Thinking of cancelling

[Winger1]

Brian, in reference to the charging issue, another question. It seems that while I drove 500 miles, the coach batteries where not being charged. Also, I start the coach to open or close the slide and I get a low voltage warning. When I start the gen, its fine.
Is there something I need to do so that running the chassis engine charges the coach batts?

[bclemens]

Check the disconnects....make sure the chassis (floor by driver seat) disconnect and house (in electrical bay) are not disconnected.

The BIM or BIRD should handle that. You say it charges when the generator is running? How about shore power?

[Winger1]

Yes charges on gen and shore. Maybe I am wrong.

I drove one day about 500 miles, pulled into a truck stop for 5 hours of sleep. When I woke, the batteries were at about 12.4.
Nothing was running, the inverter was off, just general parasitic devices.
Would 12.4 be correct?

[bclemens]

Yes 12.4 could be accurate.

[Winger1]

Starting to see that many of the "posts" I was seeing prior to purchase could have been operator error or just not knowing.

But still not sure why, when the motor was running I was getting a low voltage light on the slide. Could that be that it was first charging the chassis batt? From now on I am plugging in or running the gen for the slide

Thanks for the help

[dannko]

Originally Posted by Winger1

Yes charges on gen and shore. Maybe I am wrong.

I drove one day about 500 miles, pulled into a truck stop for 5 hours of sleep. When I woke, the batteries were at about 12.4.
Nothing was running, the inverter was off, just general parasitic devices.
Would 12.4 be correct?

The parasites in an Isata 5 are very large. I believe the propane shutoff valve is one. All the active controls another, BIRD, all the active control boards running everything in your control center, Plexi system, it's all using power, even the solar controller.

[bclemens]

Originally Posted by Winger1

Starting to see that many of the "posts" I was seeing prior to purchase could have been operator error or just not knowing.

But still not sure why, when the motor was running I was getting a low voltage light on the slide. Could that be that it was first charging the chassis batt? From now on I am plugging in or running the gen for the slide

Thanks for the help

That, or depending on what the chassis has running, the alternator is not pushing maximum amps at just idle. You can force high idle, but shouldn't really have to. Just depends on a lot of other factors and what was active. I wouldn't get too worried about 12.4. Was that at rest or when operating the slide.

In many cases, batteries might show 12.4, but when the furnace kicks on, that might drop them to 12.2 as the batteries are under load.

[caswelld]

2X on Dannko's comments. When you shut down the MH for a few days the switch that makes you think you're disconnecting the batteries doesn't. I drained my house batteries to zip on 2 occasions until I learned all of this right here on the forum.

So that's why you need one of these:

[milkman55]

Originally Posted by Winger1

From now on I am plugging in or running the gen for the slide

Good practice, this is how I do it. Don’t depend on the alternator to do anything but keep the batteries at peak charge.

When using the generator, make sure you wait a few minutes for it to engage power before starting the slides. Mine takes 60-90 seconds usually after the gen fires up.

[Winger1]

Sounds good, thanks all. I intend to keep it plugged in all the time in storage at least with 110v. I used to sell those battery disconnects you posted...lol

[Bill Davis]

I’ve learned on mine that if I run the generator the slides will operate without turning on the low voltage lamp. Running the engine or plugged into shore power will not supply enough power to keep the low voltage indicator from coming on. Not sure why the shore power converter won’t handle the slides.

[Winger1]

So what is a good minimum voltage to set the automatic generator start at?

[milkman55]

Originally Posted by Winger1

So what is a good minimum voltage to set the automatic generator start at?

Take a look at this thread -

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...fw-179892.html

I think 12.2v was suggested.

[caseymyers]

Originally Posted by Winger1

So what is a good minimum voltage to set the automatic generator start at?

You don't want your batteries to get below 12 so having AGS start at 12.2 is good. And I think you can program in Quiet Hours too so it doesn't come on in the middle of the night.