Charging chassis battery with boost switch?

Oneilkeys · 01-11-2021, 07:43 AM

Another question on the battery boost switch. I have a Travato and unlike my other previous four RVs it is not set up to charge the chassis battery from Shore power/generator. So, while my house batteries remain fully charged from my solar panels, the chassis battery degrades slowly over time. My question is how robust is the battery boost switch? Could I tape it down for a few hours and charge up the chassis battery using the solar panels? Or would that damage the booster switch? It obviously is not a trombetta like solenoid. Thank you for any help.

Morich · 01-11-2021, 09:17 AM

The boost switch is connected to the mode solenoid to pull that solenoid. But there might be a different way that is more the "standard operation" but does involve some expense and slight amount of work.
Many RV are not set to charge both coach and start, so there are various options to add to do this.
One is the Trik-L- Start
Link here but it always pays to check and cross check info.
Mega TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer

I find it does very much what I wanted as it can be left without any attention other than keeping the battery water levels topped off as any battery does need for best life.
I connected mine in the battery compartment, rather than searching out the various solenoids, etc which are behind things on my RV.
For fifty dollars, I no longer have to use a separate trickle charger, etc. but can ignore that part of life!!!

jayelldouble · 01-11-2021, 09:49 AM

I second the recommendation for the Trik-L-Start. Install took about an hour (Navion solenoids are under the passenger seat) and the chassis battery concerns are gone permanently.

DavidM · 01-11-2021, 09:50 AM

I am pretty sure that the relay that the boost switch engages is a momentary type. In other words it is not a latching relay and may burn out if left engaged for a long period.

David

Oneilkeys · 01-11-2021, 09:55 AM

Thanks for the reply. I have considered using the TricK-l start in my Travato, but unlike my previous RVs, there is no battery compartment. The house batteries are on top of the rear axel and the starting battery is under the floor between the seats. I have already run a positive and negative wire off of my house batteries - not easy- so I could run a wire from the positive wire 15’ forward to the starting battery. That seems too hard. An easier fix, for me, would be to take leads off of the starting battery and run the wires up to the front windshield and use a small solar panel. This is not a major problem for me since the RV sits in my front yard and I can start it up once a week. Using the battery boost switch seems like an easy solution, as long as it doesn’t damage the switch or something else. I adhere to the KISS principle.

powercat_ras · 01-11-2021, 10:01 AM

One thought on how to accomplish your goal would be to wire a low voltage circuit breaker that has a manual on-off feature like this across the mode solenoid like this: 60 Amp Manual Reset Breaker

I agree with prior posters that it would be risky to have power across the operating coil of the Travato mode solenoid for more than about 15 minutes per hour.

Oneilkeys · 01-11-2021, 10:05 AM

That’s a good idea. I had similar circuit breakers installed in the house battery box and coming from the chassis battery in my last three coaches. Do you know where the mode solenoid is located in the Travato? I cannot find it in any of the wiring diagrams - although I know it must be there somewhere.

tderonne · 01-11-2021, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidM

I am pretty sure that the relay that the boost switch engages is a momentary type. In other words it is not a latching relay and may burn out if left engaged for a long period.

David

I'll have to look what is used in a Travato, but Winnebago uses continuous duty solenoids in all their traditional Class A and C stuff.

Just checked the wiring diagrams.

It shows a part number 8188-01-000 solenoid.

Looking that up, it appears to be the same one used in LOTS of Winnebagos:

3 Post Battery Change Over Solenoid

In that link you can see the Trombetta part number (936-1215-011-21) on the label. And that it's a continuous duty solenoid.

Morich · 01-11-2021, 10:47 AM

I would like to back off on my earlier advise as we have to know what year and model to actually look at what the newer RV has on electronics.
Does it still have the mode solenoid or is it now some form of solid state item?
The devil is in the details when we get into things changing as often as electronics.

At least "some" models have it here. on the frame mounted to the rear of one battery?

tderonne · 01-11-2021, 10:56 AM

2020 Travato 59K per the profile and user info.

Morich · 01-11-2021, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tderonne

2020 Travato 59K per the profile and user info.

Doesn't make it easy does it?

jcurtisis · 01-17-2021, 04:55 PM

You seem to imply that there are no jump start terminals for your rig. Wow. Our 2018 Navion D has jump start posts under the hood (and the battery is under the driver's feet). I use the jump start terminals all the time for a simple trickle charger.

Oneilkeys · 01-30-2021, 09:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jcurtisis

You seem to imply that there are no jump start terminals for your rig. Wow. Our 2018 Navion D has jump start posts under the hood (and the battery is under the driver's feet). I use the jump start terminals all the time for a simple trickle charger.

Thanks for that. It was something that I had not thought of and an easier way to hook up the solar trickle charger that I have from a previous coach. After discussions with Winnebago, I have decided to purchase a BIM 225 and replace the five piece, one-way charging system with a one piece, two-way charging system. The BIM 225 battery isolation manager is the one Winnebago uses in its higher end coaches.