Engine battery not charging on shore power

[Kevin Cooper]

Our Alante had a parasitic draw and ran the battery down in two weeks. The draw was cyclical from, .11 to .25 amps. I was trying to figure out how I could keep it charged and after several thoughts of how, it came to me. There is one place where house battery voltage and chassis battery voltage are very close to each other. The Aux start relay. The two larger posts have both sources. So I bought one of these. Amazon.com The price has gone up $2 to $12. I put #10 from both sides of this resettable circuit breaker to the two posts on the Aux start contactor. I plug in the RV to 15 amps, the converter charges all three when the breaker is closed. Push the button to disconnect it.
I also bought and installed this battery shunt monitor. https://a.co/d/93fELQ4
It will tell you lots of information about your house battery, but will also tell you the voltage of the chassis battery. Only limitation is you must be within 50-60’ for the phone to connect.
Best wishes!

 

[Cobra93teal]

Our Alante had a parasitic draw and ran the battery down in two weeks. The draw was cyclical from, .11 to .25 amps. I was trying to figure out how I could keep it charged and after several thoughts of how, it came to me. There is one place where house battery voltage and chassis battery voltage are very close to each other. The Aux start relay. The two larger posts have both sources. So I bought one of these. Amazon.com The price has gone up $2 to $12. I put #10 from both sides of this resettable circuit breaker to the two posts on the Aux start contactor. I plug in the RV to 15 amps, the converter charges all three when the breaker is closed. Push the button to disconnect it.
I also bought and installed this battery shunt monitor. https://a.co/d/93fELQ4
It will tell you lots of information about your house battery, but will also tell you the voltage of the chassis battery. Only limitation is you must be within 50-60’ for the phone to connect.
Best wishes!

so do you disconnect when you roll out? That solenoid is energized when the ignition is on. Or you just leave it, you don’t have concern of one of the batteries killing the other if it goes bad?

 

[Kevin Cooper]

I push the trip button when I drive it, but it’s not necessary! I used a 30 amp breaker. If the chassis battery shorts out, it should draw more than 30 amps and disconnect the batteries. You can use smaller amp breaker if it concerns you.

 

[Cobra93teal]

I push the trip button when I drive it, but it’s not necessary! I used a 30 amp breaker. If the chassis battery shorts out, it should draw more than 30 amps and disconnect the batteries. You can use smaller amp breaker if it concerns you.

No my concern would be when it’s parked(not on shore power) a bad house battery killing the engine or vise versa.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

If it’s not plugged in, shut it off

 

[Jab55]

I have a 2019 Greyhawk with the same solenoid as the OP pictures. Is it really that simple to just connect the Xantrex to the house side of the solenoid and the chassis side of it. Would this cause an issue if you hit the button in the cab to open the solenoid and connect the house batteries to the chassis battery. Would it be better to just connect to house side and then run wire to chassis battery seperately. It seems like it shouldn't make a difference where you connect the chassis battery.....if you hit the button in the cab it's still connecting house and chassis battery's together.

 

[ledoylefcco]

I have this issue also if I have my Greyhawk on shore power for an extended period and have the disconnect switch on. The chassis radio is involved in driving the speakers for the MH. If that happens I plug a small charger into one of the external AC plugs and charge my chassis battery. When the chassis battery is fairly new it isn't a problem but as it ages. Not a huge issue as I have a button on the dash which allows me to start the MH. It is probably possible to put a hard wire from the converter to the chassis battery to charge it but it hasn't been a big issue so I didn't research it. When you are driving both the chassis and house batteries are charged from the Alternator. Larry

 

[Kevin Cooper]

I have a 2019 Greyhawk with the same solenoid as the OP pictures. Is it really that simple to just connect the Xantrex to the house side of the solenoid and the chassis side of it. Would this cause an issue if you hit the button in the cab to open the solenoid and connect the house batteries to the chassis battery. Would it be better to just connect to house side and then run wire to chassis battery seperately. It seems like it shouldn't make a difference where you connect the chassis battery.....if you hit the button in the cab it's still connecting house and chassis battery's together.

You seem to have a slight misconception. Pushing the button inside closes the contacts of the solenoid.

 

[ruralIN]

I know that is the batt isolator/aux start relay. It works as it should with the aux start button or ignition. Problem I have is the battery I no longer charging on shore power. The house batts are charging, just not engine batt. Is the small red wire in pointing too for the charging circuit? Where is the other end? I can discover that and it’s dead. While connected it reads the same voltage as the engine battery, the other side of that solenoid has the 13.xx volts from the converter charging the house batteries. The battery side only has the 12.xx volts same ass batt/and that small red wire.

Not saying that you should, or that I do, but if you make a short jump wire with alligator clips and connect behind those rubber boots you connect house to engine battery. Less than $2 and connect maybe once a month or day before you leave and engine battery should be about 13.4 V.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

I have this issue also if I have my Greyhawk on shore power for an extended period and have the disconnect switch on. The chassis radio is involved in driving the speakers for the MH. If that happens I plug a small charger into one of the external AC plugs and charge my chassis battery. When the chassis battery is fairly new it isn't a problem but as it ages. Not a huge issue as I have a button on the dash which allows me to start the MH. It is probably possible to put a hard wire from the converter to the chassis battery to charge it but it hasn't been a big issue so I didn't research it. When you are driving both the chassis and house batteries are charged from the Alternator. Larry

I put in the circuit breaker for $10.00 so that I didn’t have to mess with something else. A converter is a high end charger.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

Not saying that you should, or that I do, but if you make a short jump wire with alligator clips and connect behind those rubber boots you connect house to engine battery. Less than $2 and connect maybe once a month or day before you leave and engine battery should be about 13.4 V.

Jumping with a small wire and alligator clips will tie them together. Hopefully, both batteries will be fully charged when you do. With no overcurrent protection on a tiny wire, you could have it smoking very quickly! I used #10 copper and a 30 amp breaker. If it’s turned on and one side has dead batteries, it could pull 50+ amps. If so, the breaker will trip.

 

[pconroy]

With no overcurrent protection on a tiny wire, you could have it smoking very quickly!

When I was wiring up the new Lithiums, I made a lead too long and grabbed the nippers w/out thinking and proceeded to cut the lead - which happened to be two wires, connected to the battery.

In between the sparks and the heat on the nipper handles...
Well, I tried to keep my head screwed on properly for the rest of that day.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

When I was wiring up the new Lithiums, I made a lead too long and grabbed the nippers w/out thinking and proceeded to cut the lead - which happened to be two wires, connected to the battery.

In between the sparks and the heat on the nipper handles...
Well, I tried to keep my head screwed on properly for the rest of that day.

But it’s only 12VDC!

 

[pconroy]

Amazing what a coupl'a hunnert amps will do.

 

[Kevin Cooper]

Well, it’s very clear! Most electric welders run at 12-24 volts.

 

[ScLahasky]

I can tell you the red wire is from the solar connection. I did install 1 solar panel and a solar control and the solar panel will charge the engine battery. I found out recently that the shore power does NOT charge the engine battery as I had to replace mine recently. It has been stored under cover so the solar panel is not doing any charging.