Subj : Re: Camping Trip
To   : Poindexter Fortran
From : Mike Dippel
Date : Wed May 17 2023 22:52:12

On 5/17/2023 8:36 AM, Poindexter Fortran wrote to Mike Dippel:

-> -=> Mike Dippel wrote to All <=-
-> 
->  MD> My wife and I began our 6 week camping trip this morning.  We drive a
->  MD> 42' motorhome that looks shiny new, but has some issues.  I had a
->  MD> mobile repair come out yesterday to do a few things, but it turns out
->  MD> that my house batteries charge only when plugged into shore power and
->  MD> when the generator is running.
-> 
-> 
->  RV power is interesting. I've been tempted to pick up a westy and
->  watching youtube videos on camper mods. Saw a great series on setting
->  up an additional deep-cycle battery (I think that's what you're calling
->  a house battery?) and how to run it in series so the alternator can
->  charge both.
-> 
->  How is your house battery wired? In parallel with the engine battery
->  with a switch, connecting the batteries with a charge controller, or an
->  external regulator?

Not an expert at how it is wired.  I know that it involves a transfer switch that senses 
where charge goes to.  Once it senses that the house batteries are fully charged, I guess 
it sends the current to the chassis batteries?  Who knows.

Today was the second day of travel.  I can run the generator to keep the batteries 
charged while driving, but cannot run the roof air which apparently draws too much 
current and kicks the generator off.  So I make sure the air doesn't run and all is well.

I know I need new chassis batteries.  Just a matter of when in our travels we do it, and 
when we feel we can afford to do it.

Mike Dippel
 
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