Battery Questions

Jim SoG · 08-30-2020, 03:43 PM

OK I am trying to wrap my head around some things as a new owner, I got a 96 Adventurer 34RQ. Love it! Everything works great or did till today.....
The story: Camped 3 days on shore power (full hook ups), wanted to check fluids and such before leaving this morning, so started it up, all good, shut down all good, added fluids, started up and all good. Locked hood and engine would no start, acted as if no battery attached, idiot gauge on dash showed low, someplace around 10v. I started my gen and waited.... Tried again and it was very week turning over so I hit the Momentary power switch which kicked it over...... Driving home idiot gauge showed 14+v. Will get charging system check for sure.....

Here is my head questions: I read that Radio Power "Aux" will run outside radio off coach batts, so if on shore power does that matter? Should this switch always be on "main" unless using outside radio?

Second head stumper: Aux Battery switch on dash, this disconnects the house batts correct? Why would you ever not have them connected? When driving they get charged by engine if connected right? When on shore power they charge if connected right? Same with generator running right?

Ok I appreciate your not posting how dumb I am LOL

TIA

**creativepart** · 08-30-2020, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim SoG

Why would you ever not have them connected?

The only time you use the battery disconnect is when you store the RV. Usually storing without any power to the coach. This keeps half a dozen parasitic loads from depleting your house batteries in storage.

Winterbagoal · 08-30-2020, 04:13 PM

You're pretty much right on it all, except that chassis batteries don't usually get charged by the system that charges the rest of it, while you're plugged into shore power. Don't ask me why, that's just the way it is. You might want to search on how folks keep their chassis battery up while camping. Some hard wire a TrikLStart charger that draws a little bit of the coach battery power, or, I just use a portable 8A charger/maintainer that runs off my solar/inverter/coach batteries to charge the chassis battery while I'm parked.
Coach battery disconnect is just to keep them from getting drawn down while inn storage. It's supposed to isolate them from any of the coach draws that never stop, like some of the detectors (propane, CO), and anything else that is still "on" even when everything else is switched off.

Jim SoG · 08-31-2020, 05:41 AM

Thank you both so much, my head got it LOL