Bad alternator?

[Jacobpwillis]

Hi All! First post here. I have a 2000 Adventurer 35u. I got it 6 months ago from a family friend. The engine battery was bad when I got it so I replaced it with an optimum battery right away. I’ve been having some issues with it dying when I use the most basic features.

It can sit for a month and fire right up and be fine.

If I’m working on it and I use the stairs a lot or put music in the radio for a hour or so the battery goes down to 10v or less. To start the RV I have to use the battery boost switch. If I let go of that switch in the first 3-5 minutes the idle goes way down and the engine chugs anytime I try to give it gas. If I hit the battery boost the RPMs go up and it doesn’t struggle.

I’m thinking it’s a bad alternator. Which I can test for. I saw a little bit about BIRD but I’m not sure that my model has one.

Any expertise or advice is appreciated!!

[345 desoto]

I THINK that the engine lugging down, when you release the switch, would indicate that the alternator is kicking in and being put under a tremendous load. Just my thought...

[creativepart]

Are the house batteries shot? If you have a power disconnect switch for the house batteries turn that off and see if that lets the alternator operate normally.

Also newer models have solenoid battery isolators perhaps one of those is stuck.

[njtinman2001]

also isn't there a switch to put the radio on the house battery?