Boharris
Olive Branch, Mississippi
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When i bought my '75 class C, the PO had the Batt/Trans switch wires as follows: top wire labeled BATT going to the chassis battery. Middle wire going to the fuse block. Bottom wire going to the Gen/House battery. He said the converter went out a long time ago. When i by a converter, how should i wire it in? I found this out when the BATT side would not work. I couldn't find a 2 position rocker switch with 3 poles, so i bought a 3 position toggle. I wired it in just the same, except the middle switch position cuts the power off. I rather like this method so i can just cut all power to avoid having anything left on to drain. Good or Bad move? where should the converter go? My logic is telling me to wire it direct to the fuse block. If i do that, when shore power is hooked up, will it charge the battery i have selected on the toggle?
Sorry all the questions at once, but it all kinda ties together.
1975 Dodge Sportsman 20ft Open Road.
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smkettner
Southern California
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Generally the converter should go direct to the house battery. Maybe a fuse but no switches. You could add a switch or combiner to send power to the chassis battery if needed.
2001 F150 SuperCrew
2006 Keystone Springdale 249FWBHLS
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Boharris
Olive Branch, Mississippi
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So the house battery keeps all the lights burning and the coverter keeps the house battery charged? I thought the coverter powered the lights and ALSO charged the house battery. But i'm new at this game and it's all a guess at this point.
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smkettner
Southern California
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Yes the converter, house battery, lights and accessories are basically on one system. If the converter is plugged in it will supply about 13.6 volts, run the lights, charge the battery, etc. When you unplug, the battery will then continue to supply about 12.5 volts until depleted.
The engine, chassis battery for starting, headlights etc are on a separate system. Although the alternator provides about 13.6 volts to run these systems once the engine is started. Alternator should also send some power to charge the house battery through an isolator. I think this isolator is the device you described in the first post.
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Boharris
Olive Branch, Mississippi
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The isolator is under the hood. The switch is a 2 position rocker with BATT on the top and TRANS on the bottom. He had this hooked up so in the BATT position the lights would work with the chassis battery and in the TRANS the lights run off the Gen/House battery. There is not a converter at all. He said it stopped working years ago and he took it out. The Isolator works, i have checked it with a meter on both the chassie and the house battery. I just don't know where to tie in the converter when i get one to make sure it runs the 12v stuff and charges my battery. What i have seen so far, a converter has a lead to run the camper 12v system and another lead to go to the house battery to charge.
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Boharris
Olive Branch, Mississippi
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AH HA!. i just pulled the BATT/TRANS switch out of the wall, on the back it says: BATT (top-Black wire) post goes to the converter. The blue (middle) post goes to the fuse block. The TRANS (bottom-red wire) goes to the RV battery. Makes better sense now.
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OnaQuest
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The original converter in an RV that old probably did have two outputs. Probably an old Magnatek 63XX) One output was for charging the batteries and another feeding the DC fuse panel (lights, etc). When power was removed from the converter input, a relay would transfer (drop out) and the batteries would be connected to the lights and DC circuits.
Newer converters have only one output that is wired to perform both functions. Manufacturers finally realized that the battery itself made a good filter, and now leave it in the circuit all the time.
I'm having difficulty realizing the use, and benefit, of the switch that you describe.
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Boharris
Olive Branch, Mississippi
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Looks like original switch. Best i can tell, if the switch is in the BATT position, the 12v's ran off the converter. In the TRANS position the 12v's ran direct off house batt. But you could be right about a relay. It could have been taken out years ago too. I'll post a couple of pic's. The back says to a PC-151-MR-2 converter. (guess that means an old one!
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Boharris
Olive Branch, Mississippi
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Boharris
Olive Branch, Mississippi
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Now i'm beginning to wonder if inside my Kohler Genset control panel, could the relay you are talking about be in there. I have no clue what is happening inside the control panel. I don't have a manual for it. All i know a this point is the genset works and charges the house battery and supplies my 110. Everything is working. There is a wire run under the camper going to the battery and then to this BATT/TRANS switch.
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