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Old 12-08-2017, 12:58 PM   #1
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Dead House Batteries and Starting Generator

Have a 2016 Dynamax Force. Motorhome is in storage plugged into shore power. However, when we returned after about a month to take it out the house batteries were discharged because something had tripped the circuit breaker on the shore power. Could not start the generator because it operates off the house batteries. Took off driving thinking the engine alternator would supply power to the house batteries but it didn't. We have had this motor home since this summer and spent many days on the road for over 10 hours a day with our residential refrigerator running and lights on and always had battery power to operate the slides etc when we stopped for the day. Therefore, I assumed the house batteries were getting their power from the alternator. The motorhome is now back in storage plugged into shore power. What should I assume happened that on this occasion the alternator did not supply power to the house batteries. Also, does the battery boost work in reverse taking power from the chassis batteries to boost the house batteries to start the generator? Seems like not being able to start the generator when the house batteries are dead is a major design flaw in the whole electrical system.
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Old 12-08-2017, 02:35 PM   #2
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Just a what if here. If you had this condition with your slides extended, would you be able to start the coach and retract the slides?
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Old 12-08-2017, 03:46 PM   #3
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Good question, I assume the slides would not work since they operate off the house batteries.
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Old 12-08-2017, 04:01 PM   #4
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DQskier, Would you be able to start the coach with the slides extended?
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Old 12-08-2017, 04:09 PM   #5
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Yes you can start the coach with the slides extended.
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Old 12-08-2017, 04:42 PM   #6
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Using the momentary switch on the dash combines both engine start batteries with the house batteries. If the engine batteries are dead and the house batteries are good you can start the coach. In reverse you can start the generator. My coach in storage would trip the breaker because I had a bad GFCI breaker. Changed out the breaker no more tripping.

You need to put a meter on your batteries but the alternator should charge everything. Start the engine and put a meter on your house batteries and then on your engine batteries they both should be over 14 volts.

Now it could be that your house batteries were so low that it would take hours to get them back to full charge.
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Old 12-08-2017, 05:51 PM   #7
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Hey Houstonstroker, thanks so much for that information I will take your suggestions and implement them. I think you may be right about how dead the house batteries were. Good to hear the battery boost works both ways. Thanks again.
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Old 12-08-2017, 05:59 PM   #8
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Just a thought , is your battery disconnect switch in the on or off position? must be in the on position to charge house battery from chassis alternator .
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Old 12-08-2017, 06:06 PM   #9
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The battery disconnect is in the off position, in other words the battery is not disconnected. The batteries will only charge if that switch is in the off position no matter what you are using to charge the batteries, electric, generator or alternator.
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Old 12-08-2017, 06:07 PM   #10
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This just happened to us. Could not slide in so my FH plugged it back to house power and they came in. Do you know why the batteries did not charge? Didn’t see a blown fuse.
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Old 12-08-2017, 06:10 PM   #11
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The batteries didn't charge because the GFCI breaker tripped.
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Old 12-08-2017, 06:13 PM   #12
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Question

There are no breakers tripped in the main control panel? Could there be another fuse in the generator/battery compartment?
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Old 12-08-2017, 06:14 PM   #13
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If you are plugged into shore power then the house batteries should charge. If you are plugged into shore power but you hit the battery disconnect switch, which mechanically cuts all power in or out of the battery then it will not charge. The house batteries should stay at full charge for quite awhile if they were fully charged when you parked.

They will also charge while driving but this could take several hours depending on the size of the alternator, size of the charge wire and how depleted they were.

The batteries charge the fastest with shore power or generator power.
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Old 12-08-2017, 06:26 PM   #14
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" in other words the battery is not disconnected. "
We are saying the same thing, on my disconnect the "on" means battery is on line, off means disconnected.
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Old 12-09-2017, 01:49 PM   #15
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Its always interesting how much different the wiring systems are for these Rvs.
Our House batteries are out for the winter and I fire up the coach once a month as per the Ford manual and let it go to full operating temp. However I can start our Onan generator from the motor battery, with no problems.


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Old 12-09-2017, 01:54 PM   #16
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re

My rig sits in storage for 3 months at a time. I go to the storage yard once a month to run my gen. My house batteries are to weak to start the gen. I start the engine then the gen starts I shut off the engine when it reaches 210 degrees let the gen run for 45 minutes and I have 4 lights but I know next month it will be down to one.
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Old 12-09-2017, 06:56 PM   #17
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DQ...just side note...it will take many hours for either your alternator or your converter to recharge your dead flat batteries and you have definitely shortened their useful life (unintentionally of course). I would suggest leaving them plugged in for at least 24 hours with your converter. It might be well to insure that your converter is working properly...with a real voltage meter you should initially see 14+ vlts at your battery terminals...then after several hours you will see the voltage fall to 13.2V or so where it will remain. If your voltage readings are below 13V and you are plugged in...you need to check the output at the converter itself and if that is not 13+V ... you have a problem with the converter.
Check fuses at the converter if there is no output.
You might want to think about investing in a 30 amp outlet at your house so you don't have to worry about GFI issues when charging. If you are simply storing your coach for some weeks...all you need to do is FULLY charge the battery bank and then disconnect the negative wire until you want to go somewhere again. You can go more than 90 days like this without worry and without battery damage. There is no need to continuously charge your coach batteries unless you are using them.
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Old 12-09-2017, 10:47 PM   #18
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Have you ever check the water level in you house batteries?
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Old 12-10-2017, 08:45 AM   #19
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On our 06' dynaquest we have a compartment within one of the outdoor storage bays that contains a lot of the 12v fuses and a solenoids. The heart of the 12 shore power system is the BCC (battery control center). This circuit board controls the solenoids which in turn control how and which batteries get charged. The way ours works is when plugged in to shore power the house batteries charge first, and then if they reach full charge the system will connect the chassis battery to top off their charge. And it works the reverse of that, if running down the road the chassis batteries get first priority but the house batteries will get charge. I do know that whether by design or something malfunctioning the chassis batteries will not start the generator (even if the start switch on the dash is pushed)
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Old 12-10-2017, 09:14 AM   #20
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Our house batteries went dead one time,,, had to start engine so I could start Generator !
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