That model is the same as mine - different brand but the same unit. You were charging all of your batteries when you hooked the charger on one of them. If you go to http://www.toyota120.com/GenDocs/dualbattsep.pdf
you will find the instructions for hooking it up so you can use the back battery for starting if your main battery gets discharged. It only takes a #14 wire to activate that feature. I tried that after someone left the lights on all night and it worked fine.
Happy New Year
FMVan--nice link--that was the info I was missing. It looks like all it takes is a couple of inches of wire from the aux battery connection to the start spade connector.
That info would also imply that the 1315-200 should charge the van battery when the house batteries are being charged from shore power, or am I missing something? Everyone here says they don't get the van battery charged from shore power.
* This post was
edited 01/01/09 08:47am by booster *
booster wrote: ........That info would also imply that the 1315-200 should charge the van battery when the house batteries are being charged from shore power..........
Use a volt meter to know for sure. Read the voltage at the chassis battery when your van is plugged in. If it is more than 12.8v then both banks are charging.
FMVan wrote: ......... It only takes a #14 wire to activate that feature............
The 2 gauge cable I referred to in my previous post was about the cabling from the battery separator to the house batteries.
That is referenced in the pdf link you provided.
The 14 gauge wire is for the switch (and the lamp).
According to the schematics in the online '06 Roadtrek 190P owner manual they used 6 gauge cable and 50 amp breakers on the cable from the isolator to the house battery. In the online '08 Roadtrek 190P owner manual it shows they used a mix of 2 gauge and 4 gauge cable with a 80 amp breakers on the cable from the battery separator to the house battery.
Maybe your '07 is setup like the '08. I don't have an '07 manual to look at. Even if it is, do you think you would trip the 80 amp breakers when using the aux start feature?
FMVan - do you have breakers on that line in your installation?
Booster:
Marcopolo is right in that the only way to know for sure is the simple voltmeter test, but that device is supposed to charge both batteries from a charge applied to either one. A short wire is all that is needed for the start feature - I didn't mount a switch - simply used a wire with an alligator clip on each end. I don't think it was evan as big as a 14.
Marcopolo:
I did the installation myself and used the #2 wire from the main battery back. I didn't use use an inline breaker because of the starting feature - think it might pop an 80 amp breaker on a cold start since it is a diesel. Of course I was hoping not to have to use that feature at all. I am leary of jumping a battery from another vehicle - have heard that there could be some interaction problems with the modern electronics if the other vehicle is running.
I am planning on driving up the length of Vancouver Island in June - then taking the ferry from Point Hardy to Prince Rupert - then visit more of BC, the Yukon, and Alaska. I am really looking forward to the trip. I think I should allow quite a few days for Vancouver Island (?)
FMVan--The way you described it is the way I also interpretted the literature, but everyone has always said the house power won't charge the van battery, so I thought I was going nuts.
I just did all the combinations and checked the battery voltages. The van is inside, so I couldn't run it, but simulated it with a battery charger on the van battery.
As the literature says, when either battery has charging voltage on it, the isolator connects them. Shore power charges the house and van batteries. If you put a charger on the van battery, it also charges the house batteries.
This may be a change that happened with all the other changes in late 07, with the roof change, appliance relocations, table changes, etc. Ours has the new roof, etc, like the 08's. It does have the big wire to house batteries, same size as to the van battery from the isolator.
This is very good news to us as it gives us some things that past units probably didn't have, easy emergency starting and ability to charge the van battery from shore power, as well as having shore power going through to run van accessories like the dome lite, radio, 12v accessory plugs.
This has been a very useful discussion, especially for those of us with the updated systems. I think we all were still running on the old info (Roadtrek is kind of bad at informing folks of changes and how things work) that said the van battery was always isolated. Many thanks to all.
FMVan wrote: Booster:
I am planning on driving up the length of Vancouver Island in June - then taking the ferry from Point Hardy to Prince Rupert - then visit more of BC, the Yukon, and Alaska. I am really looking forward to the trip. I think I should allow quite a few days for Vancouver Island (?)
I am attached a link to the Vancouver Island Tourist Association, you should plan quite a few day, if you want any more info, i.e. campgrounds, etc. let me know. For sure you should see Victoria and Tofino, I don't know what you like to do, but you can sea kayak, and go on guided fishing tours, with luck you will see a lot of black bears when you get to the north island.
Rodger wrote: Here it is. You might need to get the extension cord, and the case is nice.
Check Amazon I think they are about 10$ to 15$ cheaper.
http://www.batterytender.com/default.php?cPath=11_3
Hey Rodger.
Do you plug in the Battery tender from an AC outlet and then into a cigarette lighter on your RT to charge or do you use the alligator clips directly? I just got my unit and of course there is no cigarette lighter plug. I am going to order the extension cord now but cannot find a cigarette lighter option on Amazon.
If you do not use the C-lighter, do you run the extension cord through a window (just open enough to let it through?) Or through the firewall? (Sorry for the many questions).
My Battery Tender Jr. came with alligator clips, but you will need to buy an extension cord with a 12 volt plug. I use the 12 volt plug, and plug it into the 12 volt receptacle on the dog house.
I don't see the 12 volt plug offered as an "Accessory" on their web site.
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Rodger wrote: My Battery Tender Jr. came with alligator clips, and a 12 volt plug. I use the 12 volt plug, and plug it into the 12 volt receptacle on the dog house.
I don't see the 12 volt plug offered as an "Accessory" on their web site. You might want to give the manufacture a call to see what's up.
I wonder if for some reason they discontinued the 12 volt plug.
Thanks Rodger. I think that is what happened. It could be that on some vans you have to have the key in the aux or run position make the plug live and perhaps there were enough complaints to the company that they decided to terminate the plug option and replace it with the Ring Terminal Harness. It's not a problem really. I can get around this by using the Ring Terminal Harness and just plug into that. It might safer actually.
Now what else do you have? I want a full detail list of ALL accessories you have for your B so I can keep up with you. I'm way behind!
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