Engine Batterie

[Carl Marchant]

Engine batteries 4.2 volts and I understand when 50 amp connected they charge by solar panel. Do I need to install a trickle charger on these batteries or am I missing something? 1998 Patriot This happens after sitting for three weeks dead batteries connect charger and all is well. Thanks for advice

[Joel Ashley]

If you're plugged in to AC, your charger, whether Echo or built into the inverter, should keep the charge state up.  If your main battery switches are off, a 100W solar panel can keep things up, although very cold, cloudy conditions can limit its ability to do so.  Once a battery voltage gets down to 12 volts, it's lost more than half its charge.  The charger in our Magnum inverter is fairly automatic, but if it isn't on and I think it should be, I just push a panel button.  The panel also keeps me easily appraised of the battery bank's state of charge.

I am not familiar with Echo chargers, but many here are and if that's the problem they can advise.  If your coach batteries are getting charged but not the chassis ones, it is likely a charging isolater/relay problem.  In any case, once starting batteries take a deep hit, their life is shortened.

Regarding the solar part again, the solar controller may need dip switches set for whether your batteries are standard wet cell or AGM (glass mat).  The wrong setting there may affect your charging efficiency.  I'm not sure about yours, but just like the solar controller, the main Magnum panel (aka Remote) on ours also has to be set so the AC charger knows what kind of batteries it's working with.

Joel

[George H. Wall]

If you have an echo charger, it could be mounted on the ceiling area of your battery compartment. If so, check for a GREEN light light, when plugged in to AC current, to  verify if it's functioning.  If no light, check the inline fuse to see if it's blown, if not it's probably a bad charger.

[Steven Hoffman]

Carl

My 97 Patriot did not charge the engine batteries except when the engine was running.  The solar panels where connected to the house batteries.  The PO installed a small trickle charger that is plugged in to AC so that when connected to shore power it keeps the engine batteries up.  

Several solutions are available such as an echo charger.

[Gerald Farris]

Carl,
Like George said, check that you have an Echo Charger and it is functioning. The solar panels on your coach charge the house batteries, not the chassis batteries. The Echo Charger has a 20 amp fuse on each wire, the input and output. If either fuse is bad, the Echo Charger will not function. Also the Echo Charger will not function unless the house batteries are being charged, because it does not turn on until the house batteries are at 13.0V or above. Therefore, unless the house batteries are mostly charged and charging, and you have a functioning Echo Charger, your chassis batteries will completely discharge from the parasitic discharge caused by the ECM (engine control module).

If the Echo Charger has a steady green light it is charging the chassis batteries. If the light is flashing it is turned off because of low voltage in the house batteries. However, if the light is off, the fuse is bad or the Echo Charger is defective. To get the Echo Charger manual, just Google "Echo Charger Manual".

Gerald

[Edward Buker]

Carl,

The Echo Charger is a small black vented box about 6 by 6 by 2 inches in size. It can be mounted anywhere in the battery compartment but usually on the side wall. I would caution you to bring the starting batteries up in charge before trying to use something like an echo charger. It is best used for battery maintenance charge levels but will bring a starting bank up if it is not to discharged.  If you do not have an echo charger, they were not always standard equipment, you can add one quite easily. I'm not endorsing any source..

http://www.starmarinedepot.com/xantrex-heart-echo-charge.html?gclid=CJvD6qi6obsCFepQOgod3jYArQ

If you add one try and pick a location that is somewhat above the battery top level for reduction of fumes and to maintain the ability to rinse the batteries without getting the echo charger too wet.

later Ed

[Les Marzec]

Gerald

My echo charger light is on, but the chassis batteries are not being charged.  The house batteries show a 13.8 to 14.1 charge rate, but minimal amperage.  I checked the house batteries for a bad cell, but could not find one. House batteries are a little over 2 years old.  I replaced the chassis batteries in May when the others discharged because the Echo stopped charging them

 Any thoughts?  I see one fuse from the echo charger but not sure if it is the input or the output.  Also, I am having a hard time opening the fuse holder.  Does it just pull apart.  I hate over powering something without knowing for sure how something disconnects.

Thanks

[Gerald Farris]

Les,
There is a fuse in each of the two wires to your Echo Charger. If you still have the original fuse holders, most of them require a 1/8 turn then pull them apart. The original fuses were 20A glass Buss fuses. It sounds like the output fuse for your Echo Charger is bad.

I disliked the original fuse holders so much that I changed them out to the push-in plastic type automotive fuses. They can be checked with a meter without removing the fuse, are easier to replace, and are very easy to find replacements for.

Gerald

[Les Marzec]

Gerald

Thanks for the help.  the coach is in storage right now, but will be there later this week and check out those fuses. I have only found one fuse so far, but will look deeper for the other.  Probably change out the fuse holder as well. Hopefully that is the problem.

[Dennis Crawford]

Les,

If that echo charger is bad,  I will endorse the Magnum device that performs same function, installs in same manner and lasts a long time and works.

Dennis

[Keith Oliver]

Les
When I bought this coach, March 2011, I had the same problems.  eventually diagnosed a bad echo charger.  I put in a small trickle charger but that only lasted a year, so I now have a Relay, sometimes called a "BIRD".  The one I put n is Blue Seas brand, isolates the batteries when power is drawn, combines when charging.  It has been in a year now and is performing as advertised.  About the same price as an echo charger.

[Les Marzec]

Thanks for the replies.  I have not had a chance to check on the coach, but probably by week end.   Still pretty cold here in Utah, but suppose to warm up. I will see if it is just the fuse or not.

[Dick Simonis]

Les, if you have the yellow fuse holder, it just pulls apart.  Mine would pop a fuse every once in awhile and eventually replaced the echo charger with a Magnum unit.  I also found that the fuse rating was lower than it was supposed to be so that had something to do with it also.

Supposedly these units have a current limiting device and an overheat protection that causes them to cycle on/off when the chassis batteries are quite low or pulling a lot of power.

[Carl Marchant]

Thanks for replies. Great bunch of people on this forum and full of knowledge. I need to install charger. Thanks

[Terry Melot]

Thanks to all. I learned a lot from all the discussion on Echo chargers. Apparently mine never worked from the time we purchased our Beaver back in July. Replaced mine with a new Magnum. Very simple installation. Works great now.  Purchased from Tekris Power in Gilbert, AZ for under $150. They had it in stock.
Tekris Power Electronics, Inc.
1015 N McQueen Ave
Suite 167
Gilbert, AZ 85233
Toll Free: 877-4-TEKRIS
www.tekrispower.com