lisamc
Member
- Joined
- Jul 20, 2017
- Posts
- 18
Hi again.
We've been full timing since August in our 32' 2011 Four Winds Serrano Class A diesel. We are still figuring out the electrical system. We have an Onan generator and a 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter. We have a few questions.
1- We recently ran down both the house and chassis batteries while boondocking, and there was no low battery alarm for either. I've read that some RVs have an audible low battery/low voltage alarm for at least the house batteries. Is there a way we can tell if we have an alarm like this that isn't functioning correctly? And if we don't have one can we install one? The only digital insight we appear to have into the house batteries is a panel of buttons, one for each of our tanks and the house battery, with indicator lights that tell us their levels when we push each button (1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full). We don't have any panel showing voltage readings etc but we do have our own hand-held voltage reader.
2- I've also read some RVs have an auto start function for the generator when the house batteries go below a certain voltage. Again, how can we tell if we have this capability (I don't see a section on it in our manual but the manual is for 6 different models so it's hard to understand ours thoroughly), and if not can we add it? The only panel inside the RV we have for the generator is a digital display of the hours on it, and several generator start buttons.
3- When the inverter is on, it only powers select outlets on one side of the RV rather than all outlets. Is that typical in some RVs, maybe to not overload the inverter?
4- When boondocking recently, we had the inverter on to power outlets, and turned the generator on for a bit to recharge the batteries. When we turned the generator off we found that the inverter had turned off. Is it typical for the inverter to turn off when the generator takes over powering the RV?
5- Does the alternator charge the house batteries at all in transit, or does it only charge the chassis battery? If the alternator doesn't charge the house batteries, then if we use the inverter and outlets in transit and do not run the generator, the house batteries are being drained and not replenished?
6- The previous owner used a dome satellite on the roof, and has a "pyramid regulated power supply" in one cabinet of the cabin. Is this used to provide the necessary power to the satellite only? If we are not using the satellite, is this item useful to us?
I'd love to hear feedback on any of these.
Thanks, all!
We've been full timing since August in our 32' 2011 Four Winds Serrano Class A diesel. We are still figuring out the electrical system. We have an Onan generator and a 1000 watt pure sine wave inverter. We have a few questions.
1- We recently ran down both the house and chassis batteries while boondocking, and there was no low battery alarm for either. I've read that some RVs have an audible low battery/low voltage alarm for at least the house batteries. Is there a way we can tell if we have an alarm like this that isn't functioning correctly? And if we don't have one can we install one? The only digital insight we appear to have into the house batteries is a panel of buttons, one for each of our tanks and the house battery, with indicator lights that tell us their levels when we push each button (1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and full). We don't have any panel showing voltage readings etc but we do have our own hand-held voltage reader.
2- I've also read some RVs have an auto start function for the generator when the house batteries go below a certain voltage. Again, how can we tell if we have this capability (I don't see a section on it in our manual but the manual is for 6 different models so it's hard to understand ours thoroughly), and if not can we add it? The only panel inside the RV we have for the generator is a digital display of the hours on it, and several generator start buttons.
3- When the inverter is on, it only powers select outlets on one side of the RV rather than all outlets. Is that typical in some RVs, maybe to not overload the inverter?
4- When boondocking recently, we had the inverter on to power outlets, and turned the generator on for a bit to recharge the batteries. When we turned the generator off we found that the inverter had turned off. Is it typical for the inverter to turn off when the generator takes over powering the RV?
5- Does the alternator charge the house batteries at all in transit, or does it only charge the chassis battery? If the alternator doesn't charge the house batteries, then if we use the inverter and outlets in transit and do not run the generator, the house batteries are being drained and not replenished?
6- The previous owner used a dome satellite on the roof, and has a "pyramid regulated power supply" in one cabinet of the cabin. Is this used to provide the necessary power to the satellite only? If we are not using the satellite, is this item useful to us?
I'd love to hear feedback on any of these.
Thanks, all!