BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Rick Penick on May 04, 2021, 05:19:25 PM
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I have 6300 lp generator tried starting just clicks. 1997 Monterey ....anyone know why it is doing this has 350 hours on it.
Thank you
Rick
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Rick
The generator starts off the chassis batteries if the coach has been sitting those batteries may be dead.
Some of the older coaches did not have an Echo charger or any means to charge the chassis batteries except the engines alternator and the engines ECM has a small parasitic draw which over several weeks will kill the chassis batteries.
Try holding the boost button while trying to start the gen set and see what happens.
Eric
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Rick
I had the same problem, found out the control board was bad, replaced it and started right up. Got the control board from Dinosaur Electronic, costs me about 150.00
Jason Worman
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Thanks Eric,
i think my battery charger must be bad i had a battery tender on the 12v batteries the 6v batteries are getting some amps from the solar panels. this whole battery deal is a total problem child. i installed new napa 31's and all new 6v as well rebuilt the battery tray with new slides and wired it all back but there is a isolater above the batteries ans i have no clue where to wire that back in. i heard i could put the key in the accs mode anade it will charge the batteries i just plugged all this in to see. so you are correct and i used the booster assuming in just turn key to right pushed booster and nothing no clue why it doesnt work.
thanks rick
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thanks jason if the battery are low i will charge those first than try again.
rick
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Eric,
How would i know i have this echo charger and what do i need to do to make it work if i do my coach is 1997 .?
Thanks
Rick
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Rick
If you have an Echo charger it would look like this.
https://www.google.com/search?q=echo+charger&oq=echo+charger&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l4.6111j0j8&client=tablet-android-lenovo-rev2&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=imgv&imgv=0
I don't think you have an Echo charger .
My coach is a 1997 Patriot Yorktown and it wasn't built with any type of battery combiner and I understand the 1998 models didn't have one either
Your inverter charger should be keeping the coach batteries charged as long as you are plugged in to shore power all the Echo
charger does is combine the chassis batteries with the coach batteries she there is a charge voltage present on either battery bank.
If you post some pictures of your battery arrangement and the separator you have mounted there we might give you some idea how it should be wired.
You can use the wiring diagrams for the 1996 Patriot in the coach assist section.
Hope this helps
Eric
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You said you didn’t know where to wire the isolator back in; if it’s not hooked up it may explain why your boost attempt didn’t work.
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Eric,
I do not have anything like that. So if i have coach plugged in do i leave the key in the off position or hav it turned to the left in accs position?
I appreciate your help.
Thanks Rick
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Joel,
Thank you that would make sense
Thanks Rick
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Rick I don't think the accessory position with help with the chassis batteries I'd just leave it in the off position
Before I installed a Magnum battery combiner on my coach I used to just hook a set of booster cable from one battery bank to the other to charge the chassis batteries while I'm hooked to shore power.
Hope this helps
Eric
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Eric,
Which battery combiner ? i searched amazon they have one that 12/24v i have 12v and 6v golf cart combined to two 12v. Wish i new more about solar as that would be the way to go not up on all that. i can jump the cables someone i think Roy told me about the accs position.
Thanks Rick
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Rick
Both the chassis battery bank and your coach battery bank are 12 volt the coach batteries are wired with four six volt batteries two sets of six volt batteries in series netting 12 volts .
Therefore you are looking for a battery combiner which works on a 12 volt system.
I used the Magnum unit because it gave me the flexibility to adjust the cut in cut out voltages as well as control the boost solenoid so that the current would be carried by the high current solenoid.
Either one will work fine for you.
https://www.google.com/search?q=echo+charger&oq=echo+charger&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l4.6111j0j8&client=tablet-android-lenovo-rev2&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=imgv&imgv=0
https://www.magnum-dimensions.com/smart-battery-combiner
Hope this helps
Eric
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Hey Eric,
On the magnum did you just buy the ME-SBC did you also buy the inside monitor setup? I charged my batteries and generator started right up no problem. So just need to addresss this battery issue.
Thanks
Rick
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Rick
The inside monitor goes with the Magnum inverter
The battery combiner by Magnum is a stand alone unit and does not talk to the monitor panel.
How ever I replaced my freedom inverter with a Magnum unit and the monitor panel and network automatic generator start system several years ago.
Eric
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OK thanks . With solar panels charging the coach batteries i would think i would be ok. Changing out the inverter would be expensive proposition i would think.
Thanks for all your help.
May consult you when magnum arrives.
Thanks again!
Rick
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If your coach has the stock 100w solar panel like our coach has, it might not be enough to keep the batteries charged. In full sun a 100w panel will make about 5 amps, so that's a 5amp trickle charger that only works when the sun is out (about 5 hrs / day). If you can't keep the coach plugged into shore power all the time, I would watch your battery state of charge like a hawk (like every day) until you get a sense as to how long a charge will last. Batteries will fail you when you need them the most, so check them often.
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Bill,
I have 5 panels on the roof i need to get all the info on them to see what i have. My controller is a TRACE C40 charge/ load controller. I am still learning about the solar. I will monitor to see will also get a reading on the amps i guess i can check the amps going out from the controller.
Rick
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Rick, Sounds like you have a good size array up there. One thing to notice is that the controller output will depend on the state of charge of your house batteries. If your batteries are fully charged, and the solar panels are in full sun, you won't see much current (amps) coming from your controller. If your batteries are around 50% state of charge, then you should see your solar controller putting out up to 25 amps (assuming 5x100 watt panels). Weather, time of day, season, tilt all affect solar output. If you don't have a good ammeter, you may find one that measures DC amps and is a clamp-on meter to be helpful.
https://www.amazon.com/UT210D-Digital-Current-Resistance-Capacitance/dp/B0753FY711/ref=asc_df_B0753FY711/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=254239495834&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=14444015095779542895&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9032602&hvtargid=pla-450742515090&psc=1
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Jason,
We have the same coach and I'm having thr same problem with my generator, just a click. I read you got a new circuit board but where is that circuit board located.
Thanks in advance.