Battery Charging

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scottydl said:
1994 Thor Residency, PD9160, 60, NO

When I'm parked at home or camping, I plug in a trickle charger and clip the two leads onto my engine (chassis) battery.  That's how I keep mine charged, otherwise it will be dead within a couple days.
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I have a 5 watt solar (no controller)  permanently  mounted for the chassis battery only, and 65 watts (with controller) for the house batteries. My RV is always outside, so all batteries  stay well charged.

-Don-​
 
Our Itasca has one of the trikl-charge boxes under the front "hood" access door... I have been assuming that this charges the engine batteries when on shore power.  They are always charged, in any event.  I keep an extension cord plugged into the shore power line all the time... most of the time the display says "float".  As I understand it, this is ok and normal.
 
rsalhus said:
So your poll entry, should you choose to make one, would look something like this?

2005 Damon Intruder, PD9255, 55, YES
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Uh.. Almost:  2005 Damon Intruder, PD9180 + Wizard, 90, YES

But yes, that's the idea

By the way. I really like the PDI's with wizard (be it plugged in or built in) great converters.
 
Our 1996 Bounder
DOES NOT CHARGE CHASSIS battery on shore power. Maybe it should but don't. So I connected a jumper wire to the house batteries, into a cigarette lighter plug with external mount (which I purchased cheap) and with the aid of two heavy wire ties, attached it to breather assembly inlet. Then built a jumper male cig plug, that plugs in cig (female plug) connected to house batteries. The other end of that cable I installed 2 battery clamps which I hook to chassis battery. I installed a 2 prong light connector in the middle of the #12 wire.
AH-HA..... every morning I plug the connectors together, (which connects the chassis to the charging house batteries) and bingo....NO DEAD BATTERY. Guess I could buy something to do that automatically but That's just me. Why buy it when you got it.
Very simple an easy
 
benjaminfoj said:
Our 1996 Bounder
DOES NOT CHARGE CHASSIS battery on shore power. Maybe it should but don't. So I connected a jumper wire to the house batteries, into a cigarette lighter plug with external mount (which I purchased cheap) and with the aid of two heavy wire ties, attached it to breather assembly inlet. Then built a jumper male cig plug, that plugs in cig (female plug) connected to house batteries. The other end of that cable I installed 2 battery clamps which I hook to chassis battery. I installed a 2 prong light connector in the middle of the #12 wire.
AH-HA..... every morning I plug the connectors together, (which connects the chassis to the charging house batteries) and bingo....NO DEAD BATTERY. Guess I could buy something to do that automatically but That's just me. Why buy it when you got it.
Very simple an easy
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Yes, your Bounder has a circuit designed to charge the Chassis battery from the shore power converter.  The isolator solenoid is the component that ultimately accomplishes this connection.  Depending on which component has failed, you could also be missing the function of house batteries being charged from the engine alternator while driving and/or the function of the Aux-Start switch.
 
I understand that this an old thread, but I am wondering a few things. We spent 6 mos. plugged into full hook-ups in a RV park here in AZ. From time to time, we would unhook and go for drives. Things like propane and such facilitated these drives. We have had no problems until recently. We have rented a house where we can park our RV, and do not plug it in. Our batteries seem to have died over the couple of weeks that we have been here. We hit the disconnect switch when we parked our Southwind, worrying that something might put a draw on them even though we were not in it. Now all the batteries are dead. Does anybody have any knowledge or guesses to what may have occurred? We have a charger on the engine battery right now, but we are worried something is wrong. Any help would be appreciated before we go buy three new batteries. Thanks group!
 
Both house and chassis batteries died?  You may have things wired direct to both batteries, outside the disconnect switch. A few things are supposed to be, e.g. the entry step motor and LP gas detector, but they shouldn't run things down quite that fast.

What is the condition of the batteries, i.e. resting voltage, water in the cells, etc.?
 
Just Lou said:
Yes, your Bounder has a circuit designed to charge the Chassis battery from the shore power converter.  The isolator solenoid is the component that ultimately accomplishes this connection.  Depending on which component has failed, you could also be missing the function of house batteries being charged from the engine alternator while driving and/or the function of the Aux-Start switch.
Click to expand...
Hi Lou, hoping you can help me with the issue I have after winter storage.  After not having (or noticing) any battery issues the past 3 years, last weekend when I went to pull out my 98 Bounder 36S, the chassis battery was dead.  House batteries seemed to have good charge, genny started and ran fine.  I know the chassis battery needs to be replaced since its going on 6 years old but I noticed that the aux start switch didn't seem to work.  It had no noticeable affect on helping start the engine.  I also noticed the light in the aux start switch did not light up.
So, where would I find the isolator solenoid to look into checking it? Under dash or engine compartment? Could I follow any particular wire back to it?
Thanks,
Don
 
The Isolator solenoid is located in the BCC (Battery control Center) box which is mounted on the outside firewall (left side) just in front of the drivers position.

Here's a document that will explain the purpose, function and trouble shooting procedures for all the BCC functions.  Any further questions, just ask.
 
Thank you for the document, I'll review it.  The new chassis battery seemed to be the problem but I would like to make sure it is being charged.
 
Just Lou said:
The Isolator solenoid is located in the BCC (Battery control Center) box which is mounted on the outside firewall (left side) just in front of the drivers position.

Here's a document that will explain the purpose, function and trouble shooting procedures for all the BCC functions.  Any further questions, just ask.
Click to expand...

Hi. Could you repost that document? I?d love to review the information.

Thanks!
 
If everything is working properly, and if the house battery disconnect switch is in the proper position, the house batteries should charge when the RV is plugged into shore power, or when the generator is running.The chassis batteries may, or may not charge when plugged into shore power. Not all RVs do, and I'm not sure about HRs.

Kev 
 
I have a 2017 Holiday Rambler. How I charge it or even jump it?
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The answer is probably different depending on whether you are talking about the chassis (engine start) battery or the house battery(s). The two 12v systems are normally isolated form each other. 

Either one can be "jumped" using standard automotive jumper cables and any external 12v battery. Nothing special needed.

Charging the house battery is normally just a matter of plugging the coach into external 120v power via the shore cord or starting the coach generator (which may require a "jump" if the batteries are all dead).  You can also hook up a automotive-type battery charger direct to the house batteries, plugging the charger into any convenient external power source.
 
Hello all. I read through this thread and ALMOST found what I needed to know. There was reference made to a BIRD circuit. I’m unfamiliar with that. My chassis battery isn’t getting charged. AUX start solenoid works using AUX start switch. What other circuit causes this solenoid to close so shore power reaches the chassis battery? This is on a 1994 Southwind. Thanks for any help. Oh also it seems like the Coach battery disconnect isn’t working. I hear a clunk but still has power
 
The BIRD is just one brand/model of battery charge controller, and one that was desggned long after your '94 Southwind was built. I'm pretty sure your '94 has a Battery Control Center (BCC) designed by RV Custom Products (I had a '96 equipped like that). Basically it closes a relay to connect house and chassis systems under two circumstances:
  1. Shore or generator power is present for charging and the house batteries are fully charged.
  2. No shore power present and the chassis battery is fully charged with the engine alternator running.
I've added a Troubleshooting document for that BCC to the site RESOURCES section. See https://www.rvforum.net/resources/rv-products-bcc-troubleshooting.229/
 
I would hope anything made after 2010 has a bi-directional isolator.
this type senses the voltages on both sides (engine/house) and if either one is high enough (For discussion I'm going to say over 13 volts but truth I do not know the trip point) they connect so all batteries charge.


However the key word is "HOPE"

Several options to figure it out
if you have any outlet (like the 12 volt accessory on the dash) that you are SURE is a "Chassis" there are several plug in volt meters...
Plug one in and look.. (some of these are ignition switched however)


Option 2: hook a digital voltmeter (multimeter on volts) to the chassis battery

After one hour parked and plugged in
13+ charging or charged
<13 (less than 13) not charging

Works same for testing if the house batteries charge only you need engine running for that test.
 
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