02 Journey inv/conv

Our friend has the above coach, Strange thing it seems,  Heart Interface inv/conv but with Xantrex control panel.  She has been thru a couple sets of batteries.  Her engine batteries are now showing 7.8 volts.  Her house batts are 3 12v deep cycle and showing 13.8, but the charger is on. 

Question, and reson for posting here, was it common to have the Xantrex panel with the Heart Interface?  Yes, how about the inverter on/off?  According to bool te position makes no difference if on AC and should be on when disconnected.  Tells me to leave it on.  It is on. 

Water was checked and filled just recently and had gotten low, but had been checked previous 4 weeks. 

Comments?  Suggestions?  We are in Yellopwstone, not near service.  There is a mobile service for the park.

Yes, Heart Interface inverter w/Xantrex control panel is normal. Engine battries on that coach are NOT charged when on shore power unless the coach has been modified (normal modification is to add a Trik-L-Start that will also charge the house batteries when on shore power). From what you indicate, the engine batteries are reading dead and the house batteries are reading that they are being charged.  There are several parasitic drains on the engine batteries when the coach is not being driven. For instance, the dash radio can be switched between engine and house batteries. On that coach, it should be on the house setting unless the engine is running. In addition, things like the slides, leveling jacks, electric step run off the engine batteries. You don't want to run those things any more than absolutely necessary when the vehicle is parked for a period of time.

As for inverter on or off, we NEVER turn on the inverter unless we are using it for power. The reason being that the inverter itself uses power when just in standby, and will draw the house batteries down faster than if it is turned off when not needed.

With engine batteries dead, as long as you have good house batteries, you still should be able to start the coach by holding the "battery boost" switch down to jump the two banks of batteries together.

We are 13 miles West of Yellowstone, in Island Park ID -- headed into the park tomorrow to visit Old Faithful...

Bill:

I am not sure when Xanrtrex incorporated this into all the systems but when we got the Tradewinds I was boiling batteries all the time and had to add water almost every two weeks. My office at the time was two blocks from Xantrex at the Arlington airport so I walked down one day to discuss this. After about two minutes the CR out front had one of the engineers from across the street bring me a new temp probe harness that I installed in about ten minutes that resolved the problem. He told me that if it happened again for troubleshooting purposes to disconnect the temp probe and as long as the ambient temperatures were in the 60-75 degree range it was not needed.

There are many threads here about adding a battery minder or echo charge system to keep truck batteries up.

Sorry, just saw this one.  I am off weds Thurs, went over to tour the new visitor center under construction, going to be awesome next year!  Thu we are heading to either Bozeman or Jackson Hole.  Debating whether Bman has a good enough reason to head that far and back.  I ran into West Yellowstone today for ice cream and some fly fishing supplies.  Almost 70 mile RT, but on the MC, who cares.  Saw the eagle fledgling in the nest, the parent down on the river.

It is all good...

oops,  OK, she doesn'tseem to have a temp probe on the batteries, I told her that the chassis batts don't charge, she just 'knows' they do.  I'll explain the trickle charge to her.

PancakeBill said:

Sorry, just saw this one.  I am off weds Thurs, went over to tour the new visitor center under construction, going to be awesome next year!  Thu we are heading to either Bozeman or Jackson Hole.  Debating whether Bman has a good enough reason to head that far and back.  I ran into West Yellowstone today for ice cream and some fly fishing supplies.  Almost 70 mile RT, but on the MC, who cares.  Saw the eagle fledgling in the nest, the parent down on the river.

It is all good...

Click to expand...

If you come to BZN, give us a call at 406 388  6588 but be sure to announce who you are when the message comes on as we screen our calls still.

The Museum of the Rockies at the U is great for dinosaurs and local history.  That can take a day or more depending on your interests.  There is also a planetarium there and the shows are usually good.  There is a museum in the old Jail that has good local stuff.  Walmart, Costco etc. and shopping.  That should interest Jolene! 

Right nw leaning towards Jackson Hole, but when I put onthe same shoes I stand upright.  I'll load your number in my cell, thanks, and mine is 401  413  3556  cell, obviously. 

Trips to BZN tnd to be a whirlwind shopping tour, so museums tnd not to be on the agenda.  O of these times we will come up for 2 days anbd stay over.