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Old 12-15-2016, 01:43 PM   #1
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House batteries

Do house batteries charge when plugged into shore power. Mine keep going dead. 2004 Sightseer 35N.
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Old 12-15-2016, 01:48 PM   #2
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The house batteries in every MH should be charging when plugged into shore power.

Sometimes the chassis batteries are also charged.

Your Converter or possible Inverter/charger should be outputting up to 15 volts to keep your batteries charged. The converter will likely be over be your breaker panel.
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Old 12-15-2016, 02:58 PM   #3
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Quote:
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Do house batteries charge when plugged into shore power. Mine keep going dead. 2004 Sightseer 35N.
Well,
Not being really familiar with your year/model coach, as the previous answer stated, 99.99999% of the motor homes manufactured in the last 25 years or more, do charge the house batteries while being on shore power. Now, just how that charging system is setup from the factory, WILL vary between coaches, manufacturers and more. And, there's lots of models of Converters, converter/chargers and all that.

What you need to do is learn about your coach and, what was supplied with it in terms of your converter or, converter/charger. You need to find the specs on your particular unit and, just how it operates and its limits and capabilities.

You state that yours "Keep going dead", correct? Well, if they keep going DEAD, then how are they getting a charge in the first place? Second, once they've gone dead or, are at a low state of charge, take a reading AT YOUR BATTERY POSTS with a volt/ohm meter and record the reading. Then, plug in your shore power and take another reading. Compare the two readings. If, your readings without shore power are say, in the 11s or really low 12s then, you plug into shore power and they bump up to say, high 12s to mid 13s, possibly even the low 14s, then your shore power system or, converter/charger is doing its job.

But, if you plug into shore power and there's no change in the readings, then your converter/charger is either malfunctioning or, you have a blown fuse or, some bad connections at some point.
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Old 12-15-2016, 03:08 PM   #4
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Yup, the house batteries should be charging via converter (when on shore or generator power) or engine alternator. A voltmeter on the batteries should indicate ~1 volt increase when charging us active vs not active. If no voltage change, no charging us occurring. Check 12vdc coming directly out if the converter and 120vac into the converter. Check all breakers and fuses and plugs. If input is good and output is bad, then bad converter.
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Old 12-15-2016, 03:29 PM   #5
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If I am reading your information correctly this is on a 2004 unit? If the suggestions previously don't correct the problem check your batteries themselves as you may have one or more bad cells.
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Old 12-15-2016, 04:26 PM   #6
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If I am reading your information correctly this is on a 2004 unit? If the suggestions previously don't correct the problem check your batteries themselves as you may have one or more bad cells.
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Old 12-15-2016, 07:20 PM   #7
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On my 2004. if the 'salesman switch' by the main door just above the steps is 'OFF' and shore power is powering the ship, all the stuff that the battery runs will be just fine. BUT the battery is OFF, so the shore power charging system is not getting to the house battery. Thusly the battery is not being charged.
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Old 12-15-2016, 09:39 PM   #8
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On my 2004. if the 'salesman switch' by the main door just above the steps is 'OFF' and shore power is powering the ship, all the stuff that the battery runs will be just fine. BUT the battery is OFF, so the shore power charging system is not getting to the house battery. Thusly the battery is not being charged.
Yes,,, the first thing i'd do is make sure to find that rocker switch by the door and push where it says "ON". You should here an audible click of a solenoid. To make sure, i'd do like others have suggested and check voltage at the batteries, first without and then with shore power. Voltage should be higher when plugged in. If not, then some other checking is in order.
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Old 12-16-2016, 08:50 AM   #9
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Thank you everyone for your advise. I will let you know what I fine out.
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Old 12-16-2016, 08:52 AM   #10
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House Batteries

Thanks everyone for the help. I will try what you have suggested and let you know how it came out.
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Old 12-16-2016, 10:00 AM   #11
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"On my 2004. if the 'salesman switch' by the main door just above the steps is 'OFF' and shore power is powering the ship, all the stuff that the battery runs will be just fine. BUT the battery is OFF, so the shore power charging system is not getting to the house battery. Thusly the battery is not being charged."

Not necessarily true for all coaches. On ours, also and '04, but it's the Itasca Horizon 36GD with the C-7 330HP CAT. And, it's got Magnum 2012ME (model type/number, not year) Inverter/Charger. And that charging system IS in operation when the house battery switch is in the OFF position. So, it all depends on just how things were setup.
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Old 12-16-2016, 02:07 PM   #12
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I agree with Fire Up..."converter/charger is either malfunctioning or, you have a blown fuse or, some bad connections at some point."
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Old 12-16-2016, 07:14 PM   #13
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In my rig I have to throw the main switch, on my dash that turns on the power to the coach from the house batteries. if that switch is not on the House battery's are not charged by shore power. I would get a volt meter test the house battery voltage which everything off then plug in shore power and start hitting the switch. if it never changes there is an issue and I would keep eliminating the systems, inverter would be next.
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Old 12-16-2016, 07:45 PM   #14
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Even if your converter is OK & working as it should a bad battery will not charge. You need really good battery Discipline. Check water levels often & especially prior to hitting the Road. 3/4 years is your life for a regular RV battery! I have AMG Lifeline's going on 5 years and still doing good! I also moved to a 4 stage converter so it will not over charge. Good luck.
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Old 12-17-2016, 06:35 AM   #15
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Ok, Most RV's have a device called a "Converter" (May be part of a larger device called an INVERTER, though not all INVERTERS have converter/chargers) The job of this device is to supply 12 volt power when plugged in, and to charge the batteries.

Some (most) of them actually do that.. Some are defective, Some were designed defective... You need to test yours.
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Old 12-17-2016, 06:46 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Switchflicke View Post
On my 2004. if the 'salesman switch' by the main door just above the steps is 'OFF' and shore power is powering the ship, all the stuff that the battery runs will be just fine. BUT the battery is OFF, so the shore power charging system is not getting to the house battery. Thusly the battery is not being charged.
Had the same thing happen to me. Switch is by the door and I guess my wife or I turned it off by mistake and I couldn't figure out why the batteries were low as its plugged in to shore power all the time. Turned switch back on and all good again.
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Old 12-17-2016, 04:12 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by Switchflicke View Post
On my 2004. if the 'salesman switch' by the main door just above the steps is 'OFF' and shore power is powering the ship, all the stuff that the battery runs will be just fine. BUT the battery is OFF, so the shore power charging system is not getting to the house battery. Thusly the battery is not being charged.
If I remember correctly, my Manual says that when the rocker switch is 'off' , then it isolates the coach batteries from all external draws, eg. propane sensor and anything else that will draw small amounts of current when the unit is sitting, especially useful when no shore line is connected. Supposed to save the battery from going dead.

Advise.......
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Old 12-17-2016, 04:37 PM   #18
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That's exactly how mine works. If I'm stored without shore power, I'll put that switch OFF and note that the propane detector is not 'green'. Then I know the battery is really off.
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