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Old 02-06-2019, 02:02 AM   #1
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Brand: Thor Motor Coach
State: Ohio
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THOR #14385
2019 Thor Freedom Traveler Battery charging

I checked my coach today and the batteries including the engine battery were all dead. I have had it connected to electric. For some reason the batteries aren't charging from the electric. The power switch at the door is a spring loaded switch and when connect to electric is always on. Camping world said even tho the light is always on when connected to electric, there is an on and off. I took a reading with a volt meter and no matter how many times I hit the switch there is no charge coming from the electric.

What am I missing?

Thanks
Dana

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Old 02-06-2019, 02:23 AM   #2
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Welcome to the site.

When checking with a voltmeter was the coach plugged in to AC? Where were you checking with a voltmeter?

It is true that the light will come on even if the use/store switch (what it is commonly called) is off.
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Old 02-07-2019, 01:19 AM   #3
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Thanks for the welcome. I check both with the electric connected and with it disconnected. I was checking right at the batteries. Both the house battery and the engine battery. Same reading all the time which was about 3 volts, pretty death... I checked the voltage and switched the switch, again no change.
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Old 02-07-2019, 03:32 AM   #4
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I suspect that since your coach and chassis batteries are all dead you will need to charge the coach batteries first with a regular car battery charger (I assume 12VDC) or a "boost" battery, so that the use/store switch will then power and operate the latching relay, which in turn will connect the converter (RV battery charger) to the coach and chassis batteries.
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Old 02-08-2019, 12:04 AM   #5
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Thanks Javelin

I am charging batteries and would have never guessed that the switch worked that way. I love my motorhome but have been very very disappointed with Campingworld. I am not sure how they stay in business and why Thor uses them as their outlet. Thanks to this forum I have learned a lot about my motorhome that should have been explained where I bought it.
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Old 02-08-2019, 12:52 AM   #6
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There are enough suckers out there to keep Camping World in business. Thor probably uses them as a dealer because CW is nationwide.
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Old 02-08-2019, 12:54 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DFOUSS View Post
Thanks for the welcome. I check both with the electric connected and with it disconnected. I was checking right at the batteries. Both the house battery and the engine battery. Same reading all the time which was about 3 volts, pretty death... I checked the voltage and switched the switch, again no change.
It a minimum of 8-9 volts on the house batteries to activate the latching relay controlled by the master power or use/store switch. If the house batteries get below 9 volts and the latching relay is off, the batteries must be charged by an external source. At least that is the way my coach works.
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Old 02-08-2019, 02:50 AM   #8
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Originally Posted by Beau388 View Post
It a minimum of 8-9 volts on the house batteries to activate the latching relay controlled by the master power or use/store switch. If the house batteries get below 9 volts and the latching relay is off, the batteries must be charged by an external source. At least that is the way my coach works.
Thanks again for the help. I am charging the batteries with an external charger. Love this forum. If the rain ever stops going to check if relay is working.
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Old 02-12-2019, 02:38 PM   #9
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Batteries Charging now

Thanks for the help. Without this forum I would still be frustrated. The batteries are charged and the switch is functioning the way you said that it would. I now understand how the system works.

Dana
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Old 02-12-2019, 05:23 PM   #10
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Glad you are back in business and you can hear the use/store coach latching relay operating and releasing. But to ensure the batteries are actually being charged (if you haven’t already) you should buy yourself a cheap multimeter and learn how to use it. Use the DC voltmeter portion and take a reading across both your coach and chassis batteries when charging on AC shore power or via generator and you should read around 13.1 volts or higher under normal charging conditions on each string. Some other folks on the forum are buying a dual voltmeter gauge off Amazon to allow permanent monitoring of both battery strings……but that would require you to do some safety fusing and wiring off each string to the meter. Worth it for peace of mind……or just do the voltmeter sample every week or so to make sure all is normal. A multimeter comes in very handy for all your RV electrical checks/troubleshooting.
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Old 02-15-2019, 06:32 PM   #11
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Thanks Javelin

That is one thing that I have. I have been a ham radio operator for many years and have several pieces of electronic testing gear.

Thanks again for the help.
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Old 02-15-2019, 07:19 PM   #12
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Also a HAM here (VE6...) but don't seem to get the time to actually use the old tube Heathkit SB300/400 these days. 73's
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