Coach batteries will not charge

[famecity]

Sent: 11/7/2005

Where are the diodes located that provide current to charge coach batteries? I do not know if they are in the engine, generator or on the batteries.  When are they supposed to charge? If I can find the regulator, I should be able to correct.

[OldEdBrady]

Sent: 11/7/2005 10:13 PM

The problem might be your coach batteries, and it will cost you only time and a little elctricity to find out.

Put a charger on the battery/battieries.  Let it run.  If there's still no charge, guess what?

I had the same problem with the Whny Beggar.  It was the battery we were using.  Replaced it, and the problem is long gone.

[Cooneytoones]

Sent: 11/7/2005

Depending on the model you have , you should have a switch on the dash that says dual / main / MOM.....when you are driving having the switch in dual mode your alternator is charging both the vehicle (engine starting) battery and the house (coach) battery....when it is in single or main mode you are only charging the vehicle (starting) battery....The MOM is a momentary switch to give a little extra boost (from both batteries) if needed to start.  When plugged into shore line keep the swich on main or single mode...your converter has an automatic charging unit in it, and charges both batteries...  even if it's working they are not very efficiant and will not charge a dead battery...I added a small battery charger under my couch that plugs in, drilled a hole in the floor ran the charging clips down to the battery compartment, if needed I have a real charger to charge either battery once plugged into shoreline (this is the cheapest way to do it...you can spend a hundred or more for a battery monitoring system with a 3 stage charging will cost about $150...the other you can do for the price of a charger at Wal-mart........If running on the house battery (dry camping) make sure that the dash swictch is in the single mode or you will drain both batteries....and you'll have to walk out of Dodge or get jumped....The only time you should put it in dual mode is when the engine is running....if you alternator is good, it will charge both batteries up to full..as long as both batteries are in decient shape...make sure you are using a deep cycle battery for the house...and a staring battery for the engine......starting batteries do not like to be drained then charged and then drained etc. too many times, but deep cycle batteries are made for just that. I'm using one Wal-mart Marine Starting Battery about 850 cca and 2 Wal-mart Marine Max-life deep cycle batteies they are about 125 Amp Hours each.

Timmy

[famecity]

Sent: 11/8/2005

Timmy.....Thanks. That explains a lot. We never put it in dual mode until now

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Sent: 11/8/2005

Just remember that the 727 transmission is not designed to be run at idle in park for extended periods of time (say to charge the batteries).  The pump in the transmission does not operate in park or nuetral.  Running it like that can damage the transmission.  I think I have found out about it the hard way.  Use a battery charger run on shore power or a generator if your not going to be driving the rig a fair distance.

Dave

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Sent: 6/25/2006

With a WHOLE lot of tinkering (check the message boards and my posts), I finally, with Tom's (Slantsixness's) help got my alternator to start charging my coach batteries while running...but while sitting?  There is/was/is still a drain...the solution, since my old model Phillip's converter doesn't charge batteries?  Check my posts!  Long story short, I wired in a marine battery charger, hardwired to the AC system and to both the starting and coach batteries.

Kev