ellerich Report post Posted May 28, 2009 I have a Gulf Stream. When I drive for 5 to 6 hours, I find that my house batteries are low. In checking with the factory, I found that my 2005 coach does not have the capability to charge the house batteries from the altenator. Is there any system that can be installed to do this? Richard Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 29, 2009 Richard. Welcome to the FMCA Forum. I would be VERY surprised in your coach is was not wired from the factory with the alternator charging BOTH battery banks. Is this "no charge" of house battery bank a recent development or has it always done that? Have you checked voltage with a digital voltmeter? With engines off and shore power off, check voltage at house and again at chassis batteries. Start engine and check again at both battery banks. WHAT ARE THE READINGS? And indeed, if you find that not only does yours not charge now, but that it was not designed to charge both banks, there are solution that are reasonably simple. Easiest (KISS): Buy a marine simple ON-OFF 360 amp continuous duty switch. Install alternator output and chassis battery to one side and house battery to the other side. Now, with switch off, you are charging only the chassis battery. With switch on, you charge both banks. This will also work to charge both banks from the charger/converter and service as an emergency start "combine" switch. Only issue is that you need to turn the switch OFF when dry camping so that you do not run down the chassis battery. You can also use a HD CONSTANT DUTY solenoid to combine the banks. Size (in amps) must be equal to total alternator output. Connect chassis battery to one large lug. House battery to the other large lug. Small signal wire to ignition source (if you want them both charged every time you run the engine) or to a 12 VDC switch that you can turn on as you want. Brett Wolfe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dav4747@aol.com Report post Posted October 11, 2009 I recently had this same problem appear. After doing some checking, I found a broken ground wire on the solenoid that connects the two battery banks. I have a 2006 travel supreme Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seajaycecil@yahoo.com Report post Posted October 16, 2009 I have a 2000 Pace Arrow and I believe my house batteries are charged from shore power only. I can be wrong on this but once I had the inverter (120v to 12v) stop working and my house batteries would not charge on the alternator alone. I drove all the way to Florida and they were dead as a door nail when we got there. I checked the inverter (the one under the stove that is soooooo easy to get to) and it was not working at all.. I installed a new one and everything went back to normal... I now do have a solar cell on the roof that will ''maintain'' the house batteries but it would take a month in the Mohave desert to recharge them with it. My generator (scooter) will also recharge the house batteries if the inverter is working also. If you have enough solar cells on you coach you can re charge your house batteries also but it takes several cells .. This is worthless info from Seajay the sailor man and if you use it you will owe me ten cents and you have to pay me the next time you see me ........ on the other hand if it dont work for you ............... I NEVER KNEW YOU............. GOD BLESS OUR VETS AND THANK THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE ANYTIME YOU SEE A VET ...... Seajay the sailor man...... ps. did i tell you about getting 6 years out of my house batteries that were only suppose to last 3 years? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted October 16, 2009 Seajay, You need to find out why both battery banks are not charged by the alternator. Often, it is just a failed solenoid or isolator. Having both battery banks charged by the alternator gives you welcome redundancy and sure beats having to run the generator to charge batteries while driving if you have heavy 12 VDC loads on your house batteries-- like running the furnace(s) while driving. Brett Wolfe Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seajaycecil@yahoo.com Report post Posted October 16, 2009 Thanks for advise Brett. I will look into this when I get back home and let you know the resolution. I bought this coach with six thousand miles on it and to my knowledge the Alternator has never charged the house batteries. I actually figured that charging the ''house batteries'' would put too much load on the alternator and make it fail quicker. I also figured that the factory kept the house batteries and the chassis battery separated deliberately so that one could not affect the other. I have a switch on the dash so that I might use the house batteries to start the coach in an emergency. One situation is that this coach is almost always plugged into shore power. The exception is when we are on the road or boon docking and when we boon dock, we use the ''scooter'' (generator) We also have a solar cell on the roof that keeps the house batteries ''topped off'' but it would take forever to bring them up from no charge at all... (have I ever told you about getting nine years out of two house batteries ????) I O U ten cents for the advise and I will pay you the next time I see you unlike some people that you and I both know who will avoid payment on some pretext that the advise was wrong or incomplete or just stupid and stuff like that. But I will not call a ''name'' because I am a bigger person than that and he knows who he is and so do we .......... lol .......... GOD BLESS THIS GREAT NATION ... GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS AND BRING THEM HOME SAFE AND SOON Seajay the sailor man ... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
