akronharry
Akron, Ohio
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Joined: 04/28/2008
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Should your house battery bank be charging when you are plugged in at home or should it charge when you turn on the engine?
I replaced the battery two weeks ago and went camping. Everything worked fine. When we came back I plugged the unit into the household current. I looked at the test panel yesterday and it indicated the battery was low although I still could turn on lights and the t.v..
Just trying to make sure that I am doing everything correctly. Not sure if I have an open circuit because of the "low" battery status or am overlooking something simple.
We just bought the rv a couple of months ago and have taken it out only twice.
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Nick Wildwood
Hell California
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Joined: 04/16/2008
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There is a switch which connects the engine's alternator with the house battery allowing the engine to charge it. It is a three position switch. One position does as I just stated. The other position is to jump start your started battery by using the house battery. And the third position is 'off' which isolates the two systems. When you drive set the switch to charge the battery. When you park set it to off.
When plugged into shore power your converter should charge your house battery.
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tatest
Oklahoma
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You may have a house battery disconnect that separates the house battery from the converter-charger. When plugged in with battery disconnected, 12V stuff runs off converter but nothing gets to battery.
Don't know if Coachmen wires the disconnect this way, know that Winnebago does.
Tom Test
Itasca Spirit 29B
2001 Ranger Edge
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akronharry
Akron, Ohio
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Thanks to both of you for somes ideas. Does anyone know if there is a house battery disconnect on a Coachmen? Maybe I have it disconnected. I just finished trickle-charging the battery overnight and removed the fuses to see if the charge holds up for over a week. Again, I bought a new battery and it discharged in less then two weeks.
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jorn
Twin Cities
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akronharry wrote:Thanks to both of you for somes ideas. Does anyone know if there is a house battery disconnect on a Coachmen? Maybe I have it disconnected. I just finished trickle-charging the battery overnight and removed the fuses to see if the charge holds up for over a week. Again, I bought a new battery and it discharged in less then two weeks.
Coachmen should have said switch right inside the door and/or near the batteries.
2001 Coachmen Leprechaun 314SS (Acquired in July 2008)
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akronharry
Akron, Ohio
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Okay...stupid question...but when I have the shore line connected, should the switch be on "store" to recharge the battery or "on". I am pretty sure I have had it on the "store" position and the battery still drained.
Is there another switch I can look for that may be faulty?
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tatest
Oklahoma
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Mine says "connect" and "disconnect" but between "store" and "on" I would choose "on" for charging.
If the battery is draining on "store" I suggest an ammeter between one of the terminals and its cable, in "store" to see if there is a load that doesn't disconnect. Two weeks is too short a time for self-discharge to take a battery down to nothing, but a 1-amp load will do it.
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akronharry
Akron, Ohio
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thanks for the info tatest
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Dakzuki
Carnation, Wa, USA
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"Use" on mine connects the house battery to the house. It will then charge from shore power and when disconnected from shore power the house will draw on the house battery. "Store" disconnects the battery. The house will still have electricity if plugged into shore power.
On mine originally it would also connect the house battery to the engine charging circuit when the engine is running (factory Ford charge circuit). That function broke so I went to the below solution.
I have since changed it so both batteries will charge if either is charging from either electrical source (engine or power panel). I bought a Yandina battery combiner. Way better.
95 Chinook Premier
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jorn
Twin Cities
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I was just in my Coachmen (okay, not that the brand matters in this case, but anyway...) and I noticed that the TV booster was on. This can certainly leach juice from the batteries, and was probably doing that to mine.
So, go to all the TV Coax jacks and look for the itty-bitty switch and the equally small LED on one of the plates. Shut it off.
Just a thought. 
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