RV surround sound hooked up to TV

[NaViDa]

Hi All,

I recently hooked my own flat screen tv up to the rv's radio using a cassette adapter. Are the radios also run my electrical or am i running down my rv's battery??

TIA!

[GordonThree]

NaViDa wrote:

CA Traveler wrote:
If the radio is connected to the chassis battery and it's not being charged by the charger (rather common) then the radio is draining the chassis battery. In that case install a second small charger to maintain the chassis battery. Even without the radio on it's a good idea to keep the chassis battery charged.

If your TV plugs in like it would in a house, it's operating on shore power. If everything is working properly, your rv battery is being charged by shore power as well, so the radio is not draining the battery.

Sit back and enjoy the movies!

So what about this reply above here?? And do you have a video i can watch to better understand what you're saying??

thanks!

My bad on this one, I did not dig in to find out what sort of rig you were asking about... I differ to those who own such a rig as they know it better 🙂

[wa8yxm]

NaViDa wrote:
Hi All,

I recently hooked my own flat screen tv up to the rv's radio using a cassette adapter. Are the radios also run my electrical or am i running down my rv's battery??

TIA!

Non sufficiant information to say anything but "YES".

First: I assume you are feeding it into the dash radio on a class A,B,C motor home. If you are feeding a "house" radio than the answer changes

Second: Many motor homes have (And many do not have) A bi-directional isolator, Mine does.. If I run my dash radio (Which is seperate from the house radio) the converter will keep the battery up no problem.

Third: Many Motor homes do not have seperate house and dash radios, the dash radio has a toggle switch, often 3 position.

Main(off)Aux (off is optional) in the MAIN position the key switdch (Ignition) needs to be in ON or ACC for the radio to work and yes you are drawing power from the chassis battery... If you do not have a bi-direcitonal isolator you WILL run it down.

In the AUX position it's the house batteries and converter that are used so its running off the mains electrical power.

Hope this helps,, I have tried to cover everything, but alas, you really did not give enough info.

[NaViDa]

dodge guy wrote:
Isn't there a switch that let's you run on chassis battery when driving then house battery parked?

I just looked, yes there is right above the radio, i'm stilll new to owning my own rig, didnt think to look anywhere else on the dash. Does that mean i'm okay to have it own as long it thats on too??

its says "Radio Power"

thank you!

[dodge_guy]

Isn't there a switch that let's you run on chassis battery when driving then house battery parked?

[NaViDa]

CA Traveler wrote:
Typically the alternator will charge the chassis battery and the house battery via the battery isolator.

Typically the built in shore charger will charge only the house battery and not activate the battery isolator.

Typically the radio is connected to the chassis battery and hence will draw down the chassis battery when parked and connected to shore power.

This is the way my 04 Endeavor was designed by Monaco.

I added a small 2 stage charger to the chassis battery for about $30 to make sure both banks were charged.

Lot's of variations of course and I don't know how the OPs rig is configured but possibly the shore charger does not charge the chassis battery.

My current rig has a bidirectional BIRD that senses both battery banks and if one is being charged and the other should be charged then it connects both banks to be charge source regardless of source (alternator, charger or solar).

Okay, i'll check more into that, thanks a bunch!!

[CA_Traveler]

Typically the alternator will charge the chassis battery and the house battery via the battery isolator.

Typically the built in shore charger will charge only the house battery and not activate the battery isolator.

Typically the radio is connected to the chassis battery and hence will draw down the chassis battery when parked and connected to shore power.

This is the way my 04 Endeavor was designed by Monaco.

I added a small 2 stage charger to the chassis battery for about $30 to make sure both banks were charged.

Lot's of variations of course and I don't know how the OPs rig is configured but possibly the shore charger does not charge the chassis battery.

My current rig has a bidirectional BIRD that senses both battery banks and if one is being charged and the other should be charged then it connects both banks to be charge source regardless of source (alternator, charger or solar).

[NaViDa]

CA Traveler wrote:
NaViDa,

My 04 Endeavor charger did NOT charge the chassis battery on shore power by design. There's a good chance his 98 Endeavor is the same.

Please rephrase what you just wrote, i didnt get it:h

[NaViDa]

GordonThree wrote:
If your TV plugs in like it would in a house, it's operating on shore power. If everything is working properly, your rv battery is being charged by shore power as well, so the radio is not draining the battery.

Sit back and enjoy the movies!

Yes, its plugged in like a house into one of those multi-plug adapters.

[CA_Traveler]

NaViDa,

My 04 Endeavor charger did NOT charge the chassis battery on shore power by design. There's a good chance his 98 Endeavor is the same.

[NaViDa]

CA Traveler wrote:
If the radio is connected to the chassis battery and it's not being charged by the charger (rather common) then the radio is draining the chassis battery. In that case install a second small charger to maintain the chassis battery. Even without the radio on it's a good idea to keep the chassis battery charged.

If your TV plugs in like it would in a house, it's operating on shore power. If everything is working properly, your rv battery is being charged by shore power as well, so the radio is not draining the battery.

Sit back and enjoy the movies!

So what about this reply above here?? And do you have a video i can watch to better understand what you're saying??

thanks!

[CA_Traveler]

If the radio is connected to the chassis battery and it's not being charged by the charger (rather common) then the radio is draining the chassis battery. In that case install a second small charger to maintain the chassis battery. Even without the radio on it's a good idea to keep the chassis battery charged.

[GordonThree]

If your TV plugs in like it would in a house, it's operating on shore power. If everything is working properly, your rv battery is being charged by shore power as well, so the radio is not draining the battery.

Sit back and enjoy the movies!