Does solar chg batt with switch off

rream · 10-28-2010, 08:16 AM

More than a little paranoid here as last year I froze all batteries in winter storage.

This year I was told that if I had battery cut off switch in the off position I would not drain batteries if I started off with fully charged batteries, and be OK. That said if I would get a little drain would my factory solar panel charge the batteries since I have that switch off.

The motor home is already at the storage lot and all my manuals are in it.

RCtime · 10-28-2010, 09:29 AM

Yes the 10W solar charger will charge your house batteries with the battery cut off switch off.
However depending on what year model of coach you have,you may or may not have a trikL start installed as standard from the factory, so please include your coaches complete ID.
If you do have the trikLstart then in order to have the chassis batteries charged thecutoff switch should be in the on position.
Its a simple wire change on your battery isolator solonoid to change this to have it charge both batteries with it in the off position.
However on my coach I had to add an additional 10 W solar to supplement the standard 10Wsolar 20W total do to the low winter sun and short sunlit days.
Even then when it was a lot of rainy cloudy days a generator exercise topped everything up.

rream · 10-28-2010, 10:13 AM

The MH is an 08 Voyage 35L

RCtime · 10-28-2010, 02:15 PM

Ultra TRIK-L-START Starting Battery Charger/Maintainer

Here is TrickLstart, if you dont have one a very good investment.
I have no idea if the Voyage model had these as standard.
However I bet some of our good friends here will soon chime in.

UFO Pilot · 10-28-2010, 02:33 PM

My Coach came with a trik-l-start and the 10 watt solar panel. The solar would not charge the batteries if the battery switch was turned off. With the battery switch on, the phantom draws would drain the batteries anyway. I finally gave up and had a 130 watt solar panel installed. I now leave the switch turned on and the batteries are always fully charged.

FDchief · 10-29-2010, 11:35 AM

The 10 Watt charger is way undersized to charge the batteries. I run my motorhome monthly and have no problems.

pawpawboyce · 10-31-2010, 07:14 PM

hot, cool, cold weather, you should start up your rv as often as possible. let it run long enough to dry the condensate collected in you muffler or at least the heat from the muffler will help dry out condensate.
most problems arrive out of not enough engine exercise. obviously if you are parked covered, the solar doesn't work well. idrive mine around the stoarage yard to work tranny, brakes, etc. oops, if it's too cold w/ice and snow, at least start your rv often.

\boyce and lisa
06 meridian 39k
06 jeep unltd tow

UFO Pilot · 10-31-2010, 07:17 PM

I start my RV every 2 weeks or so and it is never in storage for much longer than that.

FDchief · 11-01-2010, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wthomas1

I start my RV every 2 weeks or so and it is never in storage for much longer than that.

That's a great start, but do take a short drive in it. This way you get grease and oil to all of your transmission, differential and hub seals. While your driving make sure to use your dash air conditioning also, the refrigerant is also the lubricant for your compressor. And, when you start you motor home, also start your generator and run your coach air for at least an hour to dry condensation from your generator under 1/2 load, and exercises your AC. Now with all that done, your good for another month

UFO Pilot · 11-01-2010, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FDchief

That's a great start, but do take a short drive in it. This way you get grease and oil to all of your transmission, differential and hub seals. While your driving make sure to use your dash air conditioning also, the refrigerant is also the lubricant for your compressor. And, when you start you motor home, also start your generator and run your coach air for at least an hour to dry condensation from your generator under 1/2 load, and exercises your AC. Now with all that done, your good for another month

I start the generator and run it under load each time I go to the storage yard. We use the MH at least once a month so everything gets used and I know that it all still works.

Midniteoyl · 11-01-2010, 02:05 PM

I would think it would be a simple one wire change to allow your 10w solar to trickle charge the batts with the switch off... it simply needs to be between the batts and the cutoff..

FDchief · 11-01-2010, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midniteoyl

I would think it would be a simple one wire change to allow your 10w solar to trickle charge the batts with the switch off... it simply needs to be between the batts and the cutoff..

You know what they say "Use it or lose it", I believe that fits motorhomes too