auxiliary batteries


suzloo

New Member
I have purched a 84 winnebago class A I'm having trouble with batteries. I have a car battery and a deap cell battery hocked up for the auxiliay battery system. I know this is wrong but I don't know what type of batteries to use. Do I use two 27 Deep cell batteries. Or should I use 6 volt batteries. Also what size should I use as the main engine battery?
 

Poppa

Member
auxiliary batteries

Suzloo,
First off do you have the two 12 volt batteries hooked up in parralel, that is positive to positive and negative to negative so in essence you have one BIG 12 battery.

If you do, this won't work because one batery will try abd charge the otherand vise or versa. Over a period of time they will both go daed as a hammer.

Normelly a good 100 ampere hour battery will work.

Let me know what you are having problems with exactly or what you are trying to accomplish.
 

suzloo

New Member
auxiliary batteries

The batteries were hooked up like this when I got the rig. How should they be hooked up? Bob
 

Poppa

Member
auxiliary batteries

BOB, Hmmm where does Suzloo come from :cool: .

Any who, nornally you have 2 batteries, 1 for the engine and 1 for the coach or house power.

Most RV's are set up with an aautomatic system that will let both the coach battery and the engine battery charge while running down the road.
When you shut down the engine the house battery will do what it is suppose to and the engine battery is automatically isolated so you can start up and go when you want too.
The house battery normally charges off the auxillary generator or shore power.

Now for a direct answer to your question with a question, are these batteries strictly for you coach? Do you have a separate battery for your engine?
 

Poppa

Member
auxiliary batteries

The batteries should not be hooked up together. As stated earlier, they will basiclally fight each other.

The engine battery should be hooked up separately from the coach battery or you are going to wind up getting jumped off or trying to push start that thing.

If it would be easier for you, E-mail me and I will send you my phone number so we can talk about whats going on.

Let us know the outcome.
 

ARCHER

Senior Member
auxiliary batteries

Bob,
I have a 89 Winnebago Chieftain. It has one battery for the engine and two deep cycle/maintenance free aux batteries for the coach items. There is a switch on the dash that I cycle while driving that will allow the alternator to charge both the engine battery and the coach batteries.
When I stop and turn off engine for gasing up, I switch back to just the engine battery for starting, then switch over to all again for driving. When I am set up at site, I use the aux batteries for running all my inside stuff (lights, hot water tank starter, furnace starter, etc.). They are charged while I am hooked up to shorepower. The two aux batteries are connected in parallel. There is a solenoid that that bypasses the engine battery while I am at the site, so the main battery for engine is not used or charged while sitting at the site. Hope this helps you some. It was all explained in my owner's manual. Good luck and welcome to the forum. ;)
 

Poppa

Member
auxiliary batteries

Archer,

Do you have a problem with your batteries draining down if your rv sets for several weeks, and not hooked up to shore power.

Just curious?
 

ARCHER

Senior Member
auxiliary batteries

Poppa,
I have owned it for 3 1/2 years (bought it used with 5,800 miles on it). Replaced the engine battery last spring (had a small light on in door panel and didn't know it, so it drained it down to zero level and would not take a charge, but got it replaced at Wal-Mart for free, since previous owner gave me receipt). The two aux batteries are maintenance free so I can't even check the fluid levels. The two aux batteries have been in it for almost 4 years now and so far work just fine and keep a charge.
Now, to answer your question. When I get home in the spring (first of April) from wintering in Florida I park the RV, do some maintenance work (black/grey, fridge, etc.) and then it basically sits there until Oct when I get ready to head South again. I do not plug it into shorepower while it is sitting all summer (approx 5=6 months) but I do start the generator about every 2-3 weeks and let it run for about 15-20 minutes. I will also start up the engine and run it only for about 5 minutes or just until it starts to get up to temp. That is all I really do, and so far, the batteries have held up real good. I do plan on putting in an outside 30amp line on a separate circuit and hook up the shorepower this summer, but not to leave it on all summer, just to charge the aux batteries every so often. :) :laugh: :cool:
 

Poppa

Member
auxiliary batteries

Archer,
Thanks that clears up some cob webs :blackeye: , so in essence your batteries do get charged every so often. That is the point I was trying to make to Bob the new RV'er, that you can't just let it set for a long period of time :( . Motorhome is like a good woman have to give them the attention :approve: they need or its katty bar the doors :dead: . (Who wants an RV to set anyway)
 
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