#1
Posted 22 December 2020 - 05:04 PM
#2
Posted 22 December 2020 - 06:27 PM
Have any pics on how you have it hooked up ?
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Edited by Stan@FourWheel, 22 December 2020 - 06:30 PM.
Stan Kennedy --- Four Wheel Pop-up Campers
1400 Churchill Downs Avenue, Suite A
Woodland, CA 95776
(800) 242-1442 or (530) 666-1442
www.fourwh.com --- e-mail = stan@fourwh.com
#3
Posted 22 December 2020 - 06:35 PM
Thanks. I am using the 7610 ACR, which looks the same as the photo you posted. I can grab a photo, but the wiring I have is the same.
The 7610 takes approx 2 minutes from the time the alternator begins to send current before it combines to the house battery. So will waiting for the combining to take effect, I kept my voltmeter probes on the unit watching the voltage. The incoming voltage was properly showing 14.6 from the alternator and 12.8 from the house batteries. As soon as the 7610 showed that it was combining the batteries, the voltage on the incoming side of the unit dropped to the same voltage as the house batteries. Moving the voltmeter to the starting battery showed that the alternator was continuing to work properly.
#4
Posted 22 December 2020 - 07:16 PM
That sounds like your isolator is working correctly, but your alternator output is high, and the wiring between the alternator and camper are not up to the task of carrying the current. I am assuming your battery is pretty discharged for this test. When you connect the battery to the isolator, a lot of current flows to the battery and you are dropping a couple of volts between the alternator and the isolator. I am guessing soon after you connect the battery, the isolator shuts off and then the voltage in the input jumps back up to 14.x V when the current stops flowing?
You either need to improve the wiring between the camper and alternator, get a DC-DC charger or dial down your alternator voltage.
2016 Fleet Flatbed
2016 Toyota Tacoma
#5
Posted 22 December 2020 - 07:31 PM
Thanks for the reply. The alternator with my Chevy 3500 is a high output alternator so the output can be up to 14.7. Nothing has changed or been modified on my set up in over two years, so I'm sure that there is a problem with the wiring.
Also, the battery is not very discharged during the testing as it usually is near or at full as a result of the solar charging system. But even at a voltage on the house batteries of 12.8. which is close to 100%, the battery monitor and the voltmeter should be registering a higher voltage as a result of the voltage coming from the alternator.
So, I'm back to square one in trying to track the issue down. I really appreciate the suggestions and assistance, I just can't figure out why the house batteries should become the dominate one after the isolator combines the two sets of batteries.
#6
Posted 22 December 2020 - 07:55 PM
If you have circuit breakers at either end check to see if they have failed..
If you show 12.8 at truck side of seperator and 14.x at battery then there is problem with wiring from load collapse between.
Patrick
2015 FWC Hawk Flatbed
#7
Posted 22 December 2020 - 07:57 PM
Patrick
2015 FWC Hawk Flatbed
#8
Posted 22 December 2020 - 10:04 PM
Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have to do some furthers tests to see what works.
#9
Posted 22 December 2020 - 10:18 PM
+1 to what rando said. Voltage drop from alternator to battery separator is a longstanding known issue with the default 12g wiring. IF, as rando suggests, the separator "separates", do you see the voltage spike back up on the input side? Let us know.
2012 ATC Puma Shell build - https://www.wanderth...012-puma-build/
Power considerations thread - https://www.wanderth...e-power-scotty/
Building out an electrical system - So, you want to setup a good electrical system in your camper? - Electrical, Charging, Solar, Batteries and Generators - Wander the West
#10
Posted 22 December 2020 - 10:32 PM
Yes, exactly. When it separates the voltage on the input spikes back to 14+, then when it combines the voltage drops again!
Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: Batteries, isolator, charging
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