House batteries Amperage

[jeffprupis]

When camped w/electric (30 or 50amp) what should my house batteries be showing in terms of amperage? TIA

[Karl Welhart]

The amps depend on what you have "on".  Voltage is as important.  Not sure what you are asking.

[jeffprupis]

Hooked up to campground power Inv/Charger is charging house batteries. At what point are the house batteries fully charged. Currently 13.4amps.Is this normal? TIA

[Karl Welhart]

No way to know if this is normal.  Depends on what you have "on".

[jeffprupis]

If I'm running on CG power, why would it matter what's on? Amperage reads 13.2-4amps no matter what is on. The question is "What should the fully charged amperage be on fully charged house batteries?" TIA

[David T. Richelderfer]

Fully charged 12v stand-alone batteries should read 12.6v to 12.7v.  If the RV is plugged in or with the generator running, and the inverter is in float battery-charging mode, then the batteries should read from 13.3v to 13.7v on your Aladdin/SilverLeaf.  You're saying "amperage," but meaning "voltage," I think.

[jeffprupis]

Fully charged 12v stand-alone batteries should read 12.6v to 12.7v.  If the RV is plugged in or with the generator running, and the inverter is in float battery-charging mode, then the batteries should read from 13.3v to 13.7v on your Aladdin/SilverLeaf.  You're saying "amperage," but meaning "voltage," I think.

Thanks Dave, I stand corrected VDC not AMPS. And thanks, ours read 13.4 -13.6 VDC

[Gerald Farris]

Jeff,
Voltage is the reading that measures the force or pressure that pushes the electric current through a wire or circuit. Amperage is a measure of the amount of electric current that is going through the circuit. 

If your inverter has gone into float charge mode, the voltage should read in the 13.4 to 13.6 range. The amperage reading will vary by what you have on that is operating on the 12 volt system because the inverter will be producing the amperage necessary to maintain the batteries a the desired voltage.

Gerald

[Joel Ashley]

Well said Gerald.  The amperage, Jeff, will crawl quickly up at first and then slowly decrease as the inverter’s charger goes from Bulk Charge, to Absorb, to Float.  But it can vary with what’s on in the coach, as Gerald noted, and on our rig that’s similar to yours, the voltage settles in around 13.4 in Float mode.  So you’re just fine.  One indicator of one or more aged/bad coach batteries is Float mode voltage lower than that.

Joel

[jeffprupis]

Well said Gerald.  The amperage, Jeff, will crawl quickly up at first and then slowly decrease as the inverter’s charger goes from Bulk Charge, to Absorb, to Float.  But it can vary with what’s on in the coach, as Gerald noted, and on our rig that’s similar to yours, the voltage settles in around 13.4 in Float mode.  So you’re just fine.  One indicator of one or more aged/bad coach batteries is Float mode voltage lower than that.

Joel

Thanks as always Joel, you know my coach so well. While driving batteries are charging at 14.1-3 VDC. Is this correct?

TIA

[Joel Ashley]

Without binoculars I can’t say what the Magnum panel over the door reports while I’m driving  , but im guessing house bats at 13.4v.  It’s been quite awhile since we’ve been able to take the coach anywhere, but I assume you’re getting your 14v number from the Aladdin, Jeff, which is likely chassis batteries state as the alternator runs, getting them up to the BIRD switchover point plus some volts needed to push on-highway electrical components.  It’s a number not so different from what you’d meter on a car with a running engine as I recall.

Joel

[David T. Richelderfer]

Yes... while driving mine show 14.2v or so.