| Author | Message | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Any comments, suggestions, ideas anyone has on the use, best wiring approach , type, etc. would be appreciated. I have a single large alternator, two 8D starting batteries and plan 6 colf cart, 210 AH, 6 volt house batteries,have a 2500 watt inverter, a 4k genset and a small solar panel to the start batteries. Thanx....  RCB | ||
| James Maxwell (Jmaxwell)
Rating: N/A |
On both of my buses I have used a continuous duty solenoid to connect the sets. On the Grumman I used the "R" terminal of the Delco alternator to activate the solenoid. On the Neoplan I use a rocker. Several solenoids available. Acme makes a 12 or 24 model rated at 400 amps continuous- costs 125 to 160, depending on which starter shop u get it from. Grainger has a 200 amp continuous for abt. $65. I originally used a set of diode isolators (rated at 175 amps each) on the Grumman---very pricey and they lasted less than 6 months before they melted down. They never were great, producing a lower voltage at the output than what was going in. | ||
| Lin Rating: N/A |
I use a manual marine switch. | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
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Hello R.C. If I continue/begin my Crown conversion, (what a disclaimer!) I will probably leave the "chassis" (bus) side the way it is and keep separate the "house" side. (the actual converted part) Normally the two "sides" will never interact. If for some reason, I need to use the house batteries to help start the chassis, will just cross over using jumper cables. A little redundant, but easier for me. CROWNS FOREVER!! | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Henry, that is what I have done as well, and want to leave it that way, but having said that, one still needs a way to cheaply recharge the house batts. As noted in my earlier post, I have redundancy, but am not quite settled on charging of the house system. Also, recharging the generator battery. I want to keep it simple, apparently the way you are thinking, but charging seems to be the number one priority. All my wiring is in great shape and there is no need to change things out. The relays work, the system is generally in very good condition and it seems to me only logical to use it. At this point the only thing I can figure is to run a 2/0 from the house batts to the alternator and connect the inverter to them as well. That takes care of the genset, and inverter and charging while running down the road, Or? The use of dome light wiring, seat light wiring, and fans for the rear heat exchagers are all integrated in the front panel, and I am having a time trying to decide just exactly how to isolate these things into the house system without feeding back thru the start batteries. I apperciate the input from everyone.... RCB | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
Rating: N/A |
Auugghhhh! I hate getting middle aged. Misread your post! Do you have a charger built into the invertor? If soos, then no problemo. Gen set to invertor charger to house batts. If no invertor charger, then perhaps the ... ...simplist may be to get a separate charger to run off the gen set, thus to the house batts? I do not know if I would try to use the big main alternator to do two jobs, one to charge the chassis starting batts...and to charge the house batts. Can be done, but controlling the thing would be a concern. Perhaps a little bit of redunctcy would be what I would do. CROWNS FOREVER!!! | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
Me wee little Crown does it this way: Dedicated and always connected to AC is a 65 amp Inteli-Power RV Converter w/Charge Wizard Option hooked permanently to the four- T105 house bank, which is a totally separate system from the original bus 12 volt system. When I'm on shore, the converter keeps the house batts happy, equalized, etc, and powers all the 12 volt "stuff" I've added to the bus, like lights, 120 watt inverter to power the computer, water pumps, stereo, etc. Then I stuck a 100 amp 12 volt solenoid between the house and the starting battery, and it gets energized ONLY when the key is either "on" or in "aux" position, AND a lighted toggle switch on the dash is turned on. Gotta be both. So when I'm home, I leave the key in "aux" and the switch on, and the house system keeps the starting battery happy as well as it's own T105-s. When I'm on the road, the ignition is on and the switch is on, and the bus alternator keeps the house batteries happy as well as the starting batt. When I'm in the boonies, I turn the switch off. Or if I forget, I never have reason to turn the key to "aux" so I have a backup dummy-proof built in. Then the two systems are totally separate. In three years I've only had to water the T105's about 3 times, have never had any problem of any kind, period. Quite a recommended system... | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Well, Gary....I understand your english....but while your sophistication and expertise are very admirable, I am not in the same league. As I recall, you are a EE or something similar. I'm just a guy, trying hard to do my best at converting a coach. So far, so good, but looks like I'll have to just experiment my way thru this part of it. Three and one half years into it and still working on many of the details..... Wish I understood your explanation. ....and thanx for tryin'. RCB | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
BTW....though I am wired 50 amp for shoreposwer, with transfer switch.....I've never used it...Guess you would say I am mostly a boondocker, using the genset as needed. RCB | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
RC, I guess I could draw you a diagram if you want. It's super simple. Yup I'm an EE but this is not complicated at all, sorry if I made it seem that way. Let me know if you want a diagram and I'll work on one later if so... G | ||
| james dean boggs (Jd_boggs)
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Gary- Maybe if you drew us a diagram I could follow your thoughts. I can read diagrams pretty well. For example: 1. do you need 4 charge wizards if you have 4 house batts? 2. you placed a 100 amp solenoid between the positive (+) post of the starting bat and the positive (+) post of the "house batts". Is this correct? 3. you ran a wire from the ignition switch (RUN position) to a toggle switch AND a wire from the toggle switch to the 100 amp solenoid (+) coils. Correct? thanks for helping us. Your hard work is appreciated. | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Thanx for the offer Gary...Iwill take you up on it, but as JD said in above post, it would help us all.... just remember who you are drawing for..... KISS.... . What the heck is a "Charge Wizard"?...why does one need a converter? What is the Best way (to what ) to run wire from the house batteries. Diagram preferred The flood gates opened...  Thanx, Gary RCB | ||
| Gary Stadler (Boogiethecat)
Rating: N/A |
The charge wizard is a little attachment that goes with the Inteli-Power RV Converter, which by itself is a cheap do-nothing 12 volt power supply, that turns it into a sophisticated converter/charger/equalizer. Only one per system is needed. The only charger/converter that this will work on is the intelli-power units. I chose that brand because I found one at an RV junkyard that was dead for five bucks, and all that was wrong with it was a bad internal fuse! So much for junkyard brains! But any 12 volt RV converter will work here as long as it's capacity is enough amps to run everything when you're plugged in to shore power. 40 amps or bigger will probably do for people who don't also run AC and microwaves with giant inverters on their house batteries.... If it's a "smart" converter that can do 3 stage battery charging and equalizing, all the better~. My four T105's are hooked in series-parallel to give me 12 volts, and I treat the entire bank electrically as if it were one single 12 volt battery #3 is correct (James Dean's post). Drawing on the way.... Here ya go http://www.heartmagic.com/zzbuswiring.jpg In the drawing is shown a little 1n4001 diode connected across the solenoid coil. What this is for is because without it, every time you turn the solenoid off, as it's magnetic field collapses it creates a voltage spike that can easily reach hundreds of volts, and that spike can do a lot of damage to electronics elsewhere in the bus. The diode gives it a safe place to go. It's a part number that you can get from radio shack or any electronics store for a quarter or so. Also, not included in the drawing are any fuses. I have a 100 amp fuse between the house batteries and the "rest of the world" that is not shown on the diagram, and of course the bus's orginal fuses are still there but not shown either... | ||
| Arthur J Griffith
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GARY THANKS for posting the info. ARTHUR | ||
| R.C.Bishop
Rating: N/A |
Gary...Thats GREAT... and thanx for the clarification. Now a question....I have an inverter 2500 watt....where does that fit into the picture and how does the genset get involved in this arrangement? At present the generator goes thru a transfer switch (as does shore power) to the inverter which recharges batteries, etc. And thanx for the heads up on Stainless. What a Great board this is (Thanx Ian!) RCB | ||
| Henry R. Bergman, Jr. (Henryofcj)
Rating: N/A |
Hey Gary and Mr. Bishop...Can you guys bottle up some of your Crown Super Coach conversion energy and sell some to me? He he he. Also, Gary, I too understood the English you used to describe your "simply" solution but the only problem is that I did not understand a single word of what you wrote!! Just kidding. CROWNS FORVER!!! |