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Old 04-13-2014, 08:17 AM   #1
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Do I need 2 house batteries?

We have 2 12v in our 04 Sightseer 30B but no inverter. What do they supply power to other than starting the genset? If that's all why couldn't just 1 be enough if I had to replace them again? BTW,we're on shore power all the time at home and camping. On the genset 70% of the time when tailgating.
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Old 04-13-2014, 08:47 AM   #2
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They power all you 12v lights, fans, furnace fan, controller for your refer, controllers for your other heating/ cooling systems. If you stay plugged in all the time, make sure you run you Genny after sitting all night, then yes you can get along with one deep cell 12v.
Be forewarned, if you travel all day, and don't run the genny before you turn in for the night, you may have a dead battery before morning.
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Old 04-13-2014, 09:08 AM   #3
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Keep in mind that you will be discharging one battery deeper than two batteries with the same load. Deep discharge cycles lead to reduced battery life. It is quite possible that you will need to replace the single battery twice as often as a pair of batteries, therefore your long-term cost will be about the same. There were quite a few folks on this site complaining about running out of battery power overnight when running their furnace blowers this past winter so if you plan to camp in cold weather and use your furnace without shore power I would advise that you do not reduce your battery capacity.
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Old 04-13-2014, 09:43 AM   #4
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Be forewarned, if you travel all day, and don't run the genny before you turn in for the night, you may have a dead battery before morning.
This makes no sense. If you travel all day the alternator will have the batteries fully charged at the end of the day. If you plug into shore power there is no need to run the generator.
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Old 04-13-2014, 03:11 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by John Hilley View Post
This makes no sense. If you travel all day the alternator will have the batteries fully charged at the end of the day. If you plug into shore power there is no need to run the generator.
Many coaches don't charge house batteries while driving. You need a BIRD.
If in was the op I'd do some research about his coach. My HR Endeavor-2000 does not do that.
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Old 04-13-2014, 03:21 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Davdeb1 View Post
Many coaches don't charge house batteries while driving.
Davdeb1
That's interesting.
I never heard that.
Can you name one?
Mel
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Old 04-13-2014, 03:43 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by mel stuplich View Post
Davdeb1
That's interesting.
I ver heard that.
Can you name one?
M
'96 Safari
Yes, mine. HR Endeavor 2000 40 ft DSDP. The Slot for the BIRD relay where all the fuses are is empty. I have a Trimetic meter, and I can tell you the house batteries do not charge while driving. At first I wondered if my battery isolator was bad. I did some research on this site, and online. I found I would have to buy and install a BIRD. (Bidirectional Relay.)
You could do a search on this site. I tried to buy a 96 Safari before I bought this coach. Sold before I could get there. I didn't know the Safari could charge like that, but all units are different I guess.
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Old 04-13-2014, 05:51 PM   #8
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All Winnebago motor homes charge both batteries while driving. Most BIRD units charge both batteries from alternator as well as converter.
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Old 04-13-2014, 06:23 PM   #9
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The Sightseer charges the house batteries when driving. The engine battery does not charge from shoreline. I owned one and installed a Tril-l-start. In any case having the extra battery is a measure of safety. Some major act of nature and having an extra power source would be valuable. However, it will work fine with one.
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Old 04-14-2014, 07:12 AM   #10
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Originally Posted by Davdeb1 View Post
Yes, mine. HR Endeavor 2000 40 ft DSDP. The Slot for the BIRD relay where all the fuses are is empty. I have a Trimetic meter, and I can tell you the house batteries do not charge while driving. At first I wondered if my battery isolator was bad. I did some research on this site, and online. I found I would have to buy and install a BIRD. (Bidirectional Relay.)
You could do a search on this site. I tried to buy a 96 Safari before I bought this coach. Sold before I could get there. I didn't know the Safari could charge like that, but all units are different I guess.
Davdeb1
Thanks.
In most coaches the alternator charges both the house and chassis batteries.....some, (like my "entry level" Safari), via a relatively simple inexpensive solid state isolator.... some via a more complicated/expensive system.

IMO in a "high end" coach, (like your 2000 HR Endeavor), both battery banks should charge via the alternator.
Could it be that someone modified your HR? ...or that something in the charging system has failed?

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Old 04-14-2014, 08:19 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by Davdeb1 View Post
Yes, mine. HR Endeavor 2000 40 ft DSDP. The Slot for the BIRD relay where all the fuses are is empty. I have a Trimetic meter, and I can tell you the house batteries do not charge while driving. At first I wondered if my battery isolator was bad. I did some research on this site, and online. I found I would have to buy and install a BIRD. (Bidirectional Relay.)
You could do a search on this site. I tried to buy a 96 Safari before I bought this coach. Sold before I could get there. I didn't know the Safari could charge like that, but all units are different I guess.
I would suspect that your's did originally charge both batteries, but either the BIRD failed or was modified. You mention you wondered if your battery isolator was bad. If the batteries weren't connected for charging, there would be no need for an isolator.
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Old 04-14-2014, 08:37 AM   #12
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I absolutely know I don't have a Bird. I thought the battery isolator solenoid was to use the battery boost feature. This thread has renewed my interest on this charging issue.
The first thing I will do, is just replace the isolator solenoid. It may be as simple as that.
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Old 04-14-2014, 08:47 AM   #13
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I absolutely know I don't have a Bird. I thought the battery isolator solenoid was to use the battery boost feature. This thread has renewed my interest on this charging issue.
The first thing I will do, is just replace the isolator solenoid. It may be as simple as that.
It probably is.
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Old 04-14-2014, 09:16 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Davdeb1 View Post
Yes, mine. HR Endeavor 2000 40 ft DSDP. The Slot for the BIRD relay where all the fuses are is empty. I have a Trimetic meter, and I can tell you the house batteries do not charge while driving. At first I wondered if my battery isolator was bad. I did some research on this site, and online. I found I would have to buy and install a BIRD. (Bidirectional Relay.)
You could do a search on this site. I tried to buy a 96 Safari before I bought this coach. Sold before I could get there. I didn't know the Safari could charge like that, but all units are different I guess.
Your Endeavor is basically the same as by Beaver (albeit 3 years older)..

This extracted from my owners manual:
There are two separate 12 Volt systems. One is the chassis system
; the
other is the house system. These two systems
, for the most part, are separate
from one another
. The house system does not operate engine functions; as the
engine system does not operate house functions. However, within the two systems
there are some inner connections
. For example: While the motorhome is

driven the alternator on the engine will charge the house batteries.
In my case the chassis batteries do not charge while on shore power so I added a Trik-L-Start to resolve that problem.

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Old 04-14-2014, 12:50 PM   #15
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IF you always camp with shore power or generator running, then the batteries supply power to the fridge control board (if you leave propane on) and the emergency brakes (if it is a trailer) and not much of anything else.

If you overnight without shore power or generator on occasion they power the FURNACE and internal lights and water pump,, all nice to have.. And I have done the odd unexpected overnight (I was sitting there calmly typing away on line,,,then I was not on line,, And I noticed some 120 volt stuff in the MH no longer working, and looked about and the park was looking.....,kind of dark.. Seems Digger O'Gray had dug a small ditch.. Right through the primary (That is the high voltage line folks, several THOUSANDS OF VOLTS) underground feeder that powered the park.. ZZZZOOOOOOOTTTTTTT and darkness.


Kind of like one night I was on line and suddenly I was off line.. Seems Mr, lead Foot driving in a freezing rain failed to make the corner.. What did he make? A mess out of this large whit box with AT&T printed on the side of it (The junction box that feed most all the modems my ISP used).
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Old 04-15-2014, 07:46 AM   #16
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Not to hijack the thread but search for Battery Bird etc and you will find pages of stuff related to the Monaco setup. The large solenoid in the battery compartment used for the boost is also the charging solenoid in many Monacos. Simple to check. Voltmeter across the two small terminals to see if it is being activated. If it has voltage then a meter from ground to each large terminal to see if the voltage is identical. If not, the known failure item solenoid needs to be replaced.
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