BAC Forum
General Boards => Technical Support => Topic started by: Mike Groves on June 11, 2015, 09:35:05 PM
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All,
I've been at the Pacific Shores resort for a couple of days hooked up to 50Amp service, and the coach batteries have gone to float showing 13.5V. I figured I'd check the chassis batteries, and they are showing 12.4V. Does anyone have this experience, and what does your chassis battery show after a couple days.
Thanks,
Mike
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Your chassis batteries should be fully charged also.
Roy Warren
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Mike,
If you are plugged in with 13.5 volts in your house batteries, and only 12.4 volts in the chassis batteries, you have a problem. Either you do not have an Echo Charger, or it is malfunctioning, usually from a bad fuse.
If your house batteries are at 13.5 volts, your chassis batteries should be between 13 volts to 13.5 volts depending on several variables like time, battery condition, and load on chassis batteries.
Gerald
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Mike,
The Echocharger on mine is mounted on the left wall of the battery compartment, but that can vary. It is a vented black box maybe 1.5 inches thick, maybe 4 H X 6 inches wide with some white lettering for the Echo Charger Logo. If your voltage is varying that amount between the house and chassis banks it tells me they are not tied together, your chassis batteries are on their own. If they last a week and you can start your coach then you must be wired so that the ECU is not connected with the battery switch off. Still the best way to know what is going on is with measurements.
Later Ed
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Ok all,
I have what is called a "Heart Eco-Charger" so I'll see if, hopefully, its a bad fuse. I can't say that I've ever seen the two match.
Now, I began this trip on Tuesday with Chassis batteries at 11.9. We did power up the generator the approximately 3 hours (the whole trip plus a stopover at Safeway to shop). Then I hooked up to shore power when we got here.
So, there would be a latency period assuming the only charge of the chassis battery would be coming through the low charging echo charger, right?
But, what you all are saying is that a couple of days on shore power should have matched the two, right?
Thanks,
Mike
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Mike,
After driving the chassis batteries should be up at 13.8v. The Echo charger, once the coach is plugged in, should hold those chassis batteries at about 13 to 13.5V as Gerald pointed out. There is no latency, that Echo charging unit will put out up to 10 to 15amps to hold the chassis batteries at full charge as long as the house batteries are being charged and are seeing a voltage of 13V+. Typically the house batteries will be at 13.8V with the main charger on and the chassis will be seeing about 13.5V with the Echo charger.
Later Ed
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Mike,
A working Echo Charger will charge the chassis batteries as long as the house batteries are at least 13v. I think the fuse is 15A.
Steve
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Mine are at 13.2 house and 13.3 chassis with the echo charger on my 2001 Contessa.
I have been parked for 4 days now. Just for comparison factors.
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All,
Well 10-15amps is certainly enough to charge pretty quickly.
I'll check to see what the fuse condition is on that circuit. So, if the fuse is bad, then the Eco Charger couldn't work, then does that mean as I sit here there is no charging going on to the chassis batteries, so they should be going dead due to the ECM parasitic charge right? Or is there some other way they are remaining charged without the Eco Charger working?
What are the upside/downside of turning the engine key to ACC as it says in the owner's manual? I believe I recall someone saying that leaving that key in that position too long creates a burden on something. Maybe the manual also said that.
Mike
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The Heart interface Echo charger has 2 red 12gage wires coming off it. If connected correctly, the red wire with the yellow stripe is the wire that keeps the "chassis batteries" charged. It is Not uncommon to blow the 15 amp glass fuse going to it and here is why. If the chassis battery is low (under 12volts) and you plug the coach into shore power, once the "house batteries come up past 13.2 volts that triggers the echo charger to engage and charge the chassis batteries. The problem is if the chassis batteries are low, they demand more than the echo charger can produce. Good practice is to ensure your chassis batteries are up which normally would occur after driving it a couple of hours and then plug the coach into shore, or check the chassis batteries first and recharge using a battery charger before plugging the coach in. Regards Fred
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Mike,
You did not mention if you have an Echo Charger?? That would be the first thing to get operating.
Without measurements it hard to determine if your key in the accessory position would couple the batteries. Some have determined that their coach wiring works that way. The issue is, do you have a continuous duty solenoid? If you do, then you could couple the batteries that way for a period of time, if not an extended duration with the accessory switch in the on position could burn up the solenoid device used to couple the battery banks.
Later Ed