kpoinville

Thanks, kaypsmith. I guess the question I have is how can I get the lights/fan to run solely off the house battery bank? I thought that is what would happen if I pushed the COACH rocker switch to "USE", but that only has the desired effect when the ignition key is in the run position or the engine is actually running. I would like to have lights and fans while I boondock without using the generator, and thought that the battery bank would allow me to do that without having to have the ignition key in the "run" position. (By "run" position, I mean the position when the dash lights turn on, but the engine has not yet started.). That is where I am stumped.

We have a 1997 Coachmen Mirada with a Renogy solar panel kit with the following: 2 - 100 watt PV panels, 1 - 40ARover MPPT charge controller, and 2- 12v 100Ah deep cycle pure gel batteries. Both the panels and the batteries are wired in parallel to maintain the 12v voltage, but increase the Ah capacity. The panels are charging the battery bank, but I cannot my interior lights, fans, etc. to run off of the battery bank when I am not connected to shore power or when the engine is not running (or the key is not in the run position). I have an Intellitec dual battery disconnect switch that appears to work, but only when the RV engine is running (or when the key is in the run position). See pic below. > ignition key in run position or engine on: red LED light of the battery disconnect switch will turn on, the house lights and fans work, and all is well with the world. When I push the COACH rocker switch to "STORE", then I hear the battery disconnect motor make a soft noise for a second and then the red LED light goes off, and the house lights and fan go off as well. When I push it back to "use", the red LED comes back on and the house lights, etc. work. Nothing happens when I press the CHASSIS rocker switch to "STORE": I do not hear the soft noise made by the disconnect motor and the CHASSIS red LED light always remains on. > ignition key not in run position: Chassis red LED light is on, but nothing happens when I press the COACH rock to "USE" position. The house lights and fans will not work. In what may or may not be a related problem, the Onan 4000 generator will not start unless the RV engine is running or the ignition key is in the run position. Once the generator is running, it will stop running when the ignition key is moved from the run position. Any help would be appreciated. Ken O'Brien

I want to thank each of you for your response to my inquiry. This forum has been so incredibly helpful to me. The coach is at a local service center today some engine work, but I will continue the solar install this weekend. I am really looking forward to it! Thanks!

My wife and I recently purchased a 1997 Coachmen Mirada. I plan to install the following: 2 Renogy 100w solar panels, a 40 amp Renogy Rover solar charge controller, 2 100 ah 12 volt Renogy gel deep cycle batteries, which will be wired in parallel. I have purchased a Renogy 2000 w pure sine converter, but I am not certain that I will install it. I have already removed the original house battery and replaced it with the two gel batteries. My questions are probably stupid, but here we go: My understanding is that the controller will be connected to the new battery bank and the panels get connected to the charge controller. I plan to add a fuse between the solar charge controller and the battery bank. (1) Am I correct that the wires from the existing 12 v power center (that were originally connected to the house battery) should be connected to the new battery bank? (2) Will I still be able to plug into shore power when needed to run the AC? (3) I assume that the original 12 v system (as built by Coachmen) has an automatic transfer switch for when the RV is connected to shore power. If I connect to shore power, will that transfer switch cause my battery bank to be recharged? (I don't think that I will need that capability, but I am just curious about whether I am thinking of how the pieces fit together correctly. Does that sound right? Any insight would be appreciated. Ken O'Brien Louisville, KY