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Old 01-28-2021, 04:21 PM   #1
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Battery Charging Issue

For all you battery charging gurus out there - my house batteries are charging under generator, but not under shore power or under engine alternator. I first noticed the problem when the engine alternator was no longer charging the house batteries and I thought it was the battery isolation system. However, I am not sure that would cause the house batteries to not charge under shore power. The ATS seems to be working, at least under generator, and I can hear it kick in. Any thoughts?

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Old 01-28-2021, 04:56 PM   #2
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What else doesn't work under SP?

Both SP and the Generator charge the house batteries using the Converter.

Ig one charges the batteries and the other doesn't then the one that doesn't (SP) isn't supplying 120 VAC to the converter breaker in the distribution panel which would indicate an ATS, wiring, or SP cable fault.

Not charging via the alternator is a separate issue and could be due to a BIRD/BIM issue or a tripped DC breaker.
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Old 01-28-2021, 05:13 PM   #3
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I agree with Ted: make sure that the shorepower cable is okay. (plug a light into it, and see if things get brighter...)
After that: the ATS is suspect...
(I've got nothing on the alternator issue... but Ted still sounds right)
Good luck!
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Old 01-28-2021, 09:16 PM   #4
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Thanks for the answers. When I started up the generator, I heard the ATS click in and I had 120v power in the coach. When I hooked up shore power before I turned on the generator, I did not have 120v power in the coach. However, when I just hooked up shore power again to check, I now have 120v power and shore power is charging the house batteries. It may be that the ATS did not switch to shore power the first time and turning on the generator somehow unstuck the ATS. Whatever, that problem seems to have solved itself.
The other issue of the alternator not charging the house batteries is almost certainly an issue with the battery isolation system. These Class B’s do not use a BIM or BIRD system, but just have a battery manager hooked to a solenoid which only operates one way - alternator to house battery. Shore power/generator does not charge the chassis battery. Winnebago also uses three circuit breakers between the battery manager and the two batteries and voltage wire. I have not liked this system - it has five points of failure as well as working only one way. So I have purchased a BIM 225 that will replace all five components and charge both the chassis and house batteries on alternator, shore power or generator. I hope it solves my problem - now that I am back down to one.
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Old 01-28-2021, 09:47 PM   #5
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The "default" position for the ATS is SP. It only switches to generator when the generator is putting out voltage, which engages the relay. Once that voltage goes away the relay spring returns to the SP position.

It may have been a poor contact that cleared up by exercising the ATS or it may be a poor connection to the ATS from the SP cables (a common Thor issue, I don't know about Winnis). In any case, I'd put my eyeballs on the ATS and connections just to verify there isn't a problem brewing there.
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Old 01-28-2021, 09:49 PM   #6
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Thanks. I will do that.
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