More batteries

[jsutherl]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Excellent job wiring it up too. Very neat installation and correctly wired (House + to one battery and house - to the last one in the bank).

I don't know if you can see it in the picture but all the connections are shiny too. I put a wire brush on the cordless drill and cleaned each connection (including the frame) before I attached it.

Unfortunately where the positive lead goes into "battery control center" that lug is so corroded I was afraid to even try to get the nut off the stud. It shows almost no resistance with the VOM so hopefully it'll be good for now.

I'll probably have to rebuild or replace that battery control center thing. I've been looking around on-line but so far I haven't found a manual for it or anywhere to buy a new one.

It's a "battery control center" model "SDC-107A" made by "RV custom products"

I sure wish they'd have used stainless steel or zink coated bolts on that thing.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by f150k

Lou thank you, Ok let me see if I have this right. 1st can I keep the batteries in their present location or should I move them? 2nd could I remove the one cable from the 30 amp breaker and run it to the positive post on the other battery and also the same with the negative and then to chassis ground. Or should I move the battery next to each other, hook the positive to positive and than to the disconnect switch, and the same with the negative side,than to ground. All I would have to do is plug the vent for the one side of the cargo bay and hook the two in one vent if I move the batteries.

Well, it is entirely up to you. You could actually do nothing and you will certainly be safe. It just might be more expensive in the long run if you plan on keeping that camper for a while.

You could also measure your wires and make sure they are the same length so the resistances are the same. Not having a photo of how your batteries are actually wired makes that recommendation a bit hard.

Here is a photo I took of my set up before I was finished. I made a new double battery box out of kitchen sink tubs. That way the are both on the ame side, but a box on each side will also work as long as the red cables and black cables are the same length.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by jsutherl

It's a "battery control center" model "SDC-107A" made by "RV custom products" I sure wish they'd have used stainless steel or zink coated bolts on that thing.

Wow you are right. Some penetrating oil should loosten the bolts up though. They most likely look worse than they are. I wonder if its just a fuse or current limiter in there? Maybe they also have a shunt for an "in coach" ammeter. You could start working on the screws that hold the cover on and peek inside. (A photo would help someone here figure it out)

This might help:
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fu...g/13935498.cfm

http://www.randkproducts.com/product...ttery-products

http://www.flightsystems.com/pdf/onanrvtshootgd608.pdf

[f150k]

Lou, would it be possible for you to label the parts on your battery set up? Also a diagram of how each is wired into your system. It looks like what I would like for our unit, we plan on doing more dry camping and I do have a generator to recharge the batteries. Thank you (Our dry camping would be for 5 to 10 days mostly lights and to charge our camera and laptop)

[Herk7769]

I will see what I can do with a schematic. For now:

Upper left: 2400 watt Inverter with wireless on/off switch
Upper Center: Shunt for Trimetric TM-2025 Battery monitor System
Upper right: Master Ground Buss
Center: Master Battery Switch (Off, Left, Right, Both)
Center Right: Master 12VDC Buss with OEM 30 AMP Auto-reset Breaker.
Off this buss: 30 Amp Pigtail left Main Slide
30 Amp Pigtail Right Main Slide
30 Amp Pigtail Front Landing Gear
Red OEM lead to WFCO Power Converter
The batteries are two DeKa (OEM) DC-24 75 Amp-Hour Deep Cycle
They are currently wired as I suggested. One red exact length cable from each batteries plus terminal to the switch. One black exact length cable from each batteries negative terminal to the left side of the shunt.
(The photos above were taken before I found out about the need for exact resistance across the batteries for charge equalization. The wires are now slightly different than in that old photo.)

The Space to the left of the kitchen tubs is just large enough for a 1 gallon water container of distilled water for the batteries. It also fits 2 containers that hold my battery tools like hydrometer, stainless steel mirror, safety glasses, small fire extinguisher, Nitrile gloves, and rubber water transfer bulb.

The schematic for the Trimetric is here:

[f150k]

Thank you again, I will start getting the equipment together and when the snow melts be ready to change my system over. I hope you don't mind but as get into this more I may need a little guidance.

[acadianbob]

Unless you camp for extended periods in campgrounds that don't allow generators, why not just get a nice quiet Honda/Yamaha generator? We just have 1 Group 30 Trojan and a Honda EU2000i. Works wonderfully.

[Herk7769]

I do have a Yamaha EF3000SeB (3500 watt Boost 3000 Watt continuous) TriFuel (Gas, Propane, LNG) generator with remote start. Most all campsites I dry camp at (I dry camp about 60 days a year) have quiet hours.




Since my wife and I are up late most nights (the kids are on the west coast) and we use the computer, TV, lights and heater after dark, plenty of battery power is important to us. (Your needs may differ).

During the day of course we run the Yamaha to charge up the batteries and run the AC, coffee maker, electric griddle, and microwave.
We do like our comforts.

[jsutherl]

Originally Posted by herk7769

I do have a Yamaha EF3000SeB

Wow, so cool that thing has a remote, what a great idea!

[Herk7769]

I love it! Since it sits in the bed of the pickup, when quiet hours end at 0730 I can just push the button while still in my jammies and start the coffee maker.

[kenn]

Originally Posted by herk7769

That is why I did the 100% conversion to LED lights. Now my battery lasts almost 10 times longer than previously.

Did you replace fixtures as well or did you just replace bulbs?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by kenn

Did you replace fixtures as well or did you just replace bulbs?

Just the bulbs. I will post a photo of them installed if anyone is interested. I will be in the camper getting it ready this week.

[mbtelguy]

Although very poor quality schematics, try this site for a copy of a trouble shooting guide for the subject BCC.

http://www.discoveryowners.com/BCC.pdf

Gary

[gartonhl]

Just got this from RV Custom Products on Friday. Was curious also as to their setup. Hopefully this will lend you assistance.

[mbtelguy]

Hi Pete

I to have a 378, and found by accident a schematic, the same as the one from RV Custom Products pasted to the underside of the cover we remove to service the batteries. The only difference is the one on the cover provides more information on the fuses.

In addition I obtained from Geogetown the following schematic of the external wiring to the BCC.

[gartonhl]

Thanks mbtelguy,

I appreciate it.

Info exchange on this site is very beneficial.

[jsutherl]

Originally Posted by gartonhl

Just got this from RV Custom Products on Friday. Was curious also as to their setup. Hopefully this will lend you assistance.

Wow that's great. Nice work!

[sparks1032]

I realize this thread is over 18 months old but I am curious on how things held up.

1-I do not like the set up of the batteries under the stairs and being exposed to the elements when driving and or camped. So how have the batteries held up?

1a.- I thought about adding another storage compartment in front of the entry door as I can find the door to add easy but not the plastic inside to match and putting the batteries inside that compartment.

2.- Has your stock converter been able to charge the four battery set up?

2a- If not what have you gone with?

3. Did you add any monitoring equipment such as gauges?

4. There was some discussion about moving the batteries and confirming the length of battery cables did this occur? and if it did was it necessary?

5. PM me if this is to old to bring to life!

[jsutherl]

Sparks,
So far so good. I've got the four batteries in there still that you see in the pictures. They have not been moved. They get dirty being under the step like that but that doesn't hurt them any. I'm happy with them where they are.

I used the stock converter for about six months and it worked fine to charge these batteries. The way 12v chargers work pretty much any converter will charge any size bank of batteries. It'll just take longer to charge if you have a small converter. The converter in mine was a 60amp which is plenty big enough.

Later I added a Xantrax LinkPro battery monitor (I made a post about this with pictures). It does a great job of telling me how the batteries are doing.

After that I installed a whole house inverter. The inverter is now the charger for the batteries. The old converter is still installed but just unplugged from 110v. The Inverter only charges at 40 amps but that's still plenty to charge up my batteries.

[jsutherl]

Here is the post about the battery monitor.
http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...tor-10227.html