Harkey Report post Posted January 5, 2012 My shore power won't charge the chassis batteries. New chassis batteries died after sitting for a while, even though it's hooked up to the 50amp shore line. Could some one tell me how to check out the control panel and the relay's? It's on a 2000 Fleetwood American Tradition. Has a new Freedom 20 Xantrex inverter. Coach batteries are staying fully charged. Harkey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
islandskipper Report post Posted January 5, 2012 Hi I just had the same problem about 3 days ago, I found a wire off on the inverter on one of the relays. There are 8 of them , look for a wire that is lose, hook it up and your back in business. Unhook all power before you go play in there, very hot stuff. Larry Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest BillAdams Report post Posted January 5, 2012 Are you certain that the charger is setup to also charge your chassis batteries? Mine is not, so I just had to ask. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harkey Report post Posted January 5, 2012 Yes it is suppose to charge the chassis batteries. My understanding is that it charges the coach batteries all the time, but checks every now and then and when the chassis are getting low it will switch over and charge them for a while. Harkey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Xplorer Report post Posted January 5, 2012 Use to have problems with the Chassis battery. It is not charged when plugged in. I installed a bayonet disconnect, and when sitting for a few months, I disconnect it. No more problems. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harkey Report post Posted January 5, 2012 The inverter charges both sets, but just one at a time. It's the control panel that converts the power from one set to the other. The control panel lets the inverter charge the coach batteries most of the time, but when it checks the chassis batteries and they are below a certain level it tells the relays to switch. I'm just not sure how to check out the control board or the relays. It could be ether one. Harkey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Koliver Report post Posted January 5, 2012 Your first post: not charging from shore power. Your second post: Freedom 20 inverter will switch over and charge them for a while. Your third post: the inverter charges both sets. Either you have it all working, or you don't. If the batteries are dying, they are not getting charged. It is that simple. If your Freedom manual says it is charging, but the batteries are dying, it is defective, or not properly connected. Look in the box. If you see anything that doesn't look like new, you should get it checked for defect. If all looks like new, pull off and clean, grease and reconnect all connections. For long term storage (without shore power) get a positive disconnect on the chassis batteries. Otherwise your ECM will eat all the power that the chassis batteries can supply, and they will end up dead in a couple of weeks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harkey Report post Posted January 5, 2012 It's exactly like I said. The shore power doesn't charge the chassis batteries. The inverter is working, because it keeps the coach batteries charged. The inverter will charge the chassis if the control panel and relays are working right. The control panel is suppose to switch the charge to the chassis when it get down to about 12.5v, but it's not switching over. The control and relays are next to the battery compartment. I am reluctant to open them up till I have some idea of what to expect and how to check them out. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted January 6, 2012 Please look closely at the "control and relays" that connect the coach batteries/inverter-charger to the chassis battery. If it has a brand an model on it-- please post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harkey Report post Posted January 6, 2012 I'll do that tomorrow Wolfe10. I've decided to go ahead and take the lid off anyway. Might get a picture of what's there. It's dark here in Oklahoma and I sure don't want any bad surprises. I'll sure get back with you. Thanks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
leongentry Report post Posted January 6, 2012 I am interested in why you selected a "positive" disconnect. Would a "negative" disconnect work as well? Thanks Leon Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harkey Report post Posted January 6, 2012 In searching the internet I found this "FLEETWOOD - BATTERY CONTROL CENTER " at intellitec.com/PDF/5300578.100.pdf. It looks like what I need to check it out. Still wish had some expert on it to help me. It may take a day or so, but will let you know. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted January 6, 2012 Harkey, Indeed, your Freedom only serves as the charging unit, with this Intellitech controller serving as the combiner. From their written description, it has both an "under" voltage disconnect and and "over" voltage disconnect. So, first thing is to verify that output voltage from your Freedom inverter/charger IS in the proper range. If not, please go through the programming steps outlined in your Freedom manual. This was called "setting the dip switches" on older Freedom models. It is a good idea to do this twice a year anyway as ambient temperature is one of the things you are programming (assuming you don't have the upgraded battery temperature probe). If voltage is in the right range, and you are good with electrical diagnostics, you can check that the relays are closed when the should be and open when they should not be. A problem could be in a bad relay which would likely be separately replaceable or in the control board which may not be repairable. Brett Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chucknewman Report post Posted January 6, 2012 This problem should be easy to troubleshoot since, unlike most consumer and RV electrical boards / device manufacturers, they offer well done schematics. Per the drawings in the .pdf, the solenoid contactors are sealed and you will not be able to see the contacts. And you don't need to. A digital meter is all you need. The first thing I would do is check each of the 15 fuses on the circuit board. Black meter probe to chassis ground. Red meter probe to each side of each fuse on the fuse test points. +vdc on each test point equals a good fuse. +vdc on only one test point means it is open (blown). You may get lucky, replace a blown fuse, and be back in business. If all the fuses are good, then refer to figure 1 and measure each solenoid battery input lug voltage. The higher voltage will be from the coach batteries. The chassis batteries will be very low. Mark the solenoid cans for future reference so you will know which solenoid controls the voltage/current to which batteries. From figure 1 it appears you can manually switch from one set of batteries to the other. Put the red multimeter probe on the battery side lug of the chassis battery solenoid and switch it on. Does the voltage increase? If not, you have a defective solenoid. If the voltage does increase it indicates a logic problem on the circuit board. Most of these are fairly simple and can be reversed engineered and repaired. Otherwise it will have to be replaced. Chuck Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harkey Report post Posted January 7, 2012 It dawned on me after reading about the control panel that we'd had power outages 2 different time in the past couple of months. I had to unhook the shore power to hookup the generator. The last time when a squirrel had blown a fuse to the transformer, I failed to hook up the shore power for probably over a week. So I checked the chassis batteries and they showed 3.8v. I've been charging it off and on all day. Checked them after sitting awhile this afternoon with all the disconnects open and they showed 12.5. Topped them off to 12.8v. Set all disconnects to closed and turned the shore power back on. I'll leave them tonight and hope the voltage on them will show normal in the morning. Sure hope this is the problem. Should know in the morning if it worked. Will let you know. Harkey Oh, I did hear a hummmm coming from them after reconnect. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harkey Report post Posted January 7, 2012 Thanks chucknewman, I checked the fuses first thing this morning and was going to start on the other when I did what I should have first - run a voltage check on the batteries. Harkey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Harkey Report post Posted January 7, 2012 So far. So good. Time will tell. Battery seems to be staying topped off to what it should be. You sure have helped me get some knowledge about the system. I'm closing now, thanks for all the help. Harkey Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carvel Report post Posted February 8, 2012 Harkey, One more item for thought. If your shore power is less than 105 supplied volts (too long of an extension cord, poor connection, etc) the BCC will not switch over to charge the chassis batteries. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
