Using the onboard battery

[Sandy and Shirley]

Sorry for the newbie battery questions. Owned a 5th wheel for over 10 years, no generator, and just upgraded to a 2015 Georgetown 364TS, and this will be our first dry camping trip to a country music festival!

As I understand it the way the battery works is dependent on how it was set up in each Motor Home.

We have a generator and a set of batteries under the entry steps. As we understand it, we can run the coach on battery and then run the generator daily / as needed to recharge them. First question, is that true? And how do we know the battery level / need for recharge?

There is a “Battery Control” switch as you enter the motor home with Connect and Disconnect settings, so we have a few questions since we have never used this before.

Does the battery charge when on hooked up to electric and when the generator is running regardless of the position of the battery control switch?

What is the proper procedure for switching back and forth from generator and battery?

What can be run on battery? Frig? A/C? Water Heater? Anything else?

Again, sorry for the newbie questions, just want answers from people who have actually done it!

Our first “guess”, and this is purely a guess, is to press the connect side of the switch as it sits in the driveway hooked up to electric to pre-charge the batteries to full level. Can they overcharge if left a week like that? Drive to the festival and leave the switch in the connect position and run the Generator at the Festival whenever we use the A/C or at least X hours a day. Again, is this the right thing to do?

Thanks in advance for all replies to our newbie questions!

[wrapperman]

Good questions
As for the "Battery Switch" I leave mine connected all the time whether on shore power, generator or driving the coach. All three conditions will keep the coach and chassis batteries charged. Though the type of charger I have it is okay to leave it charging all the time. Some charges are not made that way. When my coach is in storage I hook it up to 110 volt power to keep all the batteries charged.
As for what you can run depends on how many coach batteries you have and if you have a residential fridge.
Just a rule of thumb is if you have only 2 12 volt coach batteries then it would power the residential fridge for about 4 to 6 hours. 4 batteries then up to 24 hours. You won't be able to run the A/C's at all nor the water heater on electric. If you have a propane fridge then the batteries would last days if not weeks. Same goes for the water heater on propane mode. Both fridge and water heater use very little battery power.
What else can you run on battery power is dependent on what is hooked up to the inverter if you have one. You could add more inverter(s) to run things like TV's, mixers, toaster hair dryers and such. Though the more 110 volt items means more inverter power and more batteries. Keep in mind your 12 volt lighting works on the battery in the coach.
As for does the batteries charge in connect or disconnect mode, I am not sure but I don't think it does charge in disconnect mode.
Now for how do one turn off the generator, it may be a good practice to turn off your A/C's then the generator because the A/C's use a lot of amps and that could cause the contacts in the ATS to arch and burn out quicker but just a theory.
We have used our generator for days at a time with no issues and always keep the disconnect switch engaged.
Never hesitate to ask question since this is how we all learn whether we are newbies or veterans.
What type of coach do you have?
Enjoy you coach and camping.

[Sandy and Shirley]

Thanks for the answers. We Spent our Kids Inheritance (SKI Club Members) on a 2015 Forest River Georgetown 378XL.

I’m fairly certain we have two switches for the battery and hate to just click both of them, “and let’s see what happens!”

The first is a simple rocker switch mounted on the panel with the Awning, Steps, and lighting switches. It is labeled “Battery Control” and toggles to connect or disconnect setting. An indicator light comes on it indicates the connect position. It is also labeled COACH under the switch. Fairly certain this should be left in the connect position, light on, think it is like disconnecting the ground wire from the battery as you might do for winter storage, or storage on a remote lot with no available electricity.

The second is a separate switch plate which is labeled “PROwatt SW” with a small “status” light and an “On/Off” button. Again, fairly certain that this is the switch that turns the inverter on and off.

So if I understand your post, since we leave our “baby” in the driveway hooked up to a dedicated 50 amp outlet, we should leave the battery control toggled to connect, light on, and the PROwatt toggled to status light on also. Leave it like that at home, as we drive down the road, as we hook up, as we camp, always. And also, turn the A/C off when we start and stop the Generator, also when we hook up to and unhook for a 50-amp outlet. “Turn it all on and forget it!”

[wrapperman]

I think you got it.
We have a 2013 378XL
The Prowatt button is for the inverter and the inverter is dedicated to only the residential refrigerator. When hooked up to shore power or when the generator is running a small ATS switches the the refridge to those powers. When those power goes off line then the inverter should turn on. If it doesn't then push the Prowatt button on. It doesn't hurt to have the green light on all the time. In other words if you want the refridge to stay on then the green light must be on when no shore power or generator power is on.
We learned the hard way, our selling dealer fail to inform us to turn on the green light while traveling and the refridge stopped cooling. We freaked because by the time we noticed it it was night time at our first campsite. We thought we had a bum refridge.
Also when the battery disconnect is de-energized you will not have power to the inverter or starting power to the generator. I learned that the hard way again last summer. But that is another story.

[Sandy and Shirley]

Our thanks to everyone for the replies. It is too bad that this is way we have to find out information after paying all that money for a motor home. The manuals from the manufacturer are far from accurate and precise and the dealers rarely know what they are talking about. Thank God for forums like this one!

[Sandy and Shirley]

Since my original question was really related to how we were going to keep the frig running on a dry camping trip, I did more research on the web and came across this related video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKks_nZ12DI

I talks about the amount of power you needd to perform this task. Hope it is helpful to others reading this thread later.

[rkulbok]

All great and timely questions since this weekend is our first 'dry' camping experience.

We have a 2015 328TS. Does anyone know if any of the 110 outlets work without the generator running? I know the refrigerator works off the inverter without the generator running but I have not been able to find any outlets that do. It just seems like overkill to run the generator to make a pot of coffee.

Thanks

[DarrenK]

On my '14, none, other than the refrigerator, are connected to the batteries/inverter. A coffee pot uses a lot of juice during the brew cycle, so I doubt you'd be able to run it without the gen-set anyway...

[Sandy and Shirley]

It is our understanding also that the only thing attached to the inverter is the frig.

DarrenK,

Did you watch the video?

I think the most important item in the video is that you should turn your A/C off "BEFORE" you stop your generator to minimize the power level at the point you cut it off.

[Christian_D]

Originally Posted by wrapperman

Now for how do one turn off the generator, it may be a good practice to turn off your A/C's then the generator because the A/C's use a lot of amps and that could cause the contacts in the ATS to arch and burn out quicker but just a theory.

Originally Posted by Sandy and Shirley

I think the most important item in the video is that you should turn your A/C off "BEFORE" you stop your generator to minimize the power level at the point you cut it off.

Yep.

My understanding is that you should disconnect the load from the generator and then let the generator run another 10 minutes (without a load) before shutting it down. The same is true when starting the generator.......let it run without a load for 5 or 10 minutes before asking it to work.

[Vince and Charlette]

Regarding other things that run off the inverter, on my 2015 Georgetown, there is a 110v ac outlet attached to the inverter itself. This outlet, which can power just about anything within amp limits, has a GFCI switch on it that controls inverter output and is the master reset button.

[Sandy and Shirley]

Thanks Christian,

Always better to do things on the safe side and what you said definitely sounds logical.


Vince, very interesting!

Our 2015 Georgetown is the 378TS and I just double checks, we do not have that power outlet near the switches, at least I can’t find one!

The only outlet near the frig is in the outside compartment under the frig next to the steps, and there is no GFI reset button on it. I’ll check this out when we are dry camping. Our reset is on the separate PROwatt switch plate that only has a button and indicator light.

This points out one of the biggest problems within the RV community. Each coach is made from different parts. Sometimes the same coach made one week will have different parts that the one made the next week. I’ve talked to my dealer and they are frustrated by this as the owners are. A coach comes in for service and they order a part and are sent the wrong thing! Happens all the time.

[wrapperman]

I think the poster was referring to an extra receptacle plug on the inverter itself. The inverter is locate above the propane tank and can be accessed through the white plastic plug there. That receptacle is a GFI socket. So remember if you every lose power that may have trip but unlikely.
The PROwatt button is an on/off button for the inverter.
Before hooking up power appliances to the inverter make sure the inverter is large enough. Mine is only 1000 watts. I hear the newer coaches are 2000 watts.
As for the receptacle in the outside compartment that is tied into a GFI plug in the coach.
There can can only be 1 GFI plug in any circuit an circuits are daisy chained from the breaker switch.

[bubbles]

Originally Posted by Sandy and Shirley

Thanks for the answers. We Spent our Kids Inheritance (SKI Club Members) on a 2015 Forest River Georgetown 378XL.

I’m fairly certain we have two switches for the battery and hate to just click both of them, “and let’s see what happens!”

The first is a simple rocker switch mounted on the panel with the Awning, Steps, and lighting switches. It is labeled “Battery Control” and toggles to connect or disconnect setting. An indicator light comes on it indicates the connect position. It is also labeled COACH under the switch. Fairly certain this should be left in the connect position, light on, think it is like disconnecting the ground wire from the battery as you might do for winter storage, or storage on a remote lot with no available electricity.

The second is a separate switch plate which is labeled “PROwatt SW” with a small “status” light and an “On/Off” button. Again, fairly certain that this is the switch that turns the inverter on and off.

So if I understand your post, since we leave our “baby” in the driveway hooked up to a dedicated 50 amp outlet, we should leave the battery control toggled to connect, light on, and the PROwatt toggled to status light on also. Leave it like that at home, as we drive down the road, as we hook up, as we camp, always. And also, turn the A/C off when we start and stop the Generator, also when we hook up to and unhook for a 50-amp outlet. “Turn it all on and forget it!”

I think you will find that the light bar in that switch is not an indication of switch position. I believe the light in the switch is illuminated no matter what has been selected. One should physically press the rocker switch to insure the battery is or is not connected as desired. This is how my 378 functions. if FR made a change to the switch then disregard.

[Vince and Charlette]

Sandy and Shirley, first of all, let's compare apples to apples. We too have a 364TS. On ours, the inverter is compartment just ahead of the right rear tires located behind a black cardboard-like panel. There you should find a ProWatt 2000 inverter with an attached GFCI outlet. The switch just inside the front door is a remote switch that simply allows the inverter to be controlled from inside. The light does coincide with the inverter. I know since I just replaced mine because the light was out.

[Vince and Charlette]

One added item: if you remove the black cardboard-like material in the inverter compartment, you'll gain access to a whole new compartment for added storage. I recommend you not use this area for storing metal objects. And, be sure to not block the small cooling fans on the back of the inverter.

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by wrapperman

Good questions

Both fridge and water heater use very little battery power.

Never hesitate to ask question since this is how we all learn whether we are newbies or veterans.
What type of coach do you have?
Enjoy you coach and camping.

I agree with all that Wrapperman said. Just cut this part out to point out that BOTH FRIG AND WH use very little 12 volt current AS LONG AS YOU SET THEM TO RUN GAS ONLY

That darn fridge uses 400 to 500 watt of my 2000 watt pure sine wave inverter. If I turn on the inverter so DW can use the Micro or her Hair Dryer or curling iron then forget the fridge or WATER HEATER GOD FORBID, That should be on GAS ONLY except if you are on hookups for long enough that the propane savings would be significant. The two of them if left on would pull everything the inverter can deliver and run the batteries down fast. The inverter is my after market add on and PURE SINE WAVE is Best, but pulls about 11/2 to 2 amps at no load and then figure 100 amps for the microwave so we use it discreetly, at least until/if we install more solar. The high end "commercial duty" pure sine waves can draw 4 amps or more NO LOAD so I will stick with my little light duty $400 dollar Samlex for now and stay away from high draw usuage for more than a few minutes here and there as needed.

[Tom48]

[QUOTE=Sandy and Shirley;949376]Thanks Christian,

Always better to do things on the safe side and what you said definitely sounds logical.

In that spirit, I would leave the INVERTER in the off position unless you need to use what it powers, I think that is normally first and foremost, the entertainment center as usually that stuff requires 120 v.

I suggest to everyone, for $15 you can get a plug in analog volt meter that will show you the status of your AC Parks home or generator to be sure you are not using voltage that is sagging We nearly always dry camp but last time, to my surprise there was a power post. Prob was that with eveyone in our row running Air Conditioners, the voltage dropped to just above 100. I used the Gen the rest of the day and at night when voltage came back up I used the park current.

[sherman12]

Tom48 I think most of the posters on this thread have residential fridges that do not have a propane connection, electric only one way or the other.