Book says; "Converter charges coach batteries...

[Wetstuff]

..while 110-volt external power is connected."

2002 W30 chassis Sightseer ...has a pair of 6v as 'house' and a new 12v engine battery. I would like to keep the external cord connected to a 15amp circuit (not living in it) to keep the batteries topped off, but the engine battery seems not to be getting any charging. (even key-off - there seems to be a drain)

I got one of those HF chargers the aviation guys rave about but don't want to 'break open' everything just to attach alligator clips.

Perhaps you have come up with a solution a civilian could understand and copy. Thanks.

Jim

[cbeierl]

One easy solution is to add a Trik-L-Start to keep the chassis batteries charged up--works great!

[BobC]

Originally Posted by cbeierl

One easy solution is to add a Trik-L-Start to keep the chassis batteries charged up--works great!

I agree, I just installed an Amp-L-Start, which is a higher capacity version and it's easy to install and works great.

[Wetstuff]

Thanks, guys... I like; "Steals" DC power from your RV's house battery charger - No AC wiring or extension cords required!" ...on order. Cheers.

Jim

[Rzrbrn]

I have a TT. The converter quit charging the TT battery. I installed a new converter with a 4-stage charging system. So I plug into my standard 15amp house outlet and it keeps the battery charged. Essentially a trickle charger. I wonder if you should check your converter, it may be malfunctioning, or if an older coach may not be a "smart" charger. That is to say, perhaps you should upgrade your converter.

I have other vehicles that I take the batteries out of and connect to a Battery Minder on my work bench. A 4 stage converter does the same thing.

[DryCreek]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

I have a TT. The converter quit charging the TT battery. I installed a new converter with a 4-stage charging system. So I plug into my standard 15amp house outlet and it keeps the battery charged. Essentially a trickle charger. I wonder if you should check your converter, it may be malfunctioning, or if an older coach may not be a "smart" charger. That is to say, perhaps you should upgrade your converter.

I have other vehicles that I take the batteries out of and connect to a Battery Minder on my work bench. A 4 stage converter does the same thing.

On a motor home there are very few units where the 110VAC/12VDC converter also charges the chassis battery. Some of the higher-end DPs do though.

There are several parasitic loads which will drain the chassis battery over the period of a month or so. I just use a battery maintainer on mine. It's pretty easy to access all batteries under the steps.

[Rzrbrn]

Thank you Dry Creek. I did not know that a motor home typically does not have a converter. I have been considering the purchase of a motor home, so your comment is very much appreciated. I do not mean to hijack this thread so I am going to Google "why a motor home does not have a converter". Or maybe "how can a converter be added to a motor home".

However I just re read this thread. Maybe I am putting the cart before the horse. It appears the Trik-L-Start and Amp-L-Start accomplish what a converter does. I need to do more research. I wonder if a Battery Minder is similar to these devices. Gives me something to research over the holidays.

[mdka99]

The po of my 2004 adventurer had wired a Battery Tender in the battery compartment and the plug in end comes up through the floor by the outlet on the wall in front of the door. As long as the mh is plugged in it is charging.

[WinnieView]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

Thank you Dry Creek. I did not know that a motor home typically does not have a converter. I have been considering the purchase of a motor home, so your comment is very much appreciated. I do not mean to hijack this thread so I am going to Google "why a motor home does not have a converter". Or maybe "how can a converter be added to a motor home".

However I just re read this thread. Maybe I am putting the cart before the horse. It appears the Trik-L-Start and Amp-L-Start accomplish what a converter does. I need to do more research. I wonder if a Battery Minder is similar to these devices. Gives me something to research over the holidays.

Most motorhomes DO have converters. A converter 'converts' AC to DC for all lights and battery charging on the house side.
Many also have inverters which 'convert' DC to AC for electrical outlets when other power sources are not present.

Some motorhome's converters do not provide charging power to the chassis side batteries. Many owners will install a Trik-L-Start connecting the house to chassis batteries for charging.
We did, and all batteries are charged when we are plugged in or running the generator.

[cbeierl]

Many larger motorhomes have inverter/chargers which are essentially an inverter (converts 12V DC to 120V AC) and a converter (converts 120V AC to 12V DC) combined in one box.

[htbotdvr]

I have a Itasca 33v w/h and 2006 and under my steps is a switch to turn off engine battery works fine and battery stays charged

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Originally Posted by DryCreek

On a motor home there are very few units where the 110VAC/12VDC converter also charges the chassis battery. Some of the higher-end DPs do though.

This is somewhat incorrect. There have been bidirectional cross-charging systems on motorhomes (gas and diesel) for some years now. If I had to put an "era" on it, I'd say they started becoming popular after 2006 or so, and by 2010 many coaches had a bidirectional cross-charging system. Yes, there are motorhomes today that do not have such a system. Our small coach has one, even though it was the bottom of the line in 2008.

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

I did not know that a motor home typically does not have a converter. I have been considering the purchase of a motor home, so your comment is very much appreciated. I do not mean to hijack this thread so I am going to Google "why a motor home does not have a converter". Or maybe "how can a converter be added to a motor home".

However I just re read this thread. Maybe I am putting the cart before the horse. It appears the Trik-L-Start and Amp-L-Start accomplish what a converter does. I need to do more research. I wonder if a Battery Minder is similar to these devices. Gives me something to research over the holidays.

Motorhomes have had converters for even longer than they have had bidirectional cross-charging systems. Our 1997 Class C had one- a single-stage unit that I immediately upgraded to a three-stage unit upon purchase. A converter typically does two things:

1) Supplies 12V power to the coach when it receives 120V power, and
2) Charges the house batteries

To help you understand the differences between converters, inverters, and other 12V devices, I recommend these two Web pages:

The 12volt Side of Life (Part 1)
The 12volt Side of Life Part 2

Happy reading!

[4x4van]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

Thank you Dry Creek. I did not know that a motor home typically does not have a converter. I have been considering the purchase of a motor home, so your comment is very much appreciated. I do not mean to hijack this thread so I am going to Google "why a motor home does not have a converter". Or maybe "how can a converter be added to a motor home".

However I just re read this thread. Maybe I am putting the cart before the horse. It appears the Trik-L-Start and Amp-L-Start accomplish what a converter does. I need to do more research. I wonder if a Battery Minder is similar to these devices. Gives me something to research over the holidays.

You are misunderstanding the thread. MHs do indeed have a converter (or inverter/charger), and always have. But up until the mid-2000s, most ONLY charged the house batteries, not the chassis battery (although the vehicle's alternator DOES charge both while driving down the road). Unlike a TT, motorhomes have 2 different 12vdc systems, one for the house (or "camper"), and one for the chassis (or vehicle).

While driving, both are charged from the vehicle's alternator. While camped, the 2 systems are isolated from each other to prevent you from running the chassis battery dead and being stranded. Plugging in to shore power (or on generator) powers on the converter (or inverter/charger) to provide 12v power to the coach (house) and charge the house battery. On newer MHs, it also charges the chassis (vehicle) battery.

[Wayne M]

Our 2008 Winni Destination had a 600 watt converter. It also had the Trik-L-Start and it kept both the House and Chassis battery topped off IF AND A BIG IF, the steps were in the OFF position. Seems like the steps have to much of a current drain and the Trik-L-Start would not keep up with the drain.


The information is from experience. Keeping the 2008 plugged into 110v, every couple weeks the voltage would be down to 11.8v. Contacted Wbgo and the service rep said to turn the steps off. I did and never had the problem again.


in my 2015 tour I just leave the steps out and turned off also. So far so good.


A link for Trik-L-Start

[Rzrbrn]

Thank you 4X4van

[DryCreek]

Originally Posted by Rzrbrn

Thank you Dry Creek. I did not know that a motor home typically does not have a converter. I have been considering the purchase of a motor home, so your comment is very much appreciated. I do not mean to hijack this thread so I am going to Google "why a motor home does not have a converter". Or maybe "how can a converter be added to a motor home".

However I just re read this thread. Maybe I am putting the cart before the horse. It appears the Trik-L-Start and Amp-L-Start accomplish what a converter does. I need to do more research. I wonder if a Battery Minder is similar to these devices. Gives me something to research over the holidays.

As previously pointed out - that was not the message I was trying to convey.
Sorry if I misworded my reply.

Just for a waypoint, our 2006 Sightseer does not charge the chassis battery from the converter. I use the "salesman's switch" to disconnect the house batteries, and then run a maintainer on the chassis battery. There is an aftermarket knife-switch type of disconnect, but I don't like for the ECM to have to back through the relearn cycle each time I take off on a trip.

[Wetstuff]

Ok... back in the game: I got a Trk-L, but am a bit confused. They show two ways to attach ...

1) Pos-to-Pos ..house to starting battery. Can I assume, having a pair of 6v it would be #2 6v in the chain?

2) Connected to an Aux Start solenoid ...I don't see one? (maybe this 2002 is too old)

Sorry, I cannot see pg.1 to give credit, but the stair is a mystery. It seems to only work well when I've taken it out for a few furlongs. (I leave the switch On)

New starting battery - about a month ago.

Thanks.

Jim

[cbeierl]

Originally Posted by Wetstuff

...
2) Connected to an Aux Start solenoid ...I don't see one? (maybe this 2002 is too old)
...

Page 5 of the Chassis Wiring Installation diagram (if you have a 30B) or page 3 of the Chassis Wiring Installation diagram (if you have a 27C) shows the location of the Aux Start Solenoid (in both cases it's the solenoid on the left in the diagram).

[BobC]

Originally Posted by Wetstuff

Ok... back in the game: I got a Trk-L, but am a bit confused. They show two ways to attach ...

1) Pos-to-Pos ..house to starting battery. Can I assume, having a pair of 6v it would be #2 6v in the chain?

2) Connected to an Aux Start solenoid ...I don't see one? (maybe this 2002 is too old)

Sorry, I cannot see pg.1 to give credit, but the stair is a mystery. It seems to only work well when I've taken it out for a few furlongs. (I leave the switch On)

New starting battery - about a month ago.

Thanks.

Jim

1. Forget about connecting to the Aux Start solenoid if you can't find one. Connecting it that way is just for convenience. Even if you have one it's not going to matter.

2. Your two 6v house batteries are connected to each other (pos to neg), leaving a neg post on one 6v battery connected to your chassis ground and a pos post on the remaining 6v battery connected to your pos house circuitry. The house pos of the Trik-L-Start (yellow wire) should be connected to this pos post. You can think of the two interconnected 6v batteries as one 12v battery.

3. The starting battery pos (blue wire) on the Trik-L-Start should be connected to the pos post of your starting battery.

4. The neg or ground (black wire) on the Trik-L-Start should be connected to a chassis ground.

This is the picture I'm looking at while describing the above (again, think of your two interconnected 6v batteries as the single 12v battery in the picture):

Ultra TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer

Let us know if this isn't clear.

[Wetstuff]

Thanks to you and Chris, Bob. I have the 27c and printed this out. I may go on the hunt for the solenoid (so I don't look like a total dunce..) but battery terminal connections seem the easiest. Thanks again.

Jim