Wanderlodge Gurus - The Member Funded Wanderlodge Forum

My one year old battery on the generator was discharged enough to not turn over
the motor
this spring. I could start the generator by pushing the button that connects
house and
generator batteries. I assumed it was low from sitting all winter but after
driving about 75
miles, battery is still weak. I assumed the main engine alternator would charge
the generator
battery. Is this assumption mistaken? Is the generator battery only charged
from 110 volts?
It doesn't seem likely that a battery would fail in just one year (although not
altogether out of
the question).

Kerry
82 Fc 35
Denver

Kerry,

On my Perkins/kohler generator the generator battery is charged by the
generator itself. It is done through he control box with rectifier and
other electronic gadgets. You can probably tell if this is your setup by
looking at the control box and see if it has an ammeter on it. It will
probably only have a max of about 10 amps. There was a modification on some
of the old birds adding a diode near the solenoid under the step to allow
main batteries to charge the generator battery if the generator wasn't run
enough to keep it's battery charged.

Chet Geist
1981 FC33, Austin, Texas
-----Original Message-----
From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of davidkerryedwards
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:10 PM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] How is generator battery charged on an 82 FC?


My one year old battery on the generator was discharged enough to not turn
over the motor
this spring. I could start the generator by pushing the button that
connects house and
generator batteries. I assumed it was low from sitting all winter but
after driving about 75
miles, battery is still weak. I assumed the main engine alternator would
charge the generator
battery. Is this assumption mistaken? Is the generator battery only
charged from 110 volts?
It doesn't seem likely that a battery would fail in just one year
(although not altogether out of
the question).

Kerry
82 Fc 35
Denver






[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Thanks. I'll assume that's the case until I find out otherwise. I haven't run
the generator
much at all so that would account for the low battery.

Kerry
82 Fc 35
Denver

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "chet geist" wrote:
>
> Kerry,
>
> On my Perkins/kohler generator the generator battery is charged by the
> generator itself. It is done through he control box with rectifier and
> other electronic gadgets. You can probably tell if this is your setup by
> looking at the control box and see if it has an ammeter on it. It will
> probably only have a max of about 10 amps. There was a modification on some
> of the old birds adding a diode near the solenoid under the step to allow
> main batteries to charge the generator battery if the generator wasn't run
> enough to keep it's battery charged.
>
> Chet Geist
> 1981 FC33, Austin, Texas
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of davidkerryedwards
> Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:10 PM
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] How is generator battery charged on an 82 FC?
>
>
> My one year old battery on the generator was discharged enough to not turn
> over the motor
> this spring. I could start the generator by pushing the button that
> connects house and
> generator batteries. I assumed it was low from sitting all winter but
> after driving about 75
> miles, battery is still weak. I assumed the main engine alternator would
> charge the generator
> battery. Is this assumption mistaken? Is the generator battery only
> charged from 110 volts?
> It doesn't seem likely that a battery would fail in just one year
> (although not altogether out of
> the question).
>
> Kerry
> 82 Fc 35
> Denver
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>

The genset battery was set up at the factory to charge from the
convertor or the 3208 alternator. A solid state battery isolator is
mounted in the battery compartment to prevent the generator battery
from discharging along with the coach batteries. (Only two of the
three terminals are used on the isolator because the isoloater was
not used for the coach batteries.) From the isolater there is a
cable that runs along the streetside frame rail until it crosses over
to the generator tray. On its way to the genset, the charge cable
from the isolator stops at the combiner relay which activates from
your dash switch. (From the other side of that combiner relay another
cable runs to the 3208 cranking motor. This is where the power comes
from to start the genset when you hit the dash switch.)

The factory design was not exactly intuitive. It takes some time with
the wiring diagrams to realize how their design works. Some coaches
have been modified in an attempt to "fix" the way BB wired it
(although it was not broken in the first place). You need to be sure
the original setup or some viable substitute is in place and working
or the genset battery will end up dead.

Also, lots of coaches have been upgraded for separate house and
cranking batteries. If this has been done, charging current for the
genset might have been overlooked in the re-design.

Bob Griesel '84 FC31 WLII WA

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "davidkerryedwards"
wrote:
>
> Thanks. I'll assume that's the case until I find out otherwise. I
haven't run the generator
> much at all so that would account for the low battery.
>
> Kerry
> 82 Fc 35
> Denver
>
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "chet geist"
wrote:
> >
> > Kerry,
> >
> > On my Perkins/kohler generator the generator battery is charged
by the
> > generator itself. It is done through he control box with
rectifier and
> > other electronic gadgets. You can probably tell if this is your
setup by
> > looking at the control box and see if it has an ammeter on it.
It will
> > probably only have a max of about 10 amps. There was a
modification on some
> > of the old birds adding a diode near the solenoid under the step
to allow
> > main batteries to charge the generator battery if the generator
wasn't run
> > enough to keep it's battery charged.
> >
> > Chet Geist
> > 1981 FC33, Austin, Texas
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> > [mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of
davidkerryedwards
> > Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:10 PM
> > To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> > Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] How is generator battery charged on
an 82 FC?
> >
> >
> > My one year old battery on the generator was discharged enough
to not turn
> > over the motor
> > this spring. I could start the generator by pushing the button
that
> > connects house and
> > generator batteries. I assumed it was low from sitting all
winter but
> > after driving about 75
> > miles, battery is still weak. I assumed the main engine
alternator would
> > charge the generator
> > battery. Is this assumption mistaken? Is the generator battery
only
> > charged from 110 volts?
> > It doesn't seem likely that a battery would fail in just one
year
> > (although not altogether out of
> > the question).
> >
> > Kerry
> > 82 Fc 35
> > Denver
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
> >
>

Ah ha. I've seen what I think is that isolate in the house battery compartment
mounted on
the back wall. There is a heavy cable that is pretty obviously disconnected
from that
isolator. I have no idea why, but this could easily be the cable of which you
speak and
would account for the dead battery. Any idea why someone might disconnect that
cable?
It does seem as though the voltage meter on the generator reads higher when the
main
engine is running.

Kerry
82 Fc 35
Denver
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "freewill2008" wrote:
>
> The genset battery was set up at the factory to charge from the
> convertor or the 3208 alternator. A solid state battery isolator is
> mounted in the battery compartment to prevent the generator battery
> from discharging along with the coach batteries. (Only two of the
> three terminals are used on the isolator because the isoloater was
> not used for the coach batteries.) From the isolater there is a
> cable that runs along the streetside frame rail until it crosses over
> to the generator tray. On its way to the genset, the charge cable
> from the isolator stops at the combiner relay which activates from
> your dash switch. (From the other side of that combiner relay another
> cable runs to the 3208 cranking motor. This is where the power comes
> from to start the genset when you hit the dash switch.)
>
> The factory design was not exactly intuitive. It takes some time with
> the wiring diagrams to realize how their design works. Some coaches
> have been modified in an attempt to "fix" the way BB wired it
> (although it was not broken in the first place). You need to be sure
> the original setup or some viable substitute is in place and working
> or the genset battery will end up dead.
>
> Also, lots of coaches have been upgraded for separate house and
> cranking batteries. If this has been done, charging current for the
> genset might have been overlooked in the re-design.
>
> Bob Griesel '84 FC31 WLII WA

If I understand Bob's post correctly, that cable being disconnected would also
mean you would not have been able to start the generator by using the dash
combiner switch, yet you were, so??

Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Eureka, CA

On 6/28/2007 at 8:35 PM davidkerryedwards wrote:

>Ah ha. I've seen what I think is that isolate in the house battery
>compartment mounted on
>the back wall. There is a heavy cable that is pretty obviously
>disconnected from that
>isolator. I have no idea why, but this could easily be the cable of which
>you speak and
>would account for the dead battery. Any idea why someone might disconnect
>that cable?
>It does seem as though the voltage meter on the generator reads higher
>when the main
>engine is running.
>
>Kerry
>82 Fc 35
>Denver

> Ah ha. I've seen what I think is that isolator in
> the house battery compartment mounted on the back wall.
> There is a heavy cable that is pretty obviously
> disconnected from that isolator. I have no idea why,
> but this could easily be the cable of which you speak
> and would account for the dead battery.

For the genset charge circuit to work, there needs to be
a short cable from the center of the isolator to the
coach batteries, and a long one from one end of the
isolator to the combiner relay. If one of those is
disconnected, you have probably found the problem.

> Any idea why someone might disconnect that cable?

Good question. As I said, the BB system doesn't make a
lot of sense to the casual observer. It would be good
to follow the cables to make sure you don't connect one
end of a cable that has been left bare against the frame
at the other end.

There are copies of the starting/charging system wiring
diagram around. If you can't get hold of one I could
try to scan and post one of mine.

> It does seem as though the voltage meter on the
> generator reads higher when the main engine is running.

When alternator is spinning or the converter is running
you should see the voltage jump up about 1.5 volts. Watch
he meter carefully while someone else starts/stops the
3208.

I spent a lot of time and got plenty dirty before I was
sure what I had for wiring in our bus. There was stuff
disconnected on ours that didn't make any sense either.

BobG


>
> Kerry
> 82 Fc 35
> Denver
> --- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "freewill2008"
wrote:
> >
> > The genset battery was set up at the factory to charge from the
> > convertor or the 3208 alternator. A solid state battery isolator
is
> > mounted in the battery compartment to prevent the generator
battery
> > from discharging along with the coach batteries. (Only two of the
> > three terminals are used on the isolator because the isoloater
was
> > not used for the coach batteries.) From the isolater there is a
> > cable that runs along the streetside frame rail until it crosses
over
> > to the generator tray. On its way to the genset, the charge
cable
> > from the isolator stops at the combiner relay which activates
from
> > your dash switch. (From the other side of that combiner relay
another
> > cable runs to the 3208 cranking motor. This is where the power
comes
> > from to start the genset when you hit the dash switch.)
> >
> > The factory design was not exactly intuitive. It takes some time
with
> > the wiring diagrams to realize how their design works. Some
coaches
> > have been modified in an attempt to "fix" the way BB wired it
> > (although it was not broken in the first place). You need to be
sure
> > the original setup or some viable substitute is in place and
working
> > or the genset battery will end up dead.
> >
> > Also, lots of coaches have been upgraded for separate house and
> > cranking batteries. If this has been done, charging current for
the
> > genset might have been overlooked in the re-design.
> >
> > Bob Griesel '84 FC31 WLII WA
>

It depends on which cable is been disconnected.

If only the cable from the isolator to the combiner relay is
disconnected, then the genset will start with the dash combiner, but
there will be no charging current going to the genset battery from
the converter and/or the 3208 alternator.

If only the cable from the 3208 starter to the other side of the
combiner relay is disconnected, there will be charging current going
to the genset battery but the dash combiner switch will not work.

If both cables going from the front of the coach to the combiner are
disconnected, or the cable from the combiner to the genset battery is
disconnected, then the dash combiner won't work *and* the genset
battery won't get any charge from the converter and/or 3208
alternator.

BobG

>
> If I understand Bob's post correctly, that cable being disconnected
would also mean you would not have been able to start the generator
by using the dash combiner switch, yet you were, so??
>
> Don Bradner
> 90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
> Eureka, CA
>
> On 6/28/2007 at 8:35 PM davidkerryedwards wrote:
>
> >Ah ha. I've seen what I think is that isolate in the house battery
> >compartment mounted on
> >the back wall. There is a heavy cable that is pretty obviously
> >disconnected from that
> >isolator. I have no idea why, but this could easily be the cable
of which
> >you speak and
> >would account for the dead battery. Any idea why someone might
disconnect
> >that cable?
> >It does seem as though the voltage meter on the generator reads
higher
> >when the main
> >engine is running.
> >
> >Kerry
> >82 Fc 35
> >Denver
>

It'll be a day or two before I can get out to the storage lot and scope things
out. I'll try to
determine what has been disconnected. I know the switch that joins the two
batteries
together is working and I'm pretty sure that I've seen the voltage on the
generator volt
meter increase once I started the 3208. I suppose it's possible that I just
have a bad
connection at the generator battery and the extra power of the two batteries is
overcoming
the bad connection. But in any case, I've known that a wire was disconnected
from the
isolator and I figured that someday something would happen which would require
me to
figure out why.
I'm not a big generator user. In fact, I used the coach all last summer and
fall without any
battery problems. So, if push came to shove, I could just stick a battery
charger on the
generator battery and it could last me another season without recharging!

Kerry
82 FC 35
Denver

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "freewill2008" wrote:
>
> It depends on which cable is been disconnected.
>
> If only the cable from the isolator to the combiner relay is
> disconnected, then the genset will start with the dash combiner, but
> there will be no charging current going to the genset battery from
> the converter and/or the 3208 alternator.
>
> If only the cable from the 3208 starter to the other side of the
> combiner relay is disconnected, there will be charging current going
> to the genset battery but the dash combiner switch will not work.
>
> If both cables going from the front of the coach to the combiner are
> disconnected, or the cable from the combiner to the genset battery is
> disconnected, then the dash combiner won't work *and* the genset
> battery won't get any charge from the converter and/or 3208
> alternator.
>
> BobG
>
> >
> > If I understand Bob's post correctly, that cable being disconnected
> would also mean you would not have been able to start the generator
> by using the dash combiner switch, yet you were, so??
> >
> > Don Bradner
> > 90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
> > Eureka, CA
> >
> > On 6/28/2007 at 8:35 PM davidkerryedwards wrote:
> >
> > >Ah ha. I've seen what I think is that isolate in the house battery
> > >compartment mounted on
> > >the back wall. There is a heavy cable that is pretty obviously
> > >disconnected from that
> > >isolator. I have no idea why, but this could easily be the cable
> of which
> > >you speak and
> > >would account for the dead battery. Any idea why someone might
> disconnect
> > >that cable?
> > >It does seem as though the voltage meter on the generator reads
> higher
> > >when the main
> > >engine is running.
> > >
> > >Kerry
> > >82 Fc 35
> > >Denver
> >
>

The charging circuit is in the control box and is nothing more that an
unregulated trickle charger. I mounted a charger under the rear dinette
seat nest to the generator regulator. It is a regulated marine unit that
charges from the AC either from shore power or the generator.



- Chuck Wheeler -

82 FC 31 SB

Fort Worth, TX

_____

From: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of davidkerryedwards
Sent: Thursday, June 28, 2007 1:10 PM
To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] How is generator battery charged on an 82 FC?



My one year old battery on the generator was discharged enough to not turn
over the motor
this spring. I could start the generator by pushing the button that connects
house and
generator batteries. I assumed it was low from sitting all winter but after
driving about 75
miles, battery is still weak. I assumed the main engine alternator would
charge the generator
battery. Is this assumption mistaken? Is the generator battery only charged
from 110 volts?
It doesn't seem likely that a battery would fail in just one year (although
not altogether out of
the question).

Kerry
82 Fc 35
Denver





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]