Charging house batteries while driving.

[bobbylinn52]

2007 Safari Cheetah

C7 Cat, 350 HP

I have installed the JC Refrigeration 120V compressor cooling system on my Norcold 1200.  When driving I power the cooling unit using the Magnum 2000W inverter.  I can run about 7 hours before the house (4-GC2 wet cell) batteries reach 12.2 volts.  I would like to charge the house batters from the alternator while driving once the chassis batteries are fully charged.  Will the Blue Seas ACL accomplish this?  Would I need anything else?  Below are images of the wiring I have currently.  I don't believe I have an isolator anywhere.

 

 

 

[Romeo84]

Yes it will. But I think they should be charging when driving now. There is some blue sea gurus on here that will know for sure. I can post the thread for the install I follow also has some good reading points in it. May answer your question.

 

 

[jacwjames]

Yup, if you just swap the Trombetta for the Bluesea ML-ACR your house and chassis batteries will both charge when there is a charge from any source, alternator, inverter/converter while on shore power, or generator. 

[bobbylinn52]

Thanks for confirming my thoughts on this.

 

[ok-rver]

I originally had a relay similar to yours on our 2004 HR. The blue sea ACR monitors the voltage on both sides, chassis and house. If one battery bank reaches the charge threshold, something like 13.8 volts on one side, it closes the relay contacts between the two battery bank. There is a built in delay b4 it pulls in. I install the ACR about 6 months ago and have been very pleased. If you are on shore power, the batteries will be combined. I do not believe it drops the relay if you start the engine so you are drawing some current from the house bank during the starter current draw. Not all owners start their engine with shore power on. If the Blue Sea switch is installed, you can isolate the bank b4 starting. Occasionally my alternator light will come on until I disconnect shore power.  The relay has a manual switch to not allow the relay to pull in, When I equalize my house bank, I use the manual switch so that the maintenance free engine batteries are not seeing 15 volts DC. 

I have pulled wires and will be installing the blue sea switch b4 our June 1 trip.

[jacwjames]

52 minutes ago, ok-rver said:

 

I have pulled wires and will be installing the blue sea switch b4 our June 1 trip.

The Bluesea ML-ACR does have the ability to isolate the battery banks while starting and it also has the ability to isolate if the generator is running.   Download a copy of the wiring and it shows how to do it.  This is all done back at the Bluesea ML-ACR and since I had a generator sense wire and a wire powered with the ignition on it was easy to do.  The start isolation is for a short period of time to allow the alternator to get up to voltage/amperage.  I did wire these in, using a fused connection but I left the fuses out for the time being. 

I did my install last May and put ~10K miles on the rig.

[bobbylinn52]

Thanks!