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Introduction and question [message #306228] Wed, 31 August 2016 15:25 Go to next message
pnbarber is currently offline  pnbarber   United States
Messages: 11
Registered: June 2016
Location: Raleigh, NC
Karma: 0
Junior Member
Hello,
My wife Teri and I purchased a 1978 Royale this summer. It was Rudy and Grace Litke's coach for about 20 years. Rudy and Grace are now in Southport, NC moving from Connecticut. They purchased the coach in 1996 right after the original owners the Buzzard's of New Mexico had it refurbished by Clasco. We feel fortunate to have a the opportunity to enjoy it and make it ours.

My question has to do with installing a Combiner. Right now it has a Perko switch that as I understand it controls the battery connections, charging and use. I am at a loss on how to proceed. I'm fairly handy but would welcome some direction to make sure I get it right.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_1.jpg

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_2.jpg

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/Perko_Settings.pdf

Thanks in advance.
Perry Barber


P. Barber Raleigh, NC 1978 GMC Royale - 1995 Clasco Upgrade
Re: [GMCnet] Introduction and question [message #306230 is a reply to message #306228] Wed, 31 August 2016 15:37 Go to previous messageGo to next message
emerystora is currently offline  emerystora   United States
Messages: 4442
Registered: January 2004
Karma: 13
Senior Member
I am very familiar with the Perko switch. My 1969 Travco motorhome had one and I have had them on boats.
I see in your picture that you have a battery isolator that is disconnected and they apparently put the switch in its place.
That, of course, makes you manually move the switch to keep your engine battery and your house battery charged.

I personally would just replace the switch with a new isolator that will automatically keep both sets of batteries charged.

Some use combiners to do this but I have preferred to stay with the isolator.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO

> On Aug 31, 2016, at 2:25 PM, Perry Barber wrote:
>
> Hello,
> My wife Teri and I purchased a 1978 Royale this summer. It was Rudy and Grace Litke's coach for about 20 years. Rudy and Grace are now in Southport,
> NC moving from Connecticut. They purchased the coach in 1996 right after the original owners the Buzzard's of New Mexico had it refurbished by Clasco.
> We feel fortunate to have a the opportunity to enjoy it and make it ours.
>
> My question has to do with installing a Combiner. Right now it has a Perko switch that as I understand it controls the battery connections, charging
> and use. I am at a loss on how to proceed. I'm fairly handy but would welcome some direction to make sure I get it right.
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_1.jpg
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_2.jpg
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/Perko_Settings.pdf
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Perry Barber
>
> --
> P. Barber
> Raleigh, NC
> 1978 GMC Royale - 1995 Clasco Upgrade
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org


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Re: [GMCnet] Introduction and question [message #306231 is a reply to message #306230] Wed, 31 August 2016 16:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
James Hupy is currently offline  James Hupy   United States
Messages: 6806
Registered: May 2010
Karma: -62
Senior Member
Welcome to the land of GMC. The way the Perko switch appears to me to be
wired will completely eliminate the isolator, and when in the off/both
position will turn off all power in the coach as well as the engine. That
is, if the shore power is wired like it left the factory. With coaches this
old, with so many different owners, it is hard to say for sure without eyes
on the prize. If you are like many of us owners, the isolator ( the thing
with all the fins on it with 3 large electrical posts on it) will do the
job of the Perko switch without you having to switch anything manually. If
the isolator that you have in the coach has failed, then, you can still use
it for a handy place to hook up combiners. I kinda side with Emery here,
nothing wrong with the isolator. If they are rated for more than the output
if the alternator on the engine, they last a very, very, long time, and are
easy to check if they do fail. If you are unsure how to proceed, someone
(s) here will fill you in.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or
78 GMC ROYALE 403
On Aug 31, 2016 1:39 PM, "Emery Stora" wrote:

> I am very familiar with the Perko switch. My 1969 Travco motorhome had
> one and I have had them on boats.
> I see in your picture that you have a battery isolator that is
> disconnected and they apparently put the switch in its place.
> That, of course, makes you manually move the switch to keep your engine
> battery and your house battery charged.
>
> I personally would just replace the switch with a new isolator that will
> automatically keep both sets of batteries charged.
>
> Some use combiners to do this but I have preferred to stay with the
> isolator.
>
> Emery Stora
> 77 Kingsley
> Frederick, CO
>
>> On Aug 31, 2016, at 2:25 PM, Perry Barber wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>> My wife Teri and I purchased a 1978 Royale this summer. It was Rudy and
> Grace Litke's coach for about 20 years. Rudy and Grace are now in Southport,
>> NC moving from Connecticut. They purchased the coach in 1996 right after
> the original owners the Buzzard's of New Mexico had it refurbished by
> Clasco.
>> We feel fortunate to have a the opportunity to enjoy it and make it ours.
>>
>> My question has to do with installing a Combiner. Right now it has a
> Perko switch that as I understand it controls the battery connections,
> charging
>> and use. I am at a loss on how to proceed. I'm fairly handy but would
> welcome some direction to make sure I get it right.
>>
>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_1.jpg
>>
>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_2.jpg
>>
>> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/Perko_Settings.pdf
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
>> Perry Barber
>>
>> --
>> P. Barber
>> Raleigh, NC
>> 1978 GMC Royale - 1995 Clasco Upgrade
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
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Re: Introduction and question [message #306245 is a reply to message #306228] Wed, 31 August 2016 18:52 Go to previous messageGo to next message
JohnL455 is currently offline  JohnL455   United States
Messages: 4447
Registered: October 2006
Location: Woodstock, IL
Karma: 12
Senior Member
The danger is as good as your memory is. "What position did I leave it in". In parallel "All " there is sn increased risk of battery fire, explosion and or finding all batteries dead. What I do is use an uprated 3 post isolator and added a combiner to that. If your coach is a 78 I doubt that drawing is correct with a separate gen start battery.

John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II
Re: Introduction and question [message #306256 is a reply to message #306228] Wed, 31 August 2016 20:58 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Matt Colie is currently offline  Matt Colie   United States
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
Senior Member
Perry,

Welcome to the group, family, cult, asylum......

First thing: There is a line in your diagram that I do not see in the picture. There is a bare post on the isolator and that is worrisome. That is the wire that is supposed to go from the isolator to the non-chassis battery post on the boost solenoid. It seems to be on the boost solenoid.
The discussion makes more sense if you change the label of the Front battery to Chassis battery.

And, no, if the isolator is good and connected right, you don't need a combiner. Unless you want to use to keep a charge on the generator battery?

I must confess to being confused as I have a house battery that is in the front and the generator battery can't do a lot. It is a garden tractor battery back in front of the generator. But then again it is a '73 23' and is about as different from yours as it can be and still be a GMC (TZE).

What I can do is welcome you and tell you that you will soon find that the coach is more than just a toy, it will provide a camaraderie that is refreshing. If you need help, you will find it here (much as you already have). This is a group of friendly, supportive and helping people. The only other community like this that I know of is that of the watermen that are my world. For that reason (and others) I have taken to welcoming new owners much as a new owner of vessel is welcomed there. So,

May the Good Lord bless this coach and all those that set forth within here.

Welcome Perry and Teri.

Matt



pnbarber wrote on Wed, 31 August 2016 16:25
Hello,
My wife Teri and I purchased a 1978 Royale this summer. It was Rudy and Grace Litke's coach for about 20 years. Rudy and Grace are now in Southport, NC moving from Connecticut. They purchased the coach in 1996 right after the original owners the Buzzard's of New Mexico had it refurbished by Clasco. We feel fortunate to have a the opportunity to enjoy it and make it ours.

My question has to do with installing a Combiner. Right now it has a Perko switch that as I understand it controls the battery connections, charging and use. I am at a loss on how to proceed. I'm fairly handy but would welcome some direction to make sure I get it right.

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_1.jpg

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_2.jpg

http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/Perko_Settings.pdf

Thanks in advance.
Perry Barber



Matt & Mary Colie - Chaumière -'73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan with OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Near DTW - Twixt A2 and Detroit
Re: [GMCnet] Introduction and question [message #306275 is a reply to message #306228] Thu, 01 September 2016 03:39 Go to previous messageGo to next message
Mr ERFisher is currently offline  Mr ERFisher   United States
Messages: 7117
Registered: August 2005
Karma: 2
Senior Member
Read here
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/combiner-to-diode-isolator/p24993-slide19.html


On Wednesday, August 31, 2016, Perry Barber wrote:

> Hello,
> My wife Teri and I purchased a 1978 Royale this summer. It was Rudy and
> Grace Litke's coach for about 20 years. Rudy and Grace are now in Southport,
> NC moving from Connecticut. They purchased the coach in 1996 right after
> the original owners the Buzzard's of New Mexico had it refurbished by
> Clasco.
> We feel fortunate to have a the opportunity to enjoy it and make it ours.
>
> My question has to do with installing a Combiner. Right now it has a Perko
> switch that as I understand it controls the battery connections, charging
> and use. I am at a loss on how to proceed. I'm fairly handy but would
> welcome some direction to make sure I get it right.
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_1.jpg
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/medium/Perko_2.jpg
>
> http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/data/6969/Perko_Settings.pdf
>
> Thanks in advance.
> Perry Barber
>
> --
> P. Barber
> Raleigh, NC
> 1978 GMC Royale - 1995 Clasco Upgrade
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>


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-------
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Re: Introduction and question [message #306299 is a reply to message #306228] Thu, 01 September 2016 10:02 Go to previous messageGo to next message
pnbarber is currently offline  pnbarber   United States
Messages: 11
Registered: June 2016
Location: Raleigh, NC
Karma: 0
Junior Member
Thanks for all the replies.

Just as a clarification. I have two new 6v batteries in the generator bay. I have two new 12v batteries up front. One is a typical battery for engine starting. The other is a deep cycle marine type starting battery. I bought the two 6v and the other two were bought just before I purchased the coach,


P. Barber Raleigh, NC 1978 GMC Royale - 1995 Clasco Upgrade
Re: Introduction and question [message #306309 is a reply to message #306299] Thu, 01 September 2016 12:23 Go to previous message
Jp Benson is currently offline  Jp Benson   United States
Messages: 649
Registered: October 2011
Location: Fla
Karma: 2
Senior Member
Explanation and simple diagram here:

http://gmcmotorhome.info/batt.htm#components

JP
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