House battery doesn't charge while driving

[Dear Mr. Vantasy]

Hey folks- I recently bought a '96 Ford E150 Turtle Top Class B. It's already outfitted with 30 amp hookup and a house battery. I replaced the dead house battery and all was good until I realized that it's only being charged when I'm plugged in. Which stinks because I don't want to have to rely on plugging in.

I'm afraid this thing was never wired to charge from the chassis battery. After everything I'd read I kind of expected that it would. I know next to nothing about electricity and don't have extra dough to take it to a pro so I'm trying to figure this out as I go. There is a battery charger inside next to a house fuse box. I suspect that this is how the battery is being charged when plugged in. The house battery is stored underneath without inside access (which is why I replaced it with an AGM) and the body has running boards so it's next to impossible for me to actually get under and try to follow things (not that I'd know what I was even looking at). There's a big glob of taped up cables next to the chassis battery and it's anybody's guess if one of them was supposed to go to the battery.

Solar is way down the road, so here's my question: anyone have this problem before and run a cable/switch/solenoid setup from the alternator to the house battery on top of it? I don't know if it's as easy as adding the alternator ability or if the house system it's hooked up to needs to be considered.

Thanks,
DMV

 

[SternWake]

Multiple charging sources can be hooked up, and even functioning at the same time.

As far as getting it to charge from the alternator, those cables you said that are taped up and out of the way are likely the circuit to the isolation device to the alternator.

Here is a thread with the most basic way to install a house battery to charge from the alternator and not deplete it with the engine off:

 http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...ke-a-cheap-isolated-dual-battery-setup-for-50

There are many different methods to accomplish this same idea.  i've no idea what is used in your vehicle.

You are going to have to identify the thickest wire going to the house battery(+) that leads up toward the engine area.  There should be an inline fuse somewhere, but that does not mean there is, there will be some sort of isolation device on this cable, whether a solenoid or a isolator with large finned heatsink on it..  The cable will go into theis device and another cable will run to engine battery(+) or much less likely is the alternator(+) 

The house battery (-) will likely have a fat cable going to the frame nearby, but it could also go up to the starting battery (-).

You are going to have to investigate.  Get something  solid to drive the front wheels upon, and some cardboard that you can slide yourself around on underneath the vehicle.  Do not forget a flashlight and eye protection, and your camera.

 

[TMG51]

Look for one of these near the battery:

It's a circuit breaker. Push the tiny black button on the side.

 If your Class B was ever properly wired, it should  charge from the alternator, and it should  have a breaker near the battery somewhere.

I have a class B that was factory made by Dodge. When I bought it, the house battery charged only by plugging into shore power - not by the alternator. I was pretty disappointed by that but decided to just live with it as I added my solar panels. Then one day I was looking at some wiring near the battery and wondered.... hey what's that little black nub on the side of this gray thing.... and it went 'click' when I touched it....

Suddenly my house battery began charging off the alternator.

 

[Almost There]

Look for one of these near the battery:

It's a circuit breaker. Push the tiny black button on the side.

 If your Class B was ever properly wired, it should  charge from the alternator, and it should  have a breaker near the battery somewhere.

I have a class B that was factory made by Dodge. When I bought it, the house battery charged only by plugging into shore power - not by the alternator. I was pretty disappointed by that but decided to just live with it as I added my solar panels. Then one day I was looking at some wiring near the battery and wondered.... hey what's that little black nub on the side of this gray thing.... and it went 'click' when I touched it....

Suddenly my house battery began charging off the alternator.

Is that a viable alternative to a fuse or should there be both installed?

 

[TMG51]

To the best of my knowledge, yes, a breaker is a viable alternative to a fuse....

No one installs fuses in home wiring anymore.

 

[highdesertranger]

Mr Vanasty your van should be wired to charge off your alternator. you could add your own dual battery charging system but if you already have one it would kinda be a waste of money. I say do what ever it takes to see if you have one install. go to your primary battery is there an added extra wire? look at your alternator does it have an added extra wire? do you have an aftermarket solenoid or isolator under the hood? these shouldn't be that hard to check out. check them out and get back to us, we will steer you in the right direction. highdesertranger

 

[Dear Mr. Vantasy]

Thanks guys! A friend is gonna help me poke around tomorrow and see what's what. I have hope again that she is actually wired to charge off of the chassis battery! I'll let you know what we find.

Thanks,
DMV

 

[Oberneldon]

My Class B had its solenoid in the back near the house battery. Follow the red wire tied to the house battery back if you can. Someone had disconnected the wire that turns the solenoid on and that is why mine would not charge. Happy tracing.

Brent