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Old 01-04-2011, 09:07 PM   #21
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MH Coach Battery charging

One of the problems with the Motorhome battery disconnect switch is that the light on
the switch misleads a person into thinking that because the light on the switch is on
the batteries are bring charged. The light on the switch only indicates that there is power available on the 12VDC buss and does not indicate that the batteries are being charged .
As an example try the following : disconnect the motorhome from shore power and operate the battery disconnect switch.
The light on the switch will gradually go out. Indicating that there is no power on the 12VDC buss.
Now with out touching the battery disconnect switch plug into shore power, the light on the switch will come on even though the batteries are not connect to the 12VDC bus.

In this state it appears that the batteries are being charged. Because of this many have gone to trouble of purchasing/installing additional chargers thinking that the original converter is not capable of bring the batteries to full charge, when actual fact the converter was not charging the batteries in the first place.

Now this is my understanding of the 12VDC battery/ converter circuit, if anyone has a different view of this I would appreciate hearing from them.

Gary
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Old 01-04-2011, 10:11 PM   #22
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An excellent add to this thread. Thank you.
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Old 01-22-2011, 08:50 AM   #23
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Newbie to this forum! We just purchased a 2011 Palomino Bronco pop-up for our pickup in October. Wasn't warned about the battery drain on CO detector, found the battery dead and froze. Was able to recharge it after thawing and agree with a previous post about a disconnect switch from factory when in storage. Quite a pain to get to and disconnect every time to store. I know there will be one there soon.
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Old 02-11-2011, 11:18 AM   #24
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In conclusion to this subject, in our situation, we needed to reset our inverter. All is well, batteries are working perfectly and have been on the road sence Jan. 15th.
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Old 02-17-2011, 03:05 AM   #25
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Hubby went out to check the 2011 Berkshire 410qs and all the house batteries are dead!!! We have a battery charger and it stated that they were bad. Only have had MH for over 1mo. What would make them all go bad? Any suggestions?
I am not really expert, but I am sure that it is not the battery charger and I don't what would make them all go bad. Sorry man.
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Old 02-17-2011, 08:05 AM   #26
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Maria,

Without being there it is hard to figure this out. I would start by checking the battery cells for electrolyte. If your battery charger failed to switch to a trickle charge stage and stayed in a charging stage; it could have boiled your batteries dry. If your charger was an older car battery charger; there is NO trickle charge setting; just charge. It would have boiled your batteries dry in a week or so. Hope this is not the case. Lou

PS use care when checking. Safety glasses and clothes you won't mind throwing away. Acid droplets will eat holes in anything and you will have them flying everywhere when you pry off the vent caps.
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Old 02-17-2011, 08:57 AM   #27
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Just something worth mentioning....I have a Schumacher 12/8/2A Speed Battery Charger that I bought from Walmart about 10-12 years ago. When I connect it to any battery and don't touch any of the settings...it tells me the battery is bad. But, if I press the button to set it to deep cycle (RV battery) and then set it for 2A charge, it kicks on, gives me a reading of percentage charged and current Amp output and it works like normal. I don't know if you happen to be using the same kind of charger, but if so...this has been my experience ever since I bought it.

Joe
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Old 07-04-2011, 12:36 PM   #28
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Question: If I plug my RV into my house AC outside will that keep the house batteries charged or is it better to shut everything off (disconnect switches) and put a battery tender on it ? If I did a bettery tender will one of them look after the 4 house batteries ? Thanks.....Ron
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Old 07-04-2011, 06:52 PM   #29
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Question: If I plug my RV into my house AC outside will that keep the house batteries charged or is it better to shut everything off (disconnect switches) and put a battery tender on it ? If I did a battery tender will one of them look after the 4 house batteries ? Thanks.....Ron
<sigh> another pitch for a full signature with camper information in it. If we had a year of manufacture we might be able to tell if you had a 3 stage power converter of not.

Older 2 stage converters would sit on too high a charging current and boil your batteries dry. (removing them or disconnecting them was your only option). Today's converters are 3 stage and have a "tender" feature built in and they will trickle charge without boiling the battery.
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Old 07-04-2011, 10:09 PM   #30
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Thanks. Sorry I have a 2008 Berkshire 39 QS. Thanks Ron
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Old 07-04-2011, 10:12 PM   #31
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Thanks. Sorry I have a 2008 Berkshire 39 QS. Thanks Ron
See if you can find your model number on your power center. It will tell you if you have a 3 stage power center.

This is the WFCO manual and it is a 3 stage unit; ok to leave hooked up.
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File Type: pdf Manual - Power Distribution Center WF-8900 English.pdf (1.89 MB, 19 views)
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Old 07-04-2011, 10:31 PM   #32
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Every mh I have had in the last 10 years, and there were 6 of them, all had a disconnect switch to totally shut down all battery draw..MY new gerorgetown 360 has one as well right by the exit door.
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Old 07-05-2011, 06:27 AM   #33
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Thanks Herk7769. When you state power centre do you mean where the 110V breakers are or the 12V fuses. Sorry I'm not up on all this. Under the bed is a panel box thing with 110V breakers etc. At the front of coach outside in a storage box near gen is a whole bunch of 12V fuses etc and then at the rear of coach outside is what I would call the inventor thing.
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Old 07-05-2011, 06:50 AM   #34
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Believe it or not, not every rig is the same.

What I am calling a power center is probably only located in one place in campers that have a "power distribution panel" and "AC to DC converter" located in the same place. In my camper I have a WFCO 4900 that has the converter inside the box that has the AC circuit breakers and about half the DC fuses (the rest are carefully hidden around the rig like Easter Eggs).

Some campers (like motor homes I guess) have the AC distribution panel in one place; fuses all over the place; and the converter close by but a separate unit. My buddies Montana has the fuse/breaker panel in the coach cabinet wall and the converter right behind it in the basement storage area.
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