Jayco seneca

[Mlaforge]

Has anyone put a battery charger in Seneca to charge house batteries while running generator
Mike

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Mlaforge

Has anyone put a battery charger in Seneca to charge house batteries while running generator
Mike

They should charge automatically using the converter/charger the same way they do while on shore power.

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Grumpy

They should charge automatically using the converter/charger the same way they do while on shore power.

Did not state year of Seneca but like Grumpy indicated I can tell you all of the Freightliner Senecas have a device called the Battery Isolation Manager that allows charging of the chassis batteries via the onboard converter when 120-volts AC is present (generator or shoreline). And conversely it allows the house batteries to charge from the engine alternator when driving down the road.

But mine went bad and I had to replace it. Precision Circuits has troubleshooting information on their website. Here's a link: https://www.precisioncircuitsinc.com...e-Shooting.pdf

If you have a GM-based Seneca, they may have the same system but I can't say that for certain.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Robbbyr

If you have a GM-based Seneca, they may have the same system but I can't say that for certain.

My 08 did.. but he asked about the house. Possibly just ask about the wrong one.

[Mlaforge]

21 seneca
The manual says charge from engine alternator & shore power !
Gen set ran all night & in morning coach had 3 volts
Master switch on
Fridge sad low dc volts & peeping
Mike

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mlaforge

21 seneca
The manual says charge from engine alternator & shore power !
Gen set ran all night & in morning coach had 3 volts
Master switch on
Fridge sad low dc volts & peeping
Mike

Your converter charges the batteries when 120-volt AC is present from generator or shore power. Did you have AC power at your outlets when generator running? Is your converter breaker turned on in the power center? Perhaps try cycling the converter breaker off then back on to ensure it is on.

If you verify that breaker is passing power to the converter the converter itself may be defective. You would not be the first newer Seneca owner that had a defective converter.

[Mlaforge]

Outlets work
Will Ck the breaker
Thanks

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mlaforge

Outlets work
Will Ck the breaker
Thanks

If the converter breaker seems okay there is a resettable breaker in some newer Senecas in the compartment just aft of the battery compartment. Under a panel is the main battery solenoid, the Battery Isolation Manager, and several circuit breakers. When one of them is "open" a little arm comes out. To reset, snap the arm back in towards the center of the breaker.

Here is a picture of those components another Seneca owner posted. You can see one of the breakers is "open" and needs reset.

[Mlaforge]

Thanks again
Mike

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mlaforge

Thanks again
Mike

Good luck, let us know what you find. All our experiences can help another owner down the road!

[Mlaforge]

Breaker was tripped
Will be on the road next week to try it again
Mike

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mlaforge

Breaker was tripped
Will be on the road next week to try it again
Mike

Glad that's all it was!

[Mlaforge]

So far

[Robbbyr]

Originally Posted by Mlaforge

So far

It has happened to several others, and after resetting it seems to "hold". My theory is that the the batteries may be depleted enough, along with any other 12-volt loads that may be on, that the converter is supplying its maximum output (up to 90 amperes) through that 80 amp breaker. Not sure why Jayco only puts an 80 amp breaker there, my 2014 is the same rating but my breaker is an auto-reset style.

[Mlaforge]

I’m a newbie to motorhomes got it in sept
Mike

[GRZLY 03]

Robbbyr, same thing happened to me, and that is my theory, too. 2016 37HJ