maintaining chassis battery charge

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Daffy

Daffy

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 14, 2015
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199
Location
BFE Illinois
Thinking about utilizing the coach battery charging system to keep the chassis battery charged over next winter instead of a separate batter tender.

My plan is to put a battery disconnect inline with the positives coach to chassis, I know I don't want current from both charging sources to meet, I do park mine in the drive over winter and on occasion use it and run both the engine and generator  while "stored" (nah we use it in the drive over winter too on occasion..) just to get away.

I guess the bottom of my question lies on the capacity of the coach charging system I've never had the reason to look at because it's working..  Plugged into shore power I see 13.6 on the coach batteries.

1999 Itasca Sunflyer Ford.

Yeah I know the possible hazard (destroying electricals) of bucking voltage so adding one item to the checklist preflight and parking is not an issue. (Never run the engine with shore or generator power on and not battery disconnect in proper position.
 
I thought I was pretty smart when I made up a short ( 2 feet) set of jumper cables to charge a weak chassis battery while on shore power and not have to mess with battery charger, tender, ect. Then I saw a guy who replaced his emergency start button with a lighted toggle switch. Talking about early nineties motorhomes.
 
Daffy said:
Thinking about utilizing the coach battery charging system to keep the chassis battery charged over next winter instead of a separate batter tender.

My plan is to put a battery disconnect inline with the positives coach to chassis, I know I don't want current from both charging sources to meet, I do park mine in the drive over winter and on occasion use it and run both the engine and generator  while "stored" (nah we use it in the drive over winter too on occasion..) just to get away.

I guess the bottom of my question lies on the capacity of the coach charging system I've never had the reason to look at because it's working..  Plugged into shore power I see 13.6 on the coach batteries.

1999 Itasca Sunflyer Ford.

Yeah I know the possible hazard (destroying electricals) of bucking voltage so adding one item to the checklist preflight and parking is not an issue. (Never run the engine with shore or generator power on and not battery disconnect in proper position.
Click to expand...
You can use multiple charging sources without worry. DC is NOT like AC. Most coachs charge the coach batteries while under way from the alternator. If you ever run the generator to run the roof air, then you are charging the batteries from the converter, AND the alternator at the same time. On newer equipment both sources will back off the charging currant when the correct voltage is sensed. Some coachs do charge the chassis batteries from the BCC anyways, when plugged in, some do not. My 98 Daybreak with a Intellitec BCC charged the chassis battery when plugged in, so does my Dolphin. 
 
Not sure I understand the problem but there is a product called Trik-L-Start that connects the coach and chassis batteries and allows the chassis battery to charge from the coach battery when the coach battery is being charged from an outside source - generator or campground power.  Costs about $45 and easy to install.

Bill
 
Trik-L-Start is an excellent solution, but a jumper cable between the positive posts is all that is needed if you just want a winter or temporary storage solution for your Itasca. Both chassis and house batteries already share a common ground (the chassis).

You might want to verify that the house charging system is a 3-stage model. Otherwise, you might be better off using the battery maintainer to reduce loss of electrolyte (water).
 
wait, doesn't the 'Bird' charge the chassis battery?
Mine does, controlled by an Intellitec Bird
 
Gary RV_Wizard said:
Trik-L-Start is an excellent solution, but a jumper cable between the positive posts is all that is needed if you just want a winter or temporary storage solution for your Itasca. Both chassis and house batteries already share a common ground (the chassis).

You might want to verify that the house charging system is a 3-stage model. Otherwise, you might be better off using the battery maintainer to reduce loss of electrolyte (water).
Click to expand...

3 Stage Model? Meaning it senses the batteries condition and provides current accordingly? That I haven't looked at and will soon. Thanks.
 
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