L-Start, that will send power from the house system to the chassis battery. The combiner will separate the batteries if you are not plugged in.

A 20 yo MH may have had something installed by a prior owner. Check it.

Best answer.

OE, chassis battery did not charge from shore power or generator.

But, many owners DID add devices to do this. Either separate small smart charger or "smart thief" device that takes amps from house bank when the house bank is above a certain voltage.

ONLY YOUR VOLTMETER KNOWS FOR SURE.

[time2roll]

If you have a voltmeter you can plug in overnight and check. 13.2+ volts on the chassis battery is getting a charge. 12.6 volts or less is not getting a charge.

You can add a battery combiner, such as Trik-L-Start, that will send power from the house system to the chassis battery. The combiner will separate the batteries if you are not plugged in.

A 20 yo MH may have had something installed by a prior owner. Check it.

[PursuitInsight]

your monaco is surely like mine. The house converter/charger does not charge the engine battery. Only the 4x 6 volts golf cart size house battery

But if an issue happens, there is a battery emergency switch on the dash, it connects the house batteries to engine battery. So you will have enought power to start the engine

[CA_Traveler]

Combined charger/inverter is common. Charger/converter/interter are terms that are often used to mean the same thing by the general RV population.

The charger charges the house battery and your rig may/may not be setup to also charge the chassis battery. The alternator charges the chassis battery and the house battery.

[DrewE]

Some inverters are part of a combination unit that also has a charger function, and you apparently have one of those. The inverter part proper doesn't do the charging.

Whether or not your chassis battery charges when the house battery charges is a function of how advanced the isolator system for the two 12V systems is. If you have only a simple isolator, then the chassis battery is not charged by shore power. If you have a BIRD or similar, more advanced bidirectional isolator, then it will connect them so the chassis battery can charge. Similarly, there are separate devices available (the Trik-L-Start is a common one) that will charge the chassis battery from the house battery charger by diverting some current over to it when needed. You can also get a standalone AC powered battery maintainer for the chassis battery if needed to keep it charged.

[Blaster_Man]

You probably have an inverter/charger...the inverter changes 12v to AC power and the charger charges the batteries. FYI, a converter, usually in pull behinds and 5th wheels, changes AC power to 12v...and has a separate charger.

[Tinstar]

naturist wrote:
Short answer: NO.

No inverter charges any battery. Inverters convert dc current into account current. To the best of my knowledge, no ac batteries exist.

How are my house batteries being charged then? There is no converter.

[naturist]

Short answer: NO.

No inverter charges any battery. Inverters convert dc current into account current. To the best of my knowledge, no ac batteries exist.