Author Topic: Coach and Chassis Battery charging  (Read 15067 times)

Tom Fisher

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Re: Coach and Chassis Battery charging
« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2014, 12:22:42 AM »
Hi all. I have gone back and looked at my comments and I didn't mention that when I am using only a 15 or 20 amp service, I am storing the RV in a Quonset shed and not staying in the RV. Won't be in it and won't be using any appliances. Just want to keep the batteries charged up and not have something kick on that I am not familiar with (at this time) and blow the breaker in the shed, which I don't visit very often when the RV is stored there. Also, I'm not sure what the leveling system will be doing when stored, and the battery switches on. I don't want the compressor to try to keep RV level and blow the small 15 or 20 amp breaker. I think I need classes on this coach!

Tom Fisher

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Re: Coach and Chassis Battery charging
« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2014, 12:31:44 AM »
Thank you all. I am going to store the coach in a Quonset shed with 110 20 amp only. I won't be in it and I won't visit the shed very often. I want to make sure I have not left anything on, besides charging the batteries, that will blow the 20 amp breaker. I will be leaving both battery switches on (I think this is the only way the batteries will charge?) I also haven't found anything in the books yet that address the air leveling compressor. I don't want it trying to level the unit in storage. I think I need classes on this coach!
Tom

Steve Huber Co-Admin

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Re: Coach and Chassis Battery charging
« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2014, 01:18:02 AM »
Tom,
The leveling system is not activated nless you have the leveling system turned on. The only thing that you need to have on is the charger (assuming it won't see sub freezing temps).
Steve
Steve
2015-          07 Contessa Bayshore C9,  400 hp
2013-2015: 00 Marquis Tourmaline, C12, 425 hp
2005-2013: 01 Contessa Naples, 3126B, 330 hp

Joel Ashley

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Re: Coach and Chassis Battery charging
« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2014, 02:08:09 AM »
Yes, I think the Main switches need to be on in order for the inverter's charger to keep the batteries up.  Only the solar panel can charge them with the switches off, and your Quonset shelter takes solar out of the picture.  My banks stay charged year-round with the switches off, but it's because the solar panel is exposed all the time, and easily compensates for parasitic losses to the engine and tranny control modules that drag on the chassis set even with the switch off.

As a new owner, some insecurity is expected until systems familiarity is down.  As long as you've made sure the really big electron hogs are off, you shouldn't fret too much.  You could always unplug everything to be sure, or flip all the breakers off except the inverter.  But if you rely on the electric side of the hydronic unit, that's risky, as can be a portable electric heater although I've used them during cold snaps in the past.  Neither should be necessary if the coach has been winterized with RV antifreeze.

Don't use too long of an extension cord, if any is necessary.  Use the shortest length of the big 12 gauge size as possible.  The last thing you want is a 100 foot 16 gauge cord, where it loses a ton of power to voltage drop.  And don't skimp on the adapter between 30/50 to your 20 amp source;  inexpensive ones can overheat when taxed, melt, and catch fire before the building's breakers kick off - been there, done that.  Get a nice heavy duty pigtail-style adapter or adapters.

As to the auxilliary compressor, it shouldn't come on unless you set the air leveling to automatic leveling.  Regardless, these coaches leak air over time, and if one corner gets very far out of whack, you risk a body twist that can crack your windshield - also been there, done that.  I don't park on my pad and leave it stored in Travel Mode anymore, nor do I try to level it.  I've made my "pad" relatively flat side-to-side, although it's sloped front-to-back.  All I do now is dump air so the whole coach goes down evenly.  At or near bottom, I stop. 

Because it is a simple front-to-back tilt and not side-to-side, and no air leak can throw things very far askew, no harm can come.  Plus the wife can easily negotiate the first step.  The tilt is not enough to be detrimental to the fridge when we next power it up prior to a trip, but I usually level the coach then anyway - 12 hours or so doesn't provide any leak time enough to do harm, and auto-leveling activates the auxilliary compressor to fight that anyway.

Joel
« Last Edit: November 25, 2014, 02:31:16 AM by Joel Ashley »
Joel and Lee Rae Ashley
Clackamas, Oregon
36.9 ft. 2006 Monterey Ventura IV, aka"Monty Rae"
C9 400HP Cat