Battery Charging Problems

[chuckbear]

A while back I had issues getting the house batteries charged after they sat for a while and discharged themselves quite a bit. I resolved that issue, and everything worked fine for a few months. The RV sat again for about 5 months plugged into shore power and the converter charged the batteries fine with no problem. We are getting ready to take a short trip and always do a test drive before we head off.

The alternator is not charging the house battery while driving down the road. It does charge the chassis battery fine. When we returned to the house and plugged in to shore power the house batteries began charging normally but the chassis battery is not being charged. This is not normal for this coach. We have owned it for 9 years and traveled extensively.

The systems should charge both the chassis battery and the coach batteries at the same time using the alternator while driving or the converter on shore power. I've done as much troubleshooting as I am able but I'm stumped. The batteries are controlled through an RV Products 73-1020 Battery Control Center. I have an email in to them but haven't heard anything back. It's a holiday week. I am wondering if anyone who has the same or similar setup can offer any suggestions on what the issue might be? Any help or suggestions will be appreciated. Chuck

 

[DonTom]

The alternator is not charging the house battery while driving down the road. It does charge the chassis battery fine.

It probably uses a dual diode isolator, one output of it goes to the house battery and the other output goes to the chassis battery. It is possible that only one of the diodes is blown. See here. But check the wires and connections after it.

When we returned to the house and plugged in to shore power the house batteries began charging normally but the chassis battery is not being charged. This is not normal for this coach.

Are you sure? My Y2K RV does NOT charge the house battery from the converter, so I added my own two amp battery maintainer so the chassis battery will stay charged via shore power or by the genny.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[OldWEB]

Have you gone through the RV Products 73-1020 Battery Control Center troubleshooting guides?

 

[chuckbear]

It probably uses a dual diode isolator, one output of it goes to the house battery and the other output goes to the chassis battery. It is possible that only one of the diodes is blown. See here. But check the wires and connections after it.

Are you sure? My Y2K RV does NOT charge the house battery from the converter, so I added my own two amp battery maintainer so the chassis battery will stay charged via shore power or by the genny.

-Don- Auburn, CA

Thanks, Don, but this system doesn't work that way. When everything is working properly, the converter or the alternator charges both battery banks simultaneously through a mechanical relay. It's a little more complicated than this.

 

[chuckbear]

Have you gone through the RV Products 73-1020 Battery Control Center troubleshooting guides?

I have and still am. That guide is confusing and, for me, a little difficult to follow. But I am trying to work my way through it. So far, not having much luck. I'm sure someone with the same system has gone through the same issues and found a solution. Chuck

 

[DonTom]

When everything is working properly, the converter or the alternator charges both battery banks simultaneously through a mechanical relay. It's a little more complicated than this.

Yeah, I think isolator relays are more common these days. I wasn't sure about 1999. Do you know where the relay is located? It could look something like this:

Or like this:

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Yeah, I think isolator relays are more common these days. I wasn't sure about 1999. Do you know where the relay is located? It could look something like this:

His is nothing like that, Don. Fleetwood has been using battery control circuits with bi-directional relays since the early 90's. The RVP board in his '99 Bounder is quite sophisticated. See the link in post #3 for more info.

 

[DonTom]

His is nothing like that, Don. Fleetwood has been using battery control circuits with bi-directional relays since the early 90's. The RVP board in his '99 Bounder is quite sophisticated. See the link in post #3 for more info.

OIC. So they now look like this? :

I need to check to see what my Y2K Fleetwood Tioga is using. I never tried to find it because it never gave me any problem.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It's a circuit board. Often mounted on a compartment wall near the batteries.

 

[DonTom]

It's a circuit board. Often mounted on a compartment wall near the batteries.

Seems strange to me if it doesn't have have a cover.

-Don- Auburn, CA

 

[chuckbear]

Yeah, I think isolator relays are more common these days. I wasn't sure about 1999. Do you know where the relay is located? It could look something like this:

View attachment 177098
Or like this:

View attachment 177100

It isn't like either of these it's a simple Cole Hersee mechanical relay hidden in a box behind a circuit board. Getting it off and replaced is a major undertaking.

 

[chuckbear]

Update...It took 3 days to get the solenoid out of the BCC and a replacement in. Good old 90s technology, stupid overall engineering, and lack of available parts. As soon as everything was back together I reconnected to the batteries and heard a loud thunk. This was the new solenoid doing what it was supposed to do. A good sign. In checking the voltage on the chassis and house battery, they were balancing the voltage to both batteries the same. This is what they should be doing. The power has been off in the coach for the last 3 days so the converter was not doing any charging. Once I turned on the power and the converter began charging both batteries balanced out to the same voltage and showed as charging. Exactly what they are supposed to do.

It will sit on the charger overnight and by tomorrow I will pretty much know for sure that the problem has been solved. Now to move on to replace this entire mess with something more user-friendly and easier to troubleshoot. Chuck

 

[OldWEB]

I like the BCC in our Hurricane

OIC. So they now look like this? :

View attachment 177125
I need to check to see what my Y2K Fleetwood Tioga is using. I never tried to find it because it never gave me any problem.

-Don- Auburn, CA

If you have the RV Custom Products BCC, then yes.
What type/style of battery disconnects and battery interconnection relay (emergency start) do you have?

 

[OldWEB]

It isn't like either of these it's a simple Cole Hersee mechanical relay hidden in a box behind a circuit board. Getting it off and replaced is a major undertaking.

I have the FW-2050 BCC in an awkward place to get at. I dread the day I will have to get in it... but there are a few YT vids making the task look easy.

 

[DonTom]

What type/style of battery disconnects and battery interconnection relay (emergency start) do you have?

I don't know who made the stuff in my Y2K motorhome, if that is what you're asking. They are all separate relays. I am not now at the same location as my RVs, but I can look next week when I am.

-Don- Reno, NV

 

[chuckbear]

So you know, this is what I'm dealing with. If you look closely inside the top left-hand corner of the box, you will see the solenoid I had to replace. The picture in no way gives justice to the steps needed to do that replacement. It took me three days, and that was way faster than the first time. Some isolators for the cables that run through the side of the box were damaged. They aren't available to me anywhere so I had to jury rig the insulation to keep the battery voltage from running through the metal box. Great engineering huh? Chuck

 

[John From Detroit]

That kind of box looks all to familiar

As for the "Grommets that protect the wires where they enter the box.. Multiple suggestions. First they are usually standard grommets you can find all over creation but you can take a short length of garden hose.. Best if it's an old and wore otu one. Slice it length wise... Makes a good insulator.
PVC.. Also slide it length wise and half slice the other side (unless you can push the wires through)
Vinyl tubing (Any hardware)

And the High Tech version. a 3-D pen with a spool of TPU filament (yes I acatually ahve that)

THe 3-D pen is the nozzle/extruder of a 3-D printer. You hold it in your hand push the button and it spits out molten filament (Fine like .4MM stream which you build up into whatever you need. Makes real good custom grommets. But I use it mostly for "Welding" 3-D prints that need welding .

 

[chuckbear]

Thanks, John, if only it was that simple. If you have never disassembled this box and tried to remove the solenoid and reinstall a new one you would understand what's involved in putting it all back together and insulating all the parts and still be able to have the 12 volts from the battery cables that are bolted through the box connect to the inner workings, get it all working properly and not short out on the metal box itself. Unfortunately, not all of us have access to a 3D printer. You only need to do it one time to fully understand.

 

[CharlesinGA]

I hope you used a Cole Hersee 24213. 200 amp continuous and with silver tungsten contacts.

Charles

 

[OldWEB]

And the High Tech version. a 3-D pen with a spool of TPU filament (yes I acatually ahve that)

THe 3-D pen is the nozzle/extruder of a 3-D printer. You hold it in your hand push the button and it spits out molten filament (Fine like .4MM stream which you build up into whatever you need. Makes real good custom grommets. But I use it mostly for "Welding" 3-D prints that need welding .

That sounds so darn like a new-fangled "glue gun" I have seen... just have not got around to buying one yet. :-/