Dry Camping Time

[lbrachfe]

How long do owners with 6, 8d batteries in an all electric coach expect the batteries to last boondocking before having to turn the genset on ? This is with the frig on and all the usual parasitic electrical devices running ?

[tuga]

It depends on the age of your batteries and their amp hour rating. My 6 house batteries are AGM 8Ds which have 255 amp hours each and they are 6 years old.

From a full charge I can run the refrigerator/freezer, a few lights, and make some coffee for about 18 hours. With only the refrigerator/freezer I can go about 24 hours. When the batteries were new the voltage would last longer; about 24 hours.

When your Link 2000 shows your house battery voltage going down to 12.25v I would start my generator to charge the batteries back up. 12.00v is a DEAD battery, so you don't want to go too low. Be sure to turn your battery merge button OFF while you are dry camping. When you start the generator, be sure to turn the battery merge button back ON to charge the house batteries.

[RussWhite]

Tuga,

I am a bit confused by your statement:

When you start the generator, be sure to turn the battery merge button back ON to charge the house batteries. Yesterday 10:04 PMWhen you start the generator, be sure to turn the battery merge button back ON to charge the house batteries.

When I start my generator that powers the inverter that contains the charger for the house batteries. If I wanted to charge my chassis batteries, I would turn on the merge switch and charge them in parallel with the house batteries.

Russ

[tuga]

Hi Russ,

I was told by Newell that when dry camping I should put the battery merge switch in the middle (off ) position. That way as my house batteries were being drained my chassis batteries would not be drained down by the house lights, refrigerator, etc.

Conversely, when I start my generator to charge the house batteries I must put the battery merge switch in the up position (on) so that the battery charger in the inverter can be powered up.

The only other way the house batteries can be charged is if the engine is running; then the alternator charges the house batteries thru the ignition switch.

Maybe I misunderstood, I'll call Tommy Key at Newell Monday and ask him to "splain" it to me again.

I always thought that unless the battery merge switch is on your house batteries can not be charged. I thought the purpose of the merge switch (which is labled Park Only) was to keep you from running down all 8 batteries. With the merge switch off you would only run down the house batteries. That would save the chassis batteries to start the generator so you could re-charge the house batteries.

[lbrachfe]

Thanks for all the help guys, although a little confusing on the merge switch location. If you spoke with Tommy, what was the final opinion ?

[rheavn]

I am currently dry camping and do so often. I run the genset 2hrs in the am & 2 hrs in the pm. I do not use the merge switch. I've used this method for many years without problems.

[chockwald]

Steve, although my coach is certainly 17 years older, and much lower tech, I do the same, and my batteries do just fine without playing with the merge switch. Spent 5 days dry camping last week, and my batteries barely went down to 90%.

[Wally Arntzen]

I installed a charger in my coach approx 6 years ago that has three charging legs. On the Newells we have only 2 different sets of battries so my 3rd one is empty. With the generator on or being plugged in it will only charge the bank of battries that need charging. I never use my merge switch for anything. My inverter is a seperate unit that has been with the coach forever. Once my batteries are fully charged they will only be charged as they need to and if there is no draw on them it will charge them every week or more. I got rid of the original charger shortley after getting my coach and carry it with me for a spare.

[tuga]

Thanks for all the help guys, although a little confusing on the merge switch location. If you spoke with Tommy, what was the final opinion ?

Newell Coach is open Mon-Thurs 6:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Sorry I didn't get a chance to call him on Thursday. However, I did talk with Russ and he explained it. The generator runs the inverter/charger and it is wired directly to the house batteries. Therefore, the Battery Merge switch does NOT have to be on (up or down position) to charge the batteries. Putting it in the middle (off position) keeps you from running down your chassis batteries saving them to start your generator.

My Battery Merge switch is located on the bank of 15 switches on the right side of my dash board. Starting from the left it is the 3rd switch moving to the right.

As you know, your battery merge switch could be anywhere depending on the age of your coach. It may be labled "Park Only".

Hope this helps.

[lbrachfe]

Thanks again everyone...Trying the 2 hr in am and 2 hr in pm without touching the merge..My batteries are new and wanted to keep them that way...

Larry & Hedy Brachfeld
2003 2 slide #646

[JohnC]

Deleted double post

[JohnC]

Thanks for all the help guys, although a little confusing on the merge switch location. If you spoke with Tommy, what was the final opinion ?

Reference the 'confusion':

Given Newell’s 44 years of continuing improvements, along with the custom building of every coach, there have been a lot of changes over the years. One example of change is that all new production coaches use the Silverleaf Total House system to automatically bridge the start and chassis batteries based on voltage and source.

A number of years ago Newell used a Heart/Xantrex Echo Charger to maintain the start batteries when on shore power, along with an isolator for charging both battery banks from the engine. Although labeled a charger, the Echo charger was actually a controller, as it diverted a maximum of 15 amps from the house battery charger to the start batteries. If you were dry camped and wanted to maximize start-battery charging while the generator was running, we recommended you use the merge switch to override the 15 amp Echo charging limitation.

Newell also discontinued the three-way merge switch in favor of a two position switch, when we determined we could use a relay to overcome the problem of power loss to the merge switch when one battery bank was dead. For those having a three way switch, both the up and the down positions will normally merge the battery banks, but if one bank is dead you will have to 'experiment' with which position will actually activate the merge solenoid.

Use of an isolator was discontinued, when the Silverleaf Total House system took control of all battery bridging functions. Yet some items on your coach remain much the same, like the tried-and-true 'battery merge' switch which is now labeled 'emergency start', but still allows you to override auto-bridging systems, and merge both battery banks with the flip of the switch.

Bottom line- Given product improvements and custom building, every Newell is different, so always keep in mind that one owner’s solution may not be applicable to your coach. This can be true even if your coach is of the same year, or even within one coach number of a coach being discussed on this forum.

John Clark

Experience is something you gain shortly after you really could have used it.

[lbrachfe]

Thanks John,
Spoke with Tommy K on this a couple of days ago and he agreed that 2hrs in am and pm without touching the merge (emergency start) was my best bet...appreciate your following and offering guidance.

Larry Brachfeld
2003 #646

[JohnC]

Generator usage for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon should be fine with a system having an Echo charger, and providing the merge switch had been in the off position during drawdown.

In another life as a fulltimer, and spending lots of time dry camping, I used the inverter/charger amp meter to determine my generator run time for each day of running. When the charging amps dropped to what I considered 'minimal gain', I would usually shut down my generator unless I was running a high inverter load such as a microwave.

For those not familiar with the Echo charger; on most coaches having one, it's located behind the main engine door, in the compartment under the hydraulic tank. If the coach is on shore power, the indicator light should be green

[lbrachfe]

Thanks again for your prompt and most valued information....

Larry Brachfeld
2003 #646