What does the alternator charge

If everything is working as it should, yes, the alternator also charges the coach batteries.

I think this varies between models. It will be interesting to see what others answer. On my 2005 Fleetwood Excursion, the house batteries apparently don't charge from the engine alternator. I don't know why it was designed that way???

Bill

I am not aware of a single motorhome where the alternator does not charge BOTH chassis and house batteries.

If yours does not, pull out a voltmeter/get an electrician to find out what is wrong.

Unplug and start the engine. Check the battery voltage. 13.4+ is charging.

If that was mine, it would absolutely be charging the coach battery's while running. Most likely one of the relays or solenoids went bad, or as simple as a single wire connection loose or dirty.
And honestly, if by some small chance it was not designed to charge the coach while running, some 4 gauge wire would be rugged up to make it so

wolfe10 wrote:
I am not aware of a single motorhome where the alternator does not charge BOTH chassis and house batteries.

If yours does not, pull out a voltmeter/get an electrician to find out what is wrong.

agree 100% with wolfe

Well I hate to do battle with Wolfe10 as he knows his stuff but on a 2004 Monaco La Palma with the 8.1 gas engine it does not charge the house batteries.

I don't mind battling with you other guys...just Wolf10....LOL

ArchHoagland wrote:
Well I hate to do battle with Wolfe10 as he knows his stuff but on a 2004 Monaco La Palma with the 8.1 gas engine it does not charge the house batteries.

I don't mind battling with you other guys...just Wolf10....LOL

well one of two things something is hooked up or miswired wrong from the factory or something has gone wrong over the years
Monaco would never produce a unit like that where one could not use the 12 volt system while travelling down the road or be able to make use of a inverter if so equipped completely useless. I know u could run the generater when batterys got low but Motorhomes are just not wired this way. They all use the alternater to charge the house batterys while traveling

ArchHoagland wrote:
Well I hate to do battle with Wolfe10 as he knows his stuff but on a 2004 Monaco La Palma with the 8.1 gas engine it does not charge the house batteries.

I don't mind battling with you other guys...just Wolf10....LOL

So you're saying that, an expensive Monaco coach, in the '04 era, designed it so that driving from one camp site to another or, long term camping, or, traveling, that engine alternator is NOT SUPPOSED TO CHARGE THE HOUSE BATTERIES, CORRECT? And that it's (the alternator) is only supposed to charge the chassis batteries? I personally don't believe it was built that way. I have never owned one and, in all reality, I have no basis for my side of the argument.

But, as there are a few different styles of linking both sets of batteries to the alternator, I would surely think Monaco would have utilized at least one version of them, to keep the house batteries charged while driving. I mean, what happens if the generator goes south while you're dry camping? Are you just supposed to give up and go home?

Personally I'd have to dig into that wiring to make sure that something's not broke, disconnected, fried, bad ground, bad solenoid, bad circuit board, something!
Scott

FIRE UP wrote:

ArchHoagland wrote:
Well I hate to do battle with Wolfe10 as he knows his stuff but on a 2004 Monaco La Palma with the 8.1 gas engine it does not charge the house batteries.

I don't mind battling with you other guys...just Wolf10....LOL

So you're saying that, an expensive Monaco coach, in the '04 era, designed it so that driving from one camp site to another or, long term camping, or, traveling, that engine alternator is NOT SUPPOSED TO CHARGE THE HOUSE BATTERIES, CORRECT? And that it's (the alternator) is only supposed to charge the chassis batteries? I personally don't believe it was built that way. I have never owned one and, in all reality, I have no basis for my side of the argument.

But, as there are a few different styles of linking both sets of batteries to the alternator, I would surely think Monaco would have utilized at least one version of them, to keep the house batteries charged while driving. I mean, what happens if the generator goes south while you're dry camping? Are you just supposed to give up and go home?

Personally I'd have to dig into that wiring to make sure that something's not broke, disconnected, fried, bad ground, bad solenoid, bad circuit board, something!
Scott

I took it back to the dealer when brand new and they confirmed it.

Actually I prefer it that way. I don't want my engine electrical tied into my house electrical at all.

I've never had a problem with the batteries staying charged on house or engine side other than I do shut off my engine battery with the big disconnect switch Monaco installed.

I'm just the lowly bottom of the line entry model. In fact Monaco has some owners clubs and I'm so low I wasn't allowed to join them. They are for just the top three models that year. So don't pick on me, it's bad enough I'm an outcast. LOL