[encantotom]

there are alot of switches i didnt identify that i dont know. got back and look.

tom

[Fulltiming]

Okay, here are some more. The battery condition switch changes the voltmeter from showing the voltage of the engine batteries to showing the voltage of the house (or auxiliary) batteries. The Glow Plug switch is a momentary contact switch which when held in the up position will heat up the generator glow plugs. This is done to assist in starting when the generator is cold. Typically you would hold the Glow Plug switch in the up position for about 15 seconds, then release it and hold the Generator switch up in the start position until the generator comes to life. Don't let the generator crank without starting for more than about 30 seconds at a time. Let off the switch as soon as the generator starts. To stop the generator, hold the Generator switch in the down position until the generator stops, then release the switch.

[lbrachfe]

Good Post and explaination of Glow Plug use Michael

[Express1]

I know this has been resolved, however can't remember proper position.
Merge-SureStart-Emergency Start, or what ever named.

NOT Trying to Start.
What position when connected to shore power?
What Position when genny running?

Newells answer was "If you see L1 and L2 lights are on.
Merge dash light should be on, up or down"

[Fulltiming]

Newell's answer is the most conservative answer and will certainly keep the starting (chassis) batteries charged. Most Newell owners do NOT drive their coaches very often. Other than race teams, most of the owners of Newells less than 4 or 5 years old that I know only use their coaches a few times a year so they sit most of the time. Because of this recommendation, Newell typically recommends that you replace your merge solenoid every year.

Based on my experience, if you are plugged into shorepower and do not have any kind of chassis (starting) battery charging device such as Trik-L-Start and are not going to be starting the coach for a number of days, I would turn the merge switch on at least for a couple of hours. The inverter/battery charger (or separate battery charger if you still have the old battery boiler) will keep the house batteries charged on shorepower but not the chassis batteries with the merge switch in the off position. I use a Trik-L-Start (highly recommend it) and virtually never use the merge switch.

When the generator is running, it is recharging the house batteries so, if you want it to recharge the chassis (starting) batteries, you would need to have the merge switch on. Remember that the alternator is taking the place of shorepower at that time so the same recommendations are relevant.

When the engine is running, the engine alternator is directly charging the chassis batteries and, as long as the merge solenoid is working properly, the house batteries will be charged also.

If you are traveling every couple of days, it should not be necessary to turn on the merge switch. If you are going to be parked for more than 3 days, turning on the merge switch for an hour of two every couple of days when the generator is running or if you are hooked to shorepower will help assure the chassis batteries stay up.

With solar panels, it depends on how they wired it up. You may or may not need to use the merge switch to keep a charge on your starting (chassis) batteries.

[encantotom]

hi matt,

i am interested in other opinions on this as well. as i may adjust my own usage of it.

if the switch is in some position other than the middle "off" position then the two banks of batteries are merged together. to energize the merge solenoid to combine the batteries it doesnt matter if you move the switch in the up or the down position as long as both banks of batteries are charged. that is because all it does is control which bank of batteries provides the power to actually energize the solenoid itself. if both banks of batteries are charged, then either position will merge them. if one set of batteries is not charged, then that bank will not energize the solenoid to merge the batteries to allow you to start the engine associated with that bank of batteries. it does not appear that there is any convention for which position of up or down is connected to switching off of the house or start batteries.

since the batteries are isolated when the switch is off, the only way to charge the main engine starting batteries is to have the engine running.

the other thing is that when the coach engine is running, the system is set up to automatically merge the banks of batteries to charge them while the engine is going.

so to help outline this better. someone jump in if i made a mistake

scenario one. merge switch "off" coach batteries fully charged and starting batteries fully charged. you want to start the coach engine. it should start and turn over just fine. the coach should also have full power to run its systems including the inverter and to start the generator.

scenario two. merge switch "off" coach batteries fully charged and starting batteries low or dead. you want to start the coach engine. it will not turn over or not fast enough to start. now you can move the merge switch either up or down. try up. if then you can start the coach engine easily because you merged the house batteries with the start then up uses the house batteries to power the merge solenoid relay. if up doesnt work, then try down and it should now start. that means that the down position is the one that uses the house batteries to power the relay inside the merge solenoid.

scenario 3. merge sw "off" coach batteries low or dead, engine start batteries fully charged. that means you should not be able to start the generator since it uses the coach batteries. but you should be able to use either up or down on the merge sw to combine the batteries to start the generator. you would want to do this to charge the house batteries to be able to dry camp longer.


i do know that if the coach engine is running, it automatically energizes the merge relay and both banks of batteries are being charged.

what i dont know is if the coach engine is not running and the generator is running does the merge relay automatically energize to do the same thing. i have assumed not and keep the merge switch either up or down.

now as to matts question. which way to keep the switch when the genny is running or the coach is plugged into shore power.

if you are on shore power, the assumption is you are charging the house batteries. if you have the merge switch up or down such that the batteries are merged (if the start batteries are dead, you would need the switch in the position that uses the house batteries to energize the merge relay). or if both banks are fully charged it doesnt matter which position (up or down) is used. then with the coach plugged in, you are keeping both house and starting batteries charged off of the inverter charger.

if you are only on genny power (meaning the genny is charging the house batteries), and you are sitting somewhere with the coach engine off, AND all the batteries are ok, then the merge sw in either position will merge the two banks and the genny will charge all of the batteries.

so....if when on genny power or shore power you keep the merge switch on, you are keeping all the batteries charged off of where the 110v is coming from (genny or power)

that does insure that if the merge relay is working that you will always have all the batteries fully charged when plugged in.

now....newell recommends that the merge relay be changed once a year. this is a continuous duty relay (not like a similar looking starting relay). it is a cole hersee 24106 (or equivalent).

if it is plugged in most of the time, then the relay is energized all the time. that is why i tend to not keep my batteries merged all the time. this is where i could use other opinions.

btw, there is another approach to keeping the starting batteries charged when the merge sw is not up or down. on my 90 i put a "trik l charge" unit on it. it "steals" current from the house batteries to trickle charge the starting batteries and with diodes doesnt allow the house batteries to do the reverse. there is a similar device called an echo charger on my 2002 that i have not yet read enough about to know if it does the same thing or not.

so....if you keep the sw up or down all the time when plugged in or running on genny, then you will keep both banks of batteries charged. if you do this, i would for sure change the merge relay every year to be sure it works. or carry a spare and know how to change it. it isnt very hard.

so, now for the others to comment and correct.

tom

[smagown]

My chassis (starting) batteries started going down. My coach had been upgraded with an Outback inverter 2800 watts. I merged my batteries for weeks not knowing what I was doing. The Outback had the temp sensor attached on the end of one of the brand new Caterpillar AGM's, so I figured it was an intelligent charger that was going to shut off automatically when it sensed a certain temp to let it know to turn off it charging capability. Well one day I walked by and smelled battery acid, opened the bay door and lo and behold, my AGM's were swollen, distorted, the tops had come off, and were stone cold dead. For a mere $3100 I got new Lifelines and don't leave my merge switch on very long ever. The Outback showed no codes but I sent it back and they couldn't find anything wrong. I think the failing starting batteries fooled it somehow and it took the 6 8D's out by continuing to charge. I don't know why it didn't stop when the AGM got hot. The sensor may have been bad and not sent the signal.
Thanks,

[Fulltiming]

The Echo charger Tom mentioned is basically a higher current flow version of the Trik-L-Start (or maybe the Trik-L-Start is a lower current flow, less expensive version of the Echo charger).

The Trik-L-Start is limited to 5 amps while the Echo goes up to 15 amps. Price is commensurate with current. List of $49 vs $150 (although you can get the Echo charger for $110-$120 if you shop around online). The Echo charger is made by (for) Xantrex. The Trik-L-Start by LSL Products. Either should do the job and allow you to avoid using the merge switch most of the time.

[Fulltiming]

Bummer Steve. You have pointed out one of the disadvantages of using the merge switch on an on-going basis. Where separate sets of batteries are connected together, it can confuse a battery charger.

Hope the rains weren't too bad in West Monroe.

[encantotom]

ok, back to todd's questions about his switches.

there are two left unexplained.

1. engine start and stop

2. fuel pump on and off

there is already a switch to start and stop the generator. so what is this other engine start and stop?

is the fuel pump for the genny?

tom