charging house battery

[bill emery]

i just got a 1985 rockwood class C. we are having a problem with keeping the house battery charged. with it pluged into shore power it does not build up the battery. when i run the generator it doesnt seem to fully charge the battery. how many amps does the generator supply to the house battery? its a 4000 watt generator.

[Tony durfey]

Hi Bill,

  My first thought is a bad battery.  With two separate charging systems, S/P or gen. One should work. There should be a tag on the gen saying how many DC amps output it has.  A simple check with a multi-meter will tell if your getting the proper voltage to the battery, to charge the battery.  Should be between 13.25 and 13.75 volts DC at the battery.  Most any place that sells batteries should be able to check it for free and your battery as well.  Hope this helps, Tony, Joy and Cool Paw Luke

[John "T" Nordhoff]

  Okay, if NEITHER the engines alternator orrrrrrr the coaches converter charger (when powered by shore power or genset) charges the battery, I SUSPECT A BAD BATTERY.  Most auto shops will test it for free. If its bad, get a new RV Marine Deep Cycle type of replacement.

 

 On most RV's when the engine starts a relay closes so the engines alternator charges the house battery and if plugged into shore power orrrrrrrrrr the cord is powered by the genset, the built in converter charger charges often around 20 to 30 amps range (DEPENDS ON CHARGER AND BATTERY CONDITION, SHOULD BACK DOWN ONCE CHARGED) .  If you put a voltmeter on the battery and the engine is running or youre on shore power or the genset is running,  voltage should rise from the normal setting of 12.6 to charging voltage in the range of 13 to 14+ volts.

 

HAVE THE BATTERY TESTED  If its only a single coach battery and it fits?? get a big heavy honkin Group 31    125 Amp Hour RV Marine Battery.......If theres enough room (I doubt) Id use two 6 volt golf cart batteries in series. I have (4)  T 125 type 6 volt golf cart batteries in series paralell totalling 460 amp hours and use a Xantrex Truecharge2 Smart 3 stage charger NOW THATS SOME BATTERY POWER but we do a lot of extended dry camping in Utah or Colorad BLM or Natl Forest Camps, NOT your average Joe occassional day or two only dry boondocking use

 

  John T  

 

[bill emery]

  thanks for the advice..i will go have the battery checked out.. i wish i could get a group 31 in there..but no room for that.. i will go buy a multi tester and see what is up with the battery chargers.. does cosco sell good rv batteries?

[bill emery]

 you guys are rite.. the battery was bad..thanks