| Driving with generator running / battery charging ?? [message #259203] |
Sun, 17 August 2014 23:46  |
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SteveW
Messages: 538
Registered: June 2005
Location: Southern California - Ora...
Karma: 1
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Senior Member |
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I was driving the coach yesterday - with the generator running and the rooftop air conditioner blowing... And started thinking...
What's happening with the battery charging systems ??
A simplified scenario : one chassis battery and one house battery. A combiner between them. A PD9260 connected to the house battery. Typical alternator connection to the chassis battery.
I understand that with ONE source active, the alternator OR the PD9260 - the respective primary connected battery will charge up first and when fully charged, the secondary connected battery will be "combined" for charging...
So what's happening when the alternator is charging the chassis battery and the running generator is powering the 9260 which is subsequently charging the house battery ??
I'm expecting that the combiner should realize that there's no need to combine... Am I correct ??
Ugh. After typing all of this - I realize that I could just look at the indicator LEDs on the combiner. I'll do that tomorrow. In the mean time - maybe it's an interesting discussion.
As always, THANK YOU for all of your replies and comments. What a great place we have here.
Steve W
1973 23'
Southern California
Steve W
1973 : 23'
Southern California
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| Re: [GMCnet] Driving with generator running / battery charging ?? [message #259205 is a reply to message #259203] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 01:12  |
Ken Henderson
Messages: 8726
Registered: March 2004
Location: Americus, GA
Karma: 9
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Senior Member |
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Steve,
The combiner will connect any time it senses charging voltage on either
side. If two charging sources are connected, the one producing the higher
voltage will dominate. So, under the condition you postulate, both the
alternator and the PD9260 will be producing charging voltage. Chances are,
at road speed, the alternator will be producing more than the 13.8 VDC
likely from the PD9260, so it will be doing the charging. At idle, the
PD's output might be higher, so it would be charging.
All's well.
Ken H.
On Mon, Aug 18, 2014 at 12:47 AM, Steve Weinstock
wrote:
> I was driving the coach yesterday - with the generator running and the
> rooftop air conditioner blowing... And started thinking...
>
> What's happening with the battery charging systems ??
>
> A simplified scenario : one chassis battery and one house battery. A
> combiner between them. A PD9260 connected to the house battery. Typical
> alternator connection to the chassis battery.
>
> I understand that with ONE source active, the alternator OR the PD9260 -
> the respective primary connected battery will charge up first and when fully
> charged, the secondary connected battery will be "combined" for
> charging...
>
> So what's happening when the alternator is charging the chassis battery
> and the running generator is powering the 9260 which is subsequently
> charging
> the house battery ??
>
> I'm expecting that the combiner should realize that there's no need to
> combine... Am I correct ??
>
> Ugh. After typing all of this - I realize that I could just look at the
> indicator LEDs on the combiner. I'll do that tomorrow. In the mean time -
> maybe it's an interesting discussion.
>
> As always, THANK YOU for all of your replies and comments. What a great
> place we have here.
>
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Ken Henderson
Americus, GA
www.gmcwipersetc.com
Large Wiring Diagrams
76 X-Birchaven
76 X-Palm Beach
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| Re: Driving with generator running / battery charging ?? [message #259223 is a reply to message #259203] |
Mon, 18 August 2014 08:34 |
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Matt Colie
Messages: 8547
Registered: March 2007
Location: S.E. Michigan
Karma: 7
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Senior Member |
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Steve,
The immediate answer is "Fogetaboutit". Assuming you have a 73 that has not been seriously modified, with the PD9260 all the way in the back, as soon as you are at road speed, it will drop off line. That is, if the alternator is good.
As the alternator is a "dumb device" and now that Mary has retired and we are traveling more, I find I have to keep closer tabs on the level in the battery.
Matt - I can't figure out how to get the sigfile over the quote
SteveW wrote on Mon, 18 August 2014 00:46I was driving the coach yesterday - with the generator running and the rooftop air conditioner blowing... And started thinking...
What's happening with the battery charging systems ??
A simplified scenario : one chassis battery and one house battery. A combiner between them. A PD9260 connected to the house battery. Typical alternator connection to the chassis battery.
I understand that with ONE source active, the alternator OR the PD9260 - the respective primary connected battery will charge up first and when fully charged, the secondary connected battery will be "combined" for charging...
So what's happening when the alternator is charging the chassis battery and the running generator is powering the 9260 which is subsequently charging the house battery ??
I'm expecting that the combiner should realize that there's no need to combine... Am I correct ??
Ugh. After typing all of this - I realize that I could just look at the indicator LEDs on the combiner. I'll do that tomorrow. In the mean time - maybe it's an interesting discussion.
As always, THANK YOU for all of your replies and comments. What a great place we have here.
Steve W
1973 23'
Southern California
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
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