Question on Trickle Charger

[Shultz01]

I have this Schumacher charger that I used on my previous motorhome which had an E450 chassis with one cab battery.

The Seneca Freightliner chassis has two batteries.

Can I use this to maintain two batteries that are in sequence?
If yes, do I just connect the positive to one battery and the negative to the other?

[Grumpy]

Do you leave the coach plugged in? If you do the converter is designed to charge the coach also. (At least the KODIAK chassis SENECAS were designed that way)

[walkingeagle]

i assume its a diesel, in that case each battery operates separately, one is a house battery and one is a starter battery because diesel engines require higher crank speeds because of high compression ratios, plug it in but check with jayco to see if both batterys charge, best bet is to disconnect leads on each battery and use trickle charger seperately on each battery, this prevents any problem, i usually take my batterys out and store them at home to keep them warm, cold weather really drops capacity, then charge with a trickle charge

[Shultz01]

Yes, it's a diesel.

The coach batteries (six of them) are in one of the storage compartments (second one back on the driver's side). Jayco tells me they are charged when the coach is plugged into AC power.

Jayco says the cab batteries are not charged by the shore power. I'm pretty sure the two cab batteries are in sequence and the starter is 24 volts.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Shultz01

Jayco says the cab batteries are not charged by the shore power. I'm pretty sure the two cab batteries are in sequence and the starter is 24 volts.

I think I would question that comment from whoever you talked to at JAYCO. I can't see them deleting a feature on a $250,000 coach that was on a $156,000 coach. Also your starter is 12 volt, the batteries are in parallel, you need the extra amps to start it.

[Shultz01]

Thanks. I'll call Jayco again and ask a second time. I did call Freightliner earlier today and confirmed that the batteries are in parallel like you said. I'll let you know what Jayco says the second time around about both the coach and cab batteries being charged when plugged into shore power.

[TX_Arvee]

If my batteries are not being charged by the converter, then I don't know what is keeping them charged while my Greyhawk sits in storage. :-)

[Shultz01]

I think there's some confusion here. I know my coach batteries are charged when I'm connected to shore power. I'm trying to make certain as to whether the cab (Freightliner) batteries are as well or if I need to put a separate trickle charger on them. In my previous motorhome with an E450 Ford chasis I had to install a trickle charger for the battery in the engine compartment (cab battery).

[Shultz01]

I called Jayco twice today to double and then triple check after reading Section 6 of the Owner's Manual. The ISOLATOR SOLENOID described in Section 6-5 of the Owner's Manual separates the House batteries from the Chassis batteries when the ignition is off to avoid draining of the Chassis batteries (for obvious reasons). It also monitors the levels and manages the charging of both sets of batteries.

Case closed.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by Shultz01

I It also monitors the levels and manages the charging of both sets of batteries.

And it definitely works as advertised.

[jeffschropp]

I am learning the hard way that letting house batteries go long periods without charging is a bad thing. While my coach (2012 Melbourne 29D) is in outdoor storage, I'd like to hook-up a solar trickle charger. I have 2 house batteries wired in parallel. Can anyone recommend a solar trickle charger? Would I need 5W or 12W? Only a $30 price difference, but want to make sure I have one that is big enough. Also, I believe can can connect directly to the house batteries to charge it. Thanks for the recommendations. Jeff

[Love To Travel 2]

OK, my question has to do with the HOUSE/COACH battery and not the CAB battery. When I am plugged into shore power at home in my driveway, and I turn the main power switch to the OFF position (the switch just inside the main door on the left, not the circuit breakers under the bed), is the built-in battery charger still charging the HOUSE/COACH battery?

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

OK, my question has to do with the HOUSE/COACH battery and not the CAB battery. When I am plugged into shore power at home in my driveway, and I turn the main power switch to the OFF position (the switch just inside the main door on the left, not the circuit breakers under the bed), is the built-in battery charger still charging the HOUSE/COACH battery?

I believe the answer is yes.

If you have a meter, it would be an easy thing to check. Turn off the switch by the door, measure the volts at the house battery. If it's more than 13V, it's getting a charge (maintenance charge from the converter/charger is ~13.2V)

ETA: Assuming the converter/charger is working properly, and the rig is plugged in to shore power, and the chassis motor is off (the alternator will also charge the house battery).

[RVermont]

Yes. The disconnect is only power from the batteries to the power center in your unit. See the attached drawing. The power converter is on the battery stud on the disconnect switch. Yours should be similar.

[Love To Travel 2]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

I believe the answer is yes.

If you have a meter, it would be an easy thing to check. Turn off the switch by the door, measure the volts at the house battery. If it's more than 13V, it's getting a charge (maintenance charge from the converter/charger is ~13.2V).

Thank you Bob. When the rain stops today, I'll check the voltage. Right now the Greyhawk is plugged into shore power and the master switch is off, so I'll see if I have at least 13 volts. If the converter/charger works anything like one of the good "Battery Tender" brands, then I'm not as worried that the battery will cook.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

Thank you Bob. When the rain stops today, I'll check the voltage. Right now the Greyhawk is plugged into shore power and the master switch is off, so I'll see if I have at least 13 volts. If the converter/charger works anything like one of the good "Battery Tender" brands, then I'm not as worried that the battery will cook.

You should have a "smart charger" or "charge wizard" (multi-stage charger), so the charge level is variable. Float charge is 13.2V, "normal" charge is 13.6V, and "Boost" and/or "Desulfation" is 14.4V.

The old static-voltage chargers (that were known to cook batteries) are no longer installed and haven't been for a while as far as I know.

[Love To Travel 2]

Bob,
Our 2013 travel trailer had an older type charger and I lost the original battery due to cooking and me not checking it often enough when it was parked and plugged in, so I'm still a little gun shy when it comes to chargers. Thanks for the advice and information.
Ed

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

Bob,
Our 2013 travel trailer had an older type charger and I lost the original battery due to cooking and me not checking it often enough when it was parked and plugged in, so I'm still a little gun shy when it comes to chargers. Thanks for the advice and information.
Ed

Totally understand. That's why I learned about these multi-stage chargers; I didn't want to wonder if I was going to cook a battery. Often there is a manual switch on the converter/charger that you can use to change the charge stage. I manually cycled mine and measured voltage at the battery for each stage to verify it was working as designed. On my old rig (28BHBE) it was easy because the charge wizard was accessible through a little door in the kitchen. If it was dark, I didn't even need to open the panel to know what stage the charger was in (which is indicated by a flashing green light; different flash pattern for each charge stage). It's a little harder in my MH since all that gear is under the bed in the back of the rig.

[Love To Travel 2]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

It's a little harder in my MH since all that gear is under the bed in the back of the rig.

And since we both have 2018 MV29's our set-up should be the same, so the next time I have to venture under the bed, I'll look for the blinking lights. I've done lots of wiring in my day, but the mess Jayco makes under the bed is a nightmare.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

And since we both have 2018 MV29's our set-up should be the same, so the next time I have to venture under the bed, I'll look for the blinking lights. I've done lots of wiring in my day, but the mess Jayco makes under the bed is a nightmare.

Yes it is. I try not to look too closely when I go down there for something. One day I will have nothing else to fix (or have to fix something electrical down there) and will get in there and tidy it all up.

Same with the frame grounds underneath. They make me cringe every time I'm under my camper.

But right now, I'm troubleshooting inoperable power steps (actually more like intermittent), and a crank, no-start condition on the chassis motor. Once I'm done with those, I have quite a lengthy list of things to install/repair before I get under the bed. But now that I think about it, batteries are on that list, so I might tackle some of the "wiring woes" while I'm working on that...