battery relay

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battery relay

April 08, 2013, 06:42:37 pm

I have a 2006 Intrigue with 525 Cat engine. I am trying to find the location the relay that allows the echo charger to charge the chassis batteries and also allows the alternator to charge the house batteries when going down the road.

-Dennis Holmes
12055

2006 Intrigue 530

Re: battery relay

Reply #1 – April 08, 2013, 07:20:20 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 86967

I should have said allows the echo charger to charge the chassis batteries when on shore or generator power.

-Dennis Holmes

Re: battery relay

Reply #2 – April 09, 2013, 12:15:01 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 86975

Dennis,

The Echo Charger doesn't use a relay. It's connected directly to the house and chassis batteries. Mine is located in with the chassis battery up high. My Echo died a few months ago (seems to be normal) and I replaced it with a Magnum Combiner. It does it much better job and connects the same as the echo did.
The heavy duty relay that allows the engine to charge the house batteries and is also used to give the chassis battery help from the house batteries if needed (battery boost) is also located with the chassis battery. Mine is white, about 2 inches in diameter and has two large red cables connected to it.
http://www.moenracing.com/images/batt_boost.jpg The Echo Charger looks very similar to the Magnum in the upper left of the picture. The battery boost solenoid is the white thing on the lower right.
Hope this helps?
Barney

07 Inspire 52059

Re: battery relay

Reply #3 – April 09, 2013, 06:25:21 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 86989

Barney,

My Echo Charger is located in the bay with the house batteries. I don't remember seeing a relay located near the chassis batteries but will look later this week when the weather lets up. We are in a blizzard right now and looks like cold inclimate(sp) weather for a few days. Thanks for your reply.

-Dennis Holmes
12055

2006 Intrigue 530

Re: battery relay

Reply #4 – April 09, 2013, 07:06:15 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 86991

Dennis,

When you get a chance to clear the snow follow the two red wires that come from the Echo Charger. They should connect to the Battery Boost relay. My guess is both of these are in close proximity to each other.
We are just getting clear of the front that is headed your way. No rain or snow for us but very strong winds and tons of dust!

Good luck,
Barney

07 Inspire 52059

Quote from: dennisjholmes

>

Barney,

My Echo Charger is located in the bay with the house batteries. I

don't remember seeing a relay located near the chassis batteries but will look later this week when the weather lets up. We are in a blizzard right now and looks like cold inclimate(sp) weather for a few days.
Thanks for your reply.

Re: battery relay

Reply #5 – April 09, 2013, 08:26:01 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 86995

Are you sure the Echo Charger has something to do with the boost relay? Seems I remember that it is connected to the house batteries and also the chassis battery. The inverter charges the house, when the house batteries are full, then the Echo Charges then charges the chassis.

Don

'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: battery relay

Reply #6 – April 09, 2013, 08:53:10 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 86996

Hi Don,

You are correct, the Echo Charger and the Battery Boost relay have nothing to do with each other. But, the Battery Boost relay has the chassis battery connected on one pole and the house batteries connected to the other. This is by far the easiest place to connect the Echo Charger to both systems also. This reduces additional wiring and possible voltage losses as these connections have very large copper cables, 2/0 in my case. My Echo was connected to the same terminals as the chassis and house batteries and when I installed the Magnum that is where it is connected also.

Barney

07 Inspire 52059

Quote from: dons2346

Are you sure the Echo Charger has something to do with the boost

relay? Seems I remember that it is connected to the house batteries and also the chassis battery. The inverter charges the house, when the house batteries are full, then the Echo Charges then charges the chassis.

Quote

Don

'02 Intrigue #11427

Quote from: barneym5" barney.moen@ [/quote

wrote:

Quote

>

> Dennis,
>

> When you get a chance to clear the snow follow the two red wires

that

Quote
come from the Echo Charger. They should connect to the Battery Boost > > relay. My guess is both of these are in close proximity to each

other.

Quote

> We are just getting clear of the front that is headed your way. No

rain

Quote
or snow for us but very strong winds and tons of dust! > >

> Good luck,
> Barney

> 07 Inspire 52059
>
>

> -

Re: battery relay

Reply #7 – April 09, 2013, 09:14:41 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 86997

My understanding of the Echo Charger is that it is Always connected to the chassis and house Batteries but does not charge the chassis battery unless the voltage is above 13 volts. Bob 06 intrigue. 12047

Re: battery relay

Reply #8 – April 09, 2013, 09:30:51 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 86998

Thanks for all the replies. I misunderstood how it works but it does make sense. My situation, I think, is that when I am hooked to shore power or generator that both the house batteries and the chassis batteries are being charged. When I was travelling the silverleaf says house batteries were at 12.0 volts and dropping and were not being charged. I think the chassis batteries were being charged which would mean that maybe I have a bad relay. If the chassis batteries weren't charging then maybe I have a bad alternator. Does this sound right? or do any of you have any ideas?

-Dennis Holmes
2006 Intrigue 530
#12055

Re: battery relay

Reply #9 – April 09, 2013, 10:17:17 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87000

I am not sure if the Silverleaf can read house batteries or not. I have mine set up to monitor chassis voltage because that is the important thing. I was on a trip when the monitored chassis voltage started dropping. When it got to 11.8, I started the generator and got an immediate jump to 13.6 which is what I usually show. Ran the genny awhile and shut it off and the voltage started a slow drop. This told me I had a bad alternator so I used the genny on/genny off for the return trip home and then replaced the alternator.
Just to throw something out there, there is an oil pressure switch that must see pressure before the alternator will put out current.

In your case, I think you probably have a bad alternator

Don

'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: battery relay

Reply #10 – April 10, 2013, 12:07:45 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87017

Dennis

There is a oil pressure switch which closes the boost relay and inturn causes the house batteries to be charged by the alternator. Pressure switch failure is common. There are 2 ways the boost relay gets closed, pressure switch and manual boost on your dash. If you can close the boost with the manual switch, then I would suspect the PS. Have someone push the manual dash switch, lesson at the boost relay and you will hear it close. Check the alternator by the voltage at the chassis battery with the coach running, should be 14 volts plus.
Ned Herrmann
06 Inspire 51677

Re: battery relay

Reply #11 – April 16, 2013, 04:37:57 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87168

so in the normal routine of actions of the Echo Charger some of the time the uni'ts green light isn't on? It charges or turns on only when the house batteries are full, and then the echo charger charges the chassis battery? Jim

Inspire 51649

[size=0px]
From: dennisjholmes

To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, April 9, 2013 9:30 PM Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: battery relay

Thanks for all the replies. I misunderstood how it works but it does make sense. My situation, I think, is that when I am hooked to shore power or generator that both the house batteries and the chassis batteries are being charged. When I was travelling the silverleaf says house batteries were at 12.0 volts and dropping and were not being charged. I think the chassis batteries were being charged which would mean that maybe I have a bad relay. If the chassis batteries weren't charging then maybe I have a bad alternator. Does this sound right? or do any of you have any ideas?

-Dennis Holmes
2006 Intrigue 530
#12055

[/color][/font][/size]

Re: battery relay

Reply #12 – April 16, 2013, 05:37:15 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87170

Jim,

When house battery is at 13.0 volts or higher the green LED is on steady and current is passing to the chassis battery.
When house battery is below 13.0 volts the green LED will blink and current will not pass to chassis battery.

George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298

Re: battery relay

Reply #13 – April 16, 2013, 05:40:26 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87171

So, no light means?

[size=0px]
From: George

To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 5:37 PM Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: battery relay
Jim,

When house battery is at 13.0 volts or higher the green LED is on steady and current is passing to the chassis battery.
When house battery is below 13.0 volts the green LED will blink and current will not pass to chassis battery.

George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298

[/color][/font][/size]

Re: battery relay

Reply #14 – April 16, 2013, 06:03:08 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87173

One of the following I expect:
1. Dead batteries
2. Open fuse
3. Broken EchoCharger

I replaced mine when it went bad with the Magnum Battery Combiner

George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298

Re: battery relay

Reply #15 – April 16, 2013, 06:07:20 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87174

Batteries okay, fuses okay. Does the Magnum go in line in the same place as the Echo charger. What was your cost? thanks,
Jim

[size=0px]
From: George

To: Country-Coach-Owners@yahoogroups.com Sent: Tuesday, April 16, 2013 6:03 PM Subject: [Country-Coach-Owners] Re: battery relay

One of the following I expect:
1. Dead batteries
2. Open fuse
3. Broken EchoCharger

I replaced mine when it went bad with the Magnum Battery Combiner

George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298

[/color][/font][/size]

Re: battery relay

Reply #16 – April 16, 2013, 09:14:09 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87175

One last thing to check is the ground wire. If that is good your EC is toast.
I mounted it in the same location using the same wires and fuse holders. Up rated fuses as the Magnum product passes up to 30 amps rather than the 15 amps by the Echo Charger.

I think I paid $110. Here it is on Amazon.
Amazon.com: Magnum Energy ME-SBC Smart Battery Combiner, Auto-Detect 12 or...
George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298

As an Amazon Associate Country Coach Owners Forum earns from qualifying purchases.

Re: battery relay

Reply #17 – April 16, 2013, 09:21:49 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87176

The lights on my Echo Charger were working as they should but the chassis battery was not getting charged. It appears this is not unusual after a few years of use. Replaced it with the Magnum Combiner and problem solved. Does a much better job than the Echo ever did.

Barney

07 Inspire 52059

Re: battery relay

Reply #18 – April 16, 2013, 10:23:26 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87177

I agree Barney. It is a better device. In fact, it will even control the coach battery combiner solenoid if one wishes to pass more that 30 amps.

George

'03 Magna 6298

Re: battery relay

Reply #19 – April 16, 2013, 10:28:20 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87178

Thanks guys, I'll do the exchage.
Jim

Re: battery relay

Reply #20 – April 19, 2013, 10:31:29 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87247

George

Another Jim here . . . Does that apply to the charge coming in from solar as well? I have 3 100W solkar panels and when my House batteries are "satisfied", will the echo charger send the excess power to my chassis battery? Just wondering because of course the solar controller guy wants to fatten his wallet by splitting the system and buying another controller. Advise from you will be invaluable as I am clueless. Thanks! Jim & Liz Headley 2004 Intrique Ovation 42' Cat C12 with Raffles & Zebrina, the original "Veranda" cats 50/50 AZ & CA coach # 11764

Re: battery relay

Reply #21 – April 20, 2013, 12:31:25 am

Yahoo Message Number: 87248

Jim,

Doubt your Echo will come into play from pure solar charging. Usually a separate controller feeds the SP to the house, independent of your plugged in systems. To keep Chassis battery up off of SP, would require it to be built/designed into the system.

Best of luck on your system,
Smitty

04 Allure 31017

Re: battery relay

Reply #22 – April 20, 2013, 10:04:52 am

Yahoo Message Number: 87251

I wouldn't be so fast. The solar panels certainly need their own charge controller to connect to the house bank, since without that the panels are uncontrolled. However, that being said, as long as the "trip point" of the echo is below the "full charge" point of the solar controller, everything should be fine.
Scott

Re: battery relay

Reply #23 – April 20, 2013, 04:09:24 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87253

Jim,

Yes. That applies to your solar as well. With a good solar controller your house battery bank will spen a good part of each sunny day above 13 Volts. While at or above that voltage your chassis battery will receive current via the Echo Charger. No additional controller is required.
My last coach, a 2004 Allure, had 240 watts of solar panel on the roof. I stored it without power for over 7 years and never had a failure of the chassis battery to start the engine.

George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298

Re: battery relay

Reply #24 – April 20, 2013, 04:14:12 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 87254

Smitty,

In my experience you are not correct. Solar charging will, in sunlight, maintain the house battery above the trigger voltage for the echo charger. When above the trigger voltage, 13VDC, current flows to the chassis battery via the Echo Charger. The use of the EC makes the Country Coach design simple and elegantly effective.

George in Birmingham
'03 Magna 6298

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