low house battery

[Will Garner]

We have been hooked to AC for 2 days and this is the 2nd time the "Susie voice" has indicated a low house battery. Is there some way of preventing this? Please help. Many thanks.

[Ray Davis]

So, this could be indicative of a real problem, or an issue with Suzie. I guess the first is to determine if your house batteries are really low.

If they are low, why aren't they charging? Depending upon how you are wired, you should be charging via the interverters, or via separate converters.

If the batteries are up, and chargers are working, then it's a "suzie issue"

[Darl-Wilson]

Will, check the gauges for input and charge. "Suzie" can be turned off if that is the problem. I had a similar situation and found that my battery terminals were corroded. That is simple fix with some bicarb of soda and a little water. Apply corrosion protection to the posts and cables after cleaning the connection. This stuff can be purchased in any auto parts store or heavy grease will work. Make sure to turn off the inverters while working in this area and remove the negative cables 1st. More than likely your problem is something simple like this rather than a major problem. Post again after you have checked it out and we will try to get someone here to offer more advice. Good Luck!!

Darl

[Ray Davis]

If you don't have bicarb available, Coke does a pretty fair job!

[Will Garner]

Thanks one and all. The problem has been identified by two of the Parliament Coach staff here on site. The converters/chargers (75 amp each) are dead. The ceremony to lay them to rest is tomorrow at 8:00 AM. I made a trip to Buddy Gregg in Knoxville as he had the only 75 amp replacement within a 60 mile radius. Thought that could get me to home base but not today. I had help doing the install and when it was plugged into the duplex receptical - it went up in smoke. Camping World has two 60 amp converters/chargers in stock so I'll be on their door step at 8:00. Oh wait, that is ceremony time. Such is life. They took a hike on me so I'm just returning the favor.

I was supposed to be doing some work today that is time sensitive but that too will have to wait for another day. I am typing this by a battery powered super bright white LED light.

Again, thanks to all. We will be leaving "Susie" powered on so she can keep us posted as the house battery voltage drops over night. I ran the big motor to charge them up. The park has a no generator rule so I had no choice but to run the big motor. But officer, my generator is not running!

Later ...

[Ray Davis]

The park has a no generator rule so I had no choice but to run the big motor. But officer, my generator is not running!

Good deal that you found it. It's not clear that running your generator would charge the batteries either. I would assume that it simply provides AC to your chargers, which are dead, regardless.

So, running the big motor is most likely your only recourse at the moment. AT least it should be straight forward to replace the converters. There are much better converter chargers available today, than were available many years ago, so you'll be better off in the long run.

Ray

[Joe Cannarozzi]

Ray our Hickox has the ability to charge the house, in a pinch, off of the gen. alternator.

We have a 12 volt equalizer switch that we can throw that will give house juice to the gen. battery when it is low or dead or allow the gen. alt. to charge the house if needed.

Will couldn't you just buy a small automotive battery charger and hook it to the house batteries to get you by? Did you figure out why the new gear cooked??????

[Ray Davis]

Will couldn't you just buy a small automotive battery charger and hook it to the house batteries to get you by? Did you figure out why the new gear cooked??????

Great idea Joe.

[Joe Cannarozzi]

That had to be a real sinking feeling when those new chargers went up in smoke. I'm very curious as to why, and surprised too, especially concidering all the support he has to feed off of out there.

[patty lou evans]

I just recently purchased a 1985 prevost marathon coach and am having similar problems. We have been told that our electrical system is outdated and that we have one shorted out battery in the bus and therefore battery charger will not work until this battery is replaced. we are now in a two week waiting period for the replacement battery. we are currently located in an rv park and plugged into 50 amp and we're having to run our coach motor to charge batteries,etc... should this situation be as it is? Or, are we just not understanding the workings of this coach's electrical system?