I just started plugging my Solera into my garage outlet for the Winter. I noticed that the converter is made to run on trickle charge if nothing is being used. I figure on checking the battery weekly to be sure they aren't over charging, so far so good. One question I have however is the battery for the chassis hooked into the coach battery system? I'm wondering because the battery for the chassis is located under the driver's floor board. So to check it I'd need to open that area up for inspection also. But if it not hooked into the coach system then do I need to look at a battery tender for it? What do you think?
Good question, I was wondering the same thing. Yesterday, (Tuesday) I went out to drive my Solera and the battery wouldn't turn the motor over. I have a dedicated 30 amp line from my breaker box via a 10 ga. wire to a regular box like used in campgrounds. I know my rig was getting the full 110 volts. I jump started it from my truck battery. Here's the rest of the story and what I think happened. It has been several weeks since cranking the engine and the last time I used the camper I had left a GPS connected to the cigarette lighter under the ash tray which is hot all the time. If the GPS device ran the battery down, then it's not getting any charge from the 110 volt wire. Could be wrong about this tho....
Make sense??
Good question, I was wondering the same thing. Yesterday, (Tuesday) I went out to drive my Solera and the battery wouldn't turn the motor over. I have a dedicated 30 amp line from my breaker box via a 10 ga. wire to a regular box like used in campgrounds. I know my rig was getting the full 110 volts. I jump started it from my truck battery. Here's the rest of the story and what I think happened. It has been several weeks since cranking the engine and the last time I used the camper I had left a GPS connected to the cigarette lighter under the ash tray which is hot all the time. If the GPS device ran the battery down, then it's not getting any charge from the 110 volt wire. Could be wrong about this tho....
Make sense??
Do you have a disconnect? I am not a MH guy and this is all I have on BCC issues; hope it helps.
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Herk..I don't have a clue how to read the schematic so therefore am unable to answer your question. Am hoping one of the guys from FR will shed a little light on this....
Thanks...
We do run directly from the BCC chassis post to the battery under the driver floor. With this being said and the design of our BCC...With the unit plugged in AND the disconnect switch in the ON position(horizontal), the converter would charge the house batteries first. If and when they have been in a float charge state for a given period of time, the solenoid is supposed to be activated, connecting the chassis battery and allowing it to receive charge as well.
If I were you I would allow the chassis battery to drain a little bit, and then verify that it is indeed receiving the charge. If you would prefer not to pull up the floormat and such everytime, verify the cable we ran is connected to the battery under the floor the first time and then use the stud on the backside of the BCC to monitor voltage in the future.
IF you don't want to leave your rig plugged in all winter I suggest
the Battery Tender Jr. I have one on my truck, on my motorcycle and one
on my trailer. They're fully automatic and won't over charge and make
your batteries use any water. (Check water every couple months anyway
at first.)
DerbyCycles.net have the 6 or 12volt models for $25 with free shipping.
That's the cheapest I've found online or in a store.
I do not work for them! They are in the bluegrass state however
My truck battery is still the original going on 8 years old. It may strand me
tomorrow but today it cranks as good as new!
You really can maximize battery life by keeping them fully charged.
__________________ Peace! Dan & Rita D
2017 Nissan Titan 5.6L King cab 4wd
2016 Evergreen Everlite 242RBS
29' empty nest model. Blue Ox WD hitch
(1 queen bed, large main cabin and huge bathroom)
Camping days 2010-53, 2011-47, 2012-41, 2013-41, 2014-31, 2015-40, 2016-44, 2017-63, 2018-75, 2019-32, 2020-41, 2021-49, 2022-43, 2023-66
Where is BCC located on 2011 Solera? I keep the water level in coach batteries up using distilled water, so, unless the coach battery(s) are low, I should be getting chassis battery charged. Is this correct?
Also, and this is different subject, Are the MB computer codes available? I want to turn off the headlights and the owner's manual describes how to do this but it doesn't work. Have Googled this and unable to find computer codes. Vendors have for sale different diagnostic tools such as scan guage, etc. but I am not sure they will determine what the codes are...
I do have wires going through the coach battery compartment wall to the front of the coach, I asume these are going to the chassis battery? I'll check into it more today. I do have a battery tender JR. but if I can just keep the unit plugged in and get all the batteries charged through the converter? I'll see what I can find out today.
A 2011 Solera will have a different style BCC which operates differently than the current model. If you can pm me with your serial or VIN number I can see when it was built and figue out which BCC and where.
I have a 2012 Solera. I'm not exactly sure where the Battery Control Center is located. Could you also discuss where a trickle charge conection should be made to keep the coach and MB battery charged during winter storage. Thanks
I have a 2012 Solera. I'm not exactly sure where the Battery Control Center is located. Could you also discuss where a trickle charge conection should be made to keep the coach and MB battery charged during winter storage. Thanks
One way to do it and be safe is to lift one lead from the chassis battery and attach you battery trickle to the + - posts. This keeps the charger from putting errant voltage into the coach electronics. If doing the coach batteries same thing if two batteries just lift the common lead + or - and connect to the batteries in parallel if 2 fitted. Be sure to insulate the termianal you lift or tie it away from the battery.
I just started plugging my Solera into my garage outlet for the Winter. I noticed that the converter is made to run on trickle charge if nothing is being used. I figure on checking the battery weekly to be sure they aren't over charging, so far so good. One question I have however is the battery for the chassis hooked into the coach battery system? I'm wondering because the battery for the chassis is located under the driver's floor board. So to check it I'd need to open that area up for inspection also. But if it not hooked into the coach system then do I need to look at a battery tender for it? What do you think?
If you have no other means of checking you should build something like this to monitor 1. Chassis Battery, 2. Shore Power AC, 3. Coach Battery. It shows at a glance whats the state and whats charging, camping or laid up. About $60 for all components, very easy to install.
If you have no other means of checking you should build something like this to monitor 1. Chassis Battery, 2. Shore Power AC, 3. Coach Battery. It shows at a glance whats the state and whats charging, camping or laid up. About $60 for all components, very easy to install.
THAT is really neat. Great job!
__________________
Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
If you have no other means of checking you should build something like this to monitor 1. Chassis Battery, 2. Shore Power AC, 3. Coach Battery. It shows at a glance whats the state and whats charging, camping or laid up. About $60 for all components, very easy to install.
Thanks, it nice RV grade not furniture grade, but blends right in.
Quote:
Originally Posted by f1100turbo
Link to where you purchased your items?
Sure, you teach me how to link (never needed it in my profession), none of the ships had INTERNET!
Anyway started with a length of furniture grade trim wood 1" x 2", stained to match. That 1 x 2 is finished size, not nominal.
Mitered two corners, lower corners brought down as legs. Much easier to fit up and kept meters off floor level.
The back plate is a door "push" plate: color- brushed platinum to match all existing fixtures in the motor home.
Meters are same series 2) 0-30 VDC and one 0-150 VAC. The AC scales too high in use, I'd choose 200 VAC next time.
Wood and door purch in store at Lowes
Meters found at MPJA.com, huge supplier of electronic and/electric control stuff.
Not shown in this pic was a toggle switch to the power Chassis lead, in paralleled with the meter I also wired in a red 12 volt LED to indicate the meter is on. Reason for this is the 12 V is always hot from the Battery control, it would become a tiny parasite if you can't secure it. The switch is located on the face of the panel, the red LED right above the Chassis meter.
I used standard hook up wire (bell wire) to interconnect the meters panel back. I ran signal wire and grounds to each meter and source, there is no voltage drop in these short circuit wiring.
Source of voltages, the ac is in the reefer compartment just above the panel. I had a heater vestibule right behind the panel for easy connections. The two DC circuits both came from the Battery Control panel and relay. The coach meter is downstream of the shutoff circuit, the chassis as I mentioned comes from the 120 jumper from the fwd battery. I don't remember the accuracy, they are quite close, thats not a concern. They of course have the LED and LCD display. I always found analog gouges like these are easier to scan at a glance.
Linear Mode
