Charging house batteries from coach.

[Vach]

My 2008 Winnebago Aspect on an E450 chassis has 2-12 Volt house batteries. Has anyone had any success installing a circuit to charge house batteries from the coach alternator? When I pulled a travel trailer with my truck the trailer batteries were charged thru the trailer wiring. Can't I do something similar with a diode or switch installed to prevent house bats from drawing down chassis bat. Obviously would need the circuit fused. Anyone try this or know why I shouldnt do this? Thanks.

[RJsfishin]

My charging circuit quit for some reason, and after spending too much time looking for it, I wired the positives from the house and chassis battery to a 50 amp off/on switch on the dash. Gives me manual control over it all. I forget it now and then, but don't matter because I NEVER have dead batteries.

[pianotuna]

Hi Vach,

Make sure the replacement is good for at least 100 amps. The oem fail quickly.

Vach wrote:
Took this for service today and they found a corroded solenoid in the circuit for charging house bats from alternator. That should do it. Thanks for your help.

[Vach]

Took this for service today and they found a corroded solenoid in the circuit for charging house bats from alternator. That should do it. Thanks for your help.

[Vach]

I found a 60 amp auxiliary battery relay. I think that is probably the correct one? Will look for a replacement tomorrow.

[pianotuna]

There is a 60 amp fuse in the engine compartment that feeds a continuous duty relay intended to charge the house battery bank.

Mine blew 3 times and I had it replaced with a 50 auto reset breaker.

The OEM relay lasted less than one year. I replaced it with something that was much better from a capacity point of view.

I also doubled up and added a 2nd charging path consisting of an auto reset breaker, and continous duty relay.

I do have manual control of the relays which gives me a "poor man's battery boost" for the starting battery.

[Golden_HVAC]

Chances are that the relay that charges the coach battery is bad on your RV. Mine went bad with about 4 years old or 15,000 miles on my 97 Bounder. I installed a 100 amp rated forklift relay, that has a 12 volt coil, silver allow contacts rated to open and close 100,000 times.

Grainger part number 6C017

I ran a new #4 wire from my alternator to the relay, then a 100 amp fuse, and to the golf cart battery.

I have a three way switch, with on-off-on and +12 from my radio to one side, +12 volts from the engine battery to the other side (so I can turn it on to charge the engine battery while parked or to boost the engine battery while starting it with the coach battery). This will turn on the relay automatically with the engine when in the radio on position.

I have 5 amp fuses on the low amp wires going to power the relay.

I never did find the factory relay, and will not look for it.

Good luck,

Fred.

[dacar]

I just installed Trik L Start. my coach batteries are charged via solar panel. Trik L Start then takes some power to charge the chassis battery if plugged into 110 or currently changing via solar.

all batteries are charged while driving

[time2roll]

Something is wrong. Virtually every MH is set up to charge the house battery while in transit.