Winnebago
Winnebago Trailer & Motor Home owners.
Including Lifetime & Bendix Motor Homes.
1973 Brave - understanding the 3 battery layout and is there a "better way" to wire them up ?
So I finally found the 1973 Brave that I was hunting for. She (Penny) is the exact year, layout and such that I was looking for. All runs great, drove it 10 hours back to Canada, and other than a nagging tranny leak and some messed up coach batteries, I am pretty happy with her.
As mentioned before I have never owned an RV so currently learning everything as I go along.
I winterized the RV this week and wanted to store the batteries inside for the winter (even though I think the coach batteries are fubar), so I removed all 3, documented all the cabling and have been attempting to charge all 3 batteries before storing them (and will charge them a couple times over the winter).
So as I am learning, I constantly come across conflicting details. Right now it is to do with the batteries. All 3 are 3 years old, all the same make and model, Interstate Marine/RV deep cycle. From what I have read, that is good news as they should all be the same age and model.
First conflict - should they be charged under 2A or 10A ? My charger has both conventional and deep cycle settings. I am leaning towards 10A on the deep cycle setting based on what I have read. Apparently 2A is not truly a trickle charge which is different than what I thought.
Next conflict is with the wiring / connection of multiple batteries. Seems that the old way of connecting them is no longer viewed as the correct way since one battery takes the brunt of the load / usage. Here is a link that explains the "better way" - diagram 5 is the best for a 3 battery set-up.
https://www.fmcmagazine.com/images/stories/pdf/battery_balance_jan2...
For added details - here is the battery schematic of the 1973 Brave.
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll120/BaileyDave/Winnebago/Start...
So my questions are:
- is the Brave current battery wiring really a 3 battery set-up, the Both / MOM settings with a isolation relay may be negating that ability ?
- if it is a 3 battery set-up, what changes to the current wiring would I need to make to more effectively match that of the Gary Bunzer article from the link above ?
I am hoping someone else within this group has come across similar concerns.
Any help you folks can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks...Art
T.J.
So first Congratulations on your new acquisition. Sit down, strap in and hang on she's going to be a wild and crazy ride.>GRIN< She'll be fun, challenging and in lightning. Where in Canada are you. Were'd you pic her up at?
Nov 19, 2016
T.J.
I know just what you wanted to see. More stuff to read. One battery is used to start your rig The Engine Battery. The other two are what are referred to as your House Batteries. They run your furnace, interior lights,TV that sort of thing. Those two batteries are hooked up positive to positive and negative to negative. There are three types of batteries. One build for starting a vehicle which is build different from the RV deep cycle battery which is a bastardize battery. It's neither or nor and then there's the third battery which is a true deep cycle battery which is us for golf carts. Which are truly a deep cycle battery. I went with two Trojan 6 volt batteries hooked up in series. So their hooked up positive to negative and positive to negative. They don't cost much more than than any of the so called Deep Cycle RV batteries and if looked after properly will last 8 to 10 years. I know I probably just made things worse trying to explain it.
http://www.batteriesnorthwest.com/batteryschool.cfm?TID=10
Nov 19, 2016
Art
Morning T.J. I live just North of Toronto, Ontario. Got her in Pennsylvania - hence Penny.
Thanks for the note on the batteries. I don't mind extra reading - don't have a lot of spare time but kinda do have some time until spring. Yes I have already read lots about the chassis / coach design and also about the deep cycle battery - and the 12V vs 6V debate. I guess really my first concern is whether I have to treat them as two completely separate components - I think I do. Each has a different role yes - the chassis just really needs to provide the cranking power / juice to start it, but then it also ties them together when I want to charge the coach batteries via the chassis. I may just be hung up on when they tie together and thing they become a "bank".
And I am told they have to be identical in battery model and type for them to charge properly when I am driving and flip the Dual / Both switch (which if this is NOT the case, and I can't save my two 12V chassis batteries, then I will look at the 6V Trojan batteries which are about $150 each here - so $300 based on just two 6V being required).
Nov 20, 2016