Inverter charge battery?
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?
Forum Discussion
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.
