My solar and the chassis batteries

[mchero]

Outside of Quartzsite boondocking for the last month. Very happy with the solar but have one last question i thought id throw out to the group.
I can hear that Aux Start relay kicking in.
Im thinking about installing a switch next to the solenoid so that I can disable it. Is it necessary having the solar charging the chassis batteries? Not really sure how much parasite load i have on the chassis batteries. Not really sure if haveing them connected on a daily basis is good or not. I could flip the switch on once a week or so to keep them topped off. I was also thinking about setting it up so that the charge controller would dosconnect that solenoid when its harvesting solar. Driving down the road the panels are charging the house batteries. The alternator could just charge the chassis batteries.
Thoughts?

[mchero]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Ferchristssakes measure the resistance across the Trombetta coil. It has a pull in thresh hold voltage a retainimg boltage then a drop out voltage. What ism't your BIRD doing to the solenoid? Yes or no - foes the BIRD refive hold in voltage? Tell me: Why doen't Sure Power bi directional relays have these maniacal haunted house sife effects? Non energizing si gle direction Sure Power charge relays Do. Not. Get. Warm. Maybe fighting garbage grade products are right up your alley. Your alley. Not mine.

Mex, send me a link for a replacement solenoid that's not on your garbage grade products. I don't like to work with garbage grade products as well. Also might want to work with Fleetwood, I have no say on what they install in their coaches, sorry.

[mchero]

landyacht318 wrote:
With chassis and house batteries, I do not want the solar charging the chassis battery. I do not discharge the chassis battery, and sending some charge to it is no big deal if that is what I deem is required.

I'm also one who does not discharge the chassis battery

Number 1 even if the engine battery is fully charged, it will consume some solar wattage to be brought upto held at 14.X volts. I;d rather that wattage go into house batteries.

Same here


Secondly, I would not want any solar current going into holding a solenoid closed.

I'd rather have all Available solar wattage going into only the depleted house bank to get it to absorption voltage ASAP, so there is a better chance it can hold absorption voltage for long enough before the sun goes down.
And how long absorption voltage is to be held is a moving target despite the claims of the green light brigade who believe that when their charge controller reverts to float and flash the all is well green light, that it also means the batteries are fully charged.

Thus the reason I want to add a relay to the Midnight Solar charge controller, to disconnect the lead to the solenoid when the charge controller is charging the house batteries.


Perhaps If I had a plethora of solar I would not mind wasting some of it to top charge the engine battery or to hold the solenoid closed to complete that task.

Plethora of solar is a new one to me! LOL I have the space for 4 high voltage panels, should I have installed less? Just wish I had a plethora of money and batteries.

If a solenoid is getting hot passing solar currents to engine battery, perhaps it is a latching solenoid which only needs a momentary 12v to latch or unlatch, yet is being fed a constant 12v.

Last time I checked a Trombetta 114-1211-020 12v CONT solenoid was considered a continuous duty solenoid

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Ferchristssakes measure the resistance across the Trombetta coil. It has a pull in thresh hold voltage a retainimg boltage then a drop out voltage. What ism't your BIRD doing to the solenoid? Yes or no - foes the BIRD refive hold in voltage? Tell me: Why doen't Sure Power bi directional relays have these maniacal haunted house sife effects? Non energizing si gle direction Sure Power charge relays Do. Not. Get. Warm. Maybe fighting garbage grade products are right up your alley. Your alley. Not mine.

[landyacht318]

With chassis and house batteries, I do not want the solar charging the chassis battery. I do not discharge the chassis battery, and sending some charge to it is no big deal if that is what I deem is required.

Number 1 even if the engine battery is fully charged, it will consume some solar wattage to be brought upto held at 14.X volts. I;d rather that wattage go into house batteries.

Secondly, I would not want any solar current going into holding a solenoid closed.

I'd rather have all Available solar wattage going into only the depleted house bank to get it to absorption voltage ASAP, so there is a better chance it can hold absorption voltage for long enough before the sun goes down.
And how long absorption voltage is to be held is a moving target despite the claims of the green light brigade who believe that when their charge controller reverts to float and flash the all is well green light, that it also means the batteries are fully charged.


Perhaps If I had a plethora of solar I would not mind wasting some of it to top charge the engine battery or to hold the solenoid closed to complete that task.

If a solenoid is getting hot passing solar currents to engine battery, perhaps it is a latching solenoid which only needs a momentary 12v to latch or unlatch, yet is being fed a constant 12v.

[MrWizard]

did you not ask about equalizing ?

or was that a different thread ?

[mchero]

Cool Off Mr Wizzard,

I don't know where your getting the idea the solenoid is getting 16+ volts.

I said it got hot yes, so lets not assume it's getting over voltage.

Take a rest, and I will do some voltage tests Monday. Sounds good?

You assumed it was not continuous duty, now your assuming it's getting 16+ volts. I can ASSURE you, it's not getting 16+ volts.

[MrWizard]

you said it got hot
it has NO business getting hot IF it is the charge relay which is suppose to be continuous duty
IF its getting hot, it will eventually fail

of course the normal voltages would be in the 13~14v range
NOT 16v+ equalizing voltage

that relay should not be getting 16+ volts on its coil
if you are doing that, it will fail sometime

[mchero]

You guys really crack me up!

First I'm told the BCC with Intellitec on the cover is an RV Custom Products
BCC

And now Mr Wizzard it telling me I need to replace my Trombetta 114-1211-020 12v CONT with a continuous duty solenoid!

My fault though, I should have posted what EXACTLY I had B4 posting.

UPDATE:
Bottom of 1st page I did indeed post the part number of the BCC, Intellitec 00-00886-100 only gives me 5 hits. Let it also be known that I am also aware that the BCC will send 12VDC to the Trombetta to energize then "should" drop the voltage just to HOLD it closed.

LOL

I do thank you all for assistance. I'll have to ask Old Bounder if he has the schematics. I'll keep ya all posted.

I also recall replacing the solenoid due to cooked contacts.

[CA_Traveler]

mchero wrote:
The whole reason I'm going to put a switch on that solenoid. I don't need that solenoid cooking all day long! I cant even keep my finger on it because it gets so hot. Maybe upgrade? My Big Boy gets warm but not hot. And the BIRD D2 only connects the second bank when it needs charging - ie It's bidirectional so if one bank is charging it will connect the other bank as needed.

I get a kick out of these guys posting pictures of their solar installs and all you can see is a rats nest of wires.
Stick you hand in their electrical compartment and you have a 90% chance of starting a MAJOR electrical fire! LOL X2

But some are very well done.

[MrWizard]

The whole reason I'm going to put a switch on that solenoid. I don't need that solenoid cooking all day long! I cant even keep my finger on it because it gets so hot.

NOT a continuous duty solenoid , you need to replace it with a 100 percent duty cycle solenoid if you are going to do that
you are lucky it did not burn out, it may have been damage.
be a good idea to get the proper one and have it ready for replacement

[RLS7201]

mchero wrote:
Thanks Richard, Just as I was going to open this post I realized I had disconnected that solenoid three days ago and I had not checked the chassis battery voltage since BUT I just looked and they are sitting at 12.7 so I'm OK.

"Your 07 Fleetwood Discovery uses a BCC from RV Custom Products. Fleetwood made the change over from Intellitec to RV Custom Products about 1994."

OK, so it has Intellitec on the outer cover but your telling me it's a RV Custom Products? I'll dig a little deeper.

Why not let the solar maintain both banks?

You think I should also be equalizing the chassis batteries at 16.2 as well?

Another reason I'd like to disable that solenoid.

Thanks for the link, if you look thru that forum you will find me as well! I'll ask Old Bounder, good idea!

RM

Maybe Fleetwood mixed the brands of BCC on some models.
I do know Fleetwood financed the start up of RV Customs Products in the early 90s, to reduce costs. It's very possible that supply and demand made for using Intellitec in some later applications.
If you intend on equalizing at 16+ volts, then you idea of a switch on the isolator relay makes ¢.

Richard

[mchero]

time2roll wrote:

mchero wrote:
You think I should also be equalizing the chassis batteries at 16.2 as well?

You should not be subjecting anything to 16.2 volts except the battery you are equalizing. This should be a manual process where the rest of the RV is disconnected.

Time2roll,

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>EXACTLY<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

I was directing the question to RLS7201.

The whole reason I'm going to put a switch on that solenoid. I don't need that solenoid cooking all day long! I cant even keep my finger on it because it gets so hot. I disconnected it for a few days and the chassis batteries are AOK so now I just need to find a nice looking mounting bracket. I like to wire my coach properly and most of all, cleanly! I get a kick out of these guys posting pictures of their solar installs and all you can see is a rats nest of wires.
Stick you hand in their electrical compartment and you have a 90% chance of starting a MAJOR electrical fire! LOL

I also want to install a relay and connect it to my Midnight solar charge controller so that when the house batteries are getting charged by the panels it will disconnect the solenoid via the relay. Why do I need the alternator charging the house batteries when I have 1K of solar on the rooftop. Take a load of that alternator!

I just need to get my hands on the BCC schematics.

Also, I'm sucking the MAX life out of these old Interstate house batteries. Not sure how much longer they will last. Around 12.0 in the AM just before the solar starts the daily juiceup cycle.

Anybody out in the Quartzsite area need some Auto/RV/Solar or computer work give me a call. I need new house batteries! LOL

[mchero]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
I'll sell you a Shure Power bi directional for half that price. It'll work better and is quiet.

If I run across anything that has a picture of a sorcerer - the words Smart, intelli, no maintenance, magic, or other Herb Tarlek metaphors I run like hell. It's carnival barker grade garbage.

Well Mex, I have a story for you!

Back in 05 I owned a 93 Pace Arrow Diesel pusher. The house batteries where flat! I purchased 4 Sams Club house batteries AND canned the converter and replaced with a Progressive Dynamics 60amp charger with charge Wizzard. To this day the current owner still using those batteries purchased back in 05

No BS

[time2roll]

mchero wrote:
You think I should also be equalizing the chassis batteries at 16.2 as well?

You should not be subjecting anything to 16.2 volts except the battery you are equalizing. This should be a manual process where the rest of the RV is disconnected.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I'll sell you a Shure Power bi directional for half that price. It'll work better and is quiet.

If I run across anything that has a picture of a sorcerer - the words Smart, intelli, no maintenance, magic, or other Herb Tarlek metaphors I run like hell. It's carnival barker grade garbage.