Battery/charging issues

[SallyJo]

2022 Thor Gemini TE23. On a 3000 mile road trip and having charging/battery issues. Hoping someone has had similar issues and knows what to do.
The battery running the coach went dead overnight. Read-out panel shows both coach and engine/chassis battery at 11.7. However as engine/chassis battery seems to have no issues, I'm guessing faulty readout on that one.
I replaced the coach battery with a new battery thinking that would take care of problem. Unfortunately I had the same issue the next night. Dead battery. Driving down the road does not charge the batteries. On top of that, in order to get my slide in and out, besides having the engine running and the parking brake on, I now have to turn my battery disconnect switch off and on to reset everything. Can't start the generator when battery is weak or dead so have to start engine to get the generator started. Need to boondock on this trip. Any help would be appreciated.

[16ACE27]

How long have you had the RV?
When did it stop working correctly (if it ever did)?
Does the house battery charge when plugged into SP?

Have you checked to see if the BIM is wired correctly? Many posts/threads here about that issue.

Do you own and know how to use a multimeter?

Answers to the above questions will improve the quality and direction of the responses to your issue.

Also, no need to post the same thread in multiple places on the Forum.

[SallyJo]

How long have you had the RV? 9 months
When did it stop working correctly (if it ever did)? We have always been plugged into power, until now, e.g. we're boondocking, so not sure if this is a new issue but I think it is.
Does the house battery charge when plugged into SP? Since this problem occurred, have not been able to plug into shore power. Our generator and driving down the road do NOT charge the house battery.

Have you checked to see if the BIM is wired correctly? Many posts/threads here about that issue. I am not sure what BIM is, and we're currently enroot so WIFI/internet limited to my phone. I can try to search for what you are referring to.

Do you own and know how to use a multimeter? No. No.

Thanks for your help!

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by SallyJo

How long have you had the RV? 9 months
When did it stop working correctly (if it ever did)? We have always been plugged into power, until now, e.g. we're boondocking, so not sure if this is a new issue but I think it is.
Does the house battery charge when plugged into SP? Since this problem occurred, have not been able to plug into shore power. Our generator and driving down the road do NOT charge the house battery.

Have you checked to see if the BIM is wired correctly? Many posts/threads here about that issue. I am not sure what BIM is, and we're currently enroot so WIFI/internet limited to my phone. I can try to search for what you are referring to.

Do you own and know how to use a multimeter? No. No.

Thanks for your help!

Running the generator charges the house battery in the same way SP does - you say it doesn't charge from the generator? This is a separate issue from "doesn't charge while driving". The generator has to run for several hours to charge a dead house battery (4+).

You say it doesn't charge from the engine alternator, but don't know if it ever did? This is where the BIM issue would be a problem (if you have one) IF your coach is wired to charge the house battery from the engine alternator - not all are - especially in the Class C/B+/B world.

Not having/not able to use a multimeter gives you a serious handicap in trying to troubleshoot electrical problems. Your problem may be as simple as a tripped DC breaker near the house battery but not having and not being familiar with your model RV gives me a serious handicap. Maybe somebody with more experience on your model RV can chime in with better help.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Is your "use/store" battery disconnect switch set to "ON" or in "use" position? It's important that switch is ON when using the coach... otherwise your house/coach batteries are completely disconnected and WILL NOT charge.

The battery disconnect is usually a rotary switch located near the entryway of your coach... near the door.

[SallyJo]

Thank you Ted.

I so appreciate your help and I'll do what I can based on your responses!
Best regards,
Jim

[DavidEM]

Some of what you said in the first post is inconsistent- the chassis engine doesn't charge the house battery, but you said that "Can't start the generator when battery is weak or dead so have to start engine to get the generator started". Also your don't have or know how to use a multimeter.

It will be very difficult to resolve this on this thread, unless the problem is very simple- you don't have the battery disconnect switch on. So unless that is it, I would try to find a mobile mecanic who can look at it and resolve it for you.

And finally, and I know this will sound snipppy, don't ever go out on a long boondocking trip unless your batteries work and are charging properly. An overnight or two boondocking trip would have indicated a problem.

David

[txc2936@yahoo.com]

I checked this all again yesterday. With SP plugged in and breakers closed. My interior lights work regardless of the position of the battery switch. With the battery switch off, i get a voltage of 13.40 Vdc. With the Battery switch on, i get 13.57 Vdc. All good, in the right direction.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by txc2936@yahoo.com

I checked this all again yesterday. With SP plugged in. All my interior lights work regardless of the position of the battery switch. With the battery switch off, i get a voltage of 13.40 Vdc. With the Batter switch on, i get 13.57 Vdc.

So measure your house battery voltage and chassis battery voltage. Sounds like the chassis battery is cross-connected to the house DC buss.

In both cases you are not measuring resting battery voltage which would be in the 12s. Turn your headlights on and remeasure to see if one of those drops into the 12s.

In any case, something is mis-wired.

EDIT:

Wait; are you measuring battery voltage? I thought you were measuring house DC buss voltage.

[txc2936@yahoo.com]

I measured battery terminal voltage.

Everything off...

1) House battery 13.20
2) Chassis battery 13.55

Engine running

1) House battery 14.10 Vdc

2) Chassis battery 14.10

Generator Running

1) House with battery switch off 13.33
2) House with battery switch on 13.55

3) Chassis battery with battery switch off 13.52
4) Chassis battery with battery switch on 13.52

I looked at schematic and the picture below matches.

The battery closest to us batt #2 has the wire from the 50 AMP fuse, and the aft battery #1 has the wire from the 100 AMP fuse. The other large cable on batt #1 seems to be running to the BIM behind the battery box. The others are my inverter wire and a small wire for something else.

TIA

[lwmcguir]

So your battery charger isn't working

[widdershins]

How about shore power? It sounds to me like your power converter may not be providing charge voltage. There are likely a couple of fuses to protect from battery reverse connection, check those.

Engine power is already 12VDC so it bypasses the power converter and directly charges.

[txc2936@yahoo.com]

This is my thinking also. With SP connected i get about the same 13.51 Vdc at the battery. Gen and SP pwr converter, so they should be the same.

Yes, no issues with the Engine Alternator, 14.10 Vdc.

Question? How do i measure Converter charge voltage with battery switch on? At the 50 AMP breaker in my battery box? Trip the breaker and that will isolate the battery from the converter, It would be the lower terminal on the breaker

What is normal Converter voltage? Web shows 13.6-14.6 Vdc.

As ACE has suggested. I need to apply loads to the battery, turn on fans, lights and see if charger is working.

[OldWEB]

So.... what happened to SallyJo?

[txc2936@yahoo.com]

I purchased the monitor and installed in cig outlet. Works great. 12.8 Vdc in steady state, after engine start 14 Vdc, and a handy chart to put in side wall. Color coded for easy viewing in the panel. That outlet was doing nothing, with an old car lamp in it that i never used.

I think Sally Jo is gone.

[SallyJo]

Took Sally Jo to the shop for repairs. Lots of miswiring. BIM and relay on order.

[txc2936@yahoo.com]

Its because of you, I looked for my BIM after 2 yrs of ownership, its behind the batteries in the battery box. I applied some sealant to the terminals, being this is right above the ground level and gets wet.

Thanks!

BYW, do you know what that little red wire with the Fuse box is for? Is that the solar panel circuit? 20 AMP fuse, maybe for the jack motor circuit. Nothing marked.

[Judge]

[QUOTE

BYW, do you know what that little red wire with the Fuse box is for? Is that the solar panel circuit? 20 AMP fuse, maybe for the jack motor circuit. Nothing marked.[/QUOTE]


Check the schematics for your coach….. but red is usually for the steps…. Orange for Solar Controller… Yellow for Emergency Start.

[txc2936@yahoo.com]

Good rule of thumb. I looked thru the schematics, i see the solar panel hooks directly to the pos terminal with a fuse. (20 AMP). So i am assuming its that.