Battery Questions for the Bus (not the house)

[karrlot]

The batteries that start my bus are nearing the end of their life. They will hold a charge for a few days, but no more than a week.

I am am still in the early stages of my conversion, so I am not concerned with having healthy batteries right now. I just want to limp along for now until I am ready to start using my bus to go camping. Right now the only thing I am using the bus for is to haul things (like 25 stop lights) or going for a Sunday drive (which I love to do!)


A) - Are the terms "coach battery" and "house battery" interchangeable or is the coach battery what starts the bus?

2) - Is there something that I can hook up to the vehicle batteries (while leaving them hooked up in the bus) that can be plugged into shore power to keep them charged between drives.

At some point I will be buying a charger to charge the house batteries. Can I buy it now and hook it up to the bus batteries?

C) When I do my wiring (which I have not done the research on yet) can I hook it up so that both sets of batteries are charged while I am plugged into shore.

4) When it is time to purchase new batteries for my bus, how do I know which size to buy? I know there are many sizes of batteries for cars, but I thought that was because they all have different sized compartments to fit into. It looks like the battery tray on the bus could hold a wide variety of sizes.

4)

[family wagon]

Originally Posted by karrlot

The batteries that start my bus are nearing the end of their life. They will hold a charge for a few days, but no more than a week.

I am am still in the early stages of my conversion, so I am not concerned with having healthy batteries right now. I just want to limp along for now until I am ready to start using my bus to go camping. Right now the only thing I am using the bus for is to haul things (like 25 stop lights) or going for a Sunday drive (which I love to do!)


A) - Are the terms "coach battery" and "house battery" interchangeable or is the coach battery what starts the bus?
I'd say the coach battery provides for things related to the vehicle: starter, headlights, and so on. House provides for the things that make the vehicle a home: interior lighting, water pump, etc.

2) - Is there something that I can hook up to the vehicle batteries (while leaving them hooked up in the bus) that can be plugged into shore power to keep them charged between drives.

At some point I will be buying a charger to charge the house batteries. Can I buy it now and hook it up to the bus batteries?
Battery tender and battery minder are brand names of products that keep the charge on infrequently used things like an ATV or riding lawn mower. It's the right concept for the bus too, but the bus batteries might need more current than those small devices are designed to give.

A good multi-stage charger for the house batteries, used for now to maintain the coach batteries, is a great idea.

C) When I do my wiring (which I have not done the research on yet) can I hook it up so that both sets of batteries are charged while I am plugged into shore.
There are several ways it could be done. Two independent chargers drawing from the shore power would be easy. It could also be done on the dc side, but would require more attention to details.

4) When it is time to purchase new batteries for my bus, how do I know which size to buy? I know there are many sizes of batteries for cars, but I thought that was because they all have different sized compartments to fit into. It looks like the battery tray on the bus could hold a wide variety of sizes.

Usually the biggest one that fits is a good choice.

[Robin97396]

A) - Are the terms "coach battery" and "house battery" interchangeable or is the coach battery what starts the bus?

House batteries are self explanatory, while "engine battery" seems to be more self explanatory and less confusing than coach battery.

2) - Is there something that I can hook up to the vehicle batteries (while leaving them hooked up in the bus) that can be plugged into shore power to keep them charged between drives.

See, now it's "vehicle batteries." You're getting confusing. Which ones? House batteries are probably multiple, while the engine battery is single. Vehicle batteries sounds like all of them.
At some point I will be buying a charger to charge the house batteries. Can I buy it now and hook it up to the bus batteries?

You could, but I'd suggest holding off on expensive decisions as you are continuing to learn more useful information for the time being.

C) When I do my wiring (which I have not done the research on yet) can I hook it up so that both sets of batteries are charged while I am plugged into shore.

Yes. When you're on shore power you can set it up so your batteries automatically charge. Keep in mind that your engine battery is a stand alone led acid battery, while your house batteries are probably deep cell batteries.
4) When it is time to purchase new batteries for my bus, how do I know which size to buy? I know there are many sizes of batteries for cars, but I thought that was because they all have different sized compartments to fit into. It looks like the battery tray on the bus could hold a wide variety of sizes.

If you're up to it financially you're probably looking for an 8D battery, but you could also set up a parallel battery system for your engine. An 8D is about 150 pounds of power. Quality matters in this purchase. Heavy batteries are more difficult for people to steal.

[Tango]

Me...I call'em "START"...and "HOUSE". And there can be any number of each depending on the set up. My old BB had two 8D start batts and I added four 120AH as a house bank.

[Robin97396]

Tango, how do you cram all that stuff into that little bus? I think you've got a magic shoe horn or something.

[karrlot]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

A) - Are the terms "coach battery" and "house battery" interchangeable or is the coach battery what starts the bus?

House batteries are self explanatory, while "engine battery" seems to be more self explanatory and less confusing than coach battery.

2) - Is there something that I can hook up to the vehicle batteries (while leaving them hooked up in the bus) that can be plugged into shore power to keep them charged between drives.

See, now it's "vehicle batteries." You're getting confusing. Which ones? House batteries are probably multiple, while the engine battery is single. Vehicle batteries sounds like all of them.

[/B]

Sorry for the confusion on the terminology (which is why I was asked the first question.)

I was referring to the three batteries that are used to start the engine. I have not added any house batteries yet.

[PoolRoom]

I too am in the Springs, would love to see what you are doing!!

[karrlot]

Originally Posted by family wagon

A good multi-stage charger for the house batteries, used for now to maintain the coach batteries, is a great idea.

Could that be hooked up to the engine batteries while they are still installed on my bus?

[Robin97396]

That's interesting. You've got three batteries in parallel for your start battery? That works.
I don't have house batteries yet either. It seems each addition toward a power system is another $1K minimum investment. It seems to take about $1k in batteries, then you need a charger capable of putting out some amps to recharge them, for you guessed it, another grand. Guess how much a minimal set of solar panels will cost? You guessed it, another grand. I think I'll hold off on solar until I can get a solar paint job that will produce power.

I have shore power, a 1k genny and the 12 volt 8D starter battery. So far I've put my money into new tires, and I'm stripping the interior panels and insulation. No signs of mold or leaking yet, but I'd expect to see more in the lower walls.

[family wagon]

Originally Posted by karrlot

Could that be hooked up to the engine batteries while they are still installed on my bus?

Sure. A portable charger will probably have big alligator clips like a set of mini jumper cables. Just clip those on around the clamps that are already on the battery post. For a hard-wire charger designed to be permanently installed, arrange some wire to run between the charger and the battery bank. The existing clamps on the battery posts will probably have some kind of bolt in/on/through them; you can use a ring terminal to connect the end of the wire from the charger to such a bolt.

Depending on the charger, it might start charging as soon as it's plugged in or it might require you to push some buttons each time.

[Jolly Roger]

Yes it can.
I don't have house batteries yet but am wired and ready for them.
I bought a charger at auto zone for 50-60$ and have had no problems.
It is a Schumacher se5212a automatic with 50a start/10amp fast charge/2amp slow charge.
I can hook up to my house wiring and run everything 12v I installed and the charger adjust to the load as I turn lights and fans off and on and I can turn everything off and the charger will shut itself off until I turn even a single bulb on and it is free to move as needed to charge the start batteries as needed.
Last camping trip we did I had the alligator clamps connected to the house wiring battery post and covered all in some real good electrical tape. After spending a week we Went to leave and the start battery was dead. Not a big deal because I had a charger that would do the job except for the real good electrical tape I had used? 20-min. Just to get it off and started and down the road 5-min later.
I have also hooked this charger up to the start batteries on 10amp and got caught up in other stuff. Neighbor needed help,wife needed help in the garden, kids are hungry and the foods ready to grill, as soon as you can get the grill going,eatin supper and falling asleep. I woke up at 3 in the morning saying oh crap and ran out the door to find the charger had regulated itself to the charge of the batteries and shutoff to protect my dumb but. I am sold and if I decide I want a second this might be it but I want to put it through a bigger longevity test as a float charger but so far it has been admirable.

[karrlot]

Originally Posted by Robin97396

That's interesting. You've got three batteries in parallel for your start battery? That works.

.

Yes, I have an engine coolant heater that runs a pump off of the battery without the engine running and a drive line retarder that uses a lot of battery power.

[Robin97396]

I thought engine coolant heaters ran from shore power? That shouldn't run off your battery.

[karrlot]

The block heater has an outlet that you plug in. The coolant heater runs off of the batteries.

[Robin97396]

I'm confused. You're heating the coolant? I think I'm missing an important piece of information somewhere. Is this the same coolant that goes through the block heater?

[cadillackid]

I wonder if he is talking about the coolant heater boost pump?

I knew a guy once that plugged his blck heater into shore power at night (which is effectively just a coolant heater).. he also had a small battery charger on the same plug which would energize the coolant boost pump.. so all of his heater cores in the bus would stay warm.. . come out on an icey cold morning, start the bus and have instant heat because all ofthe loops were warm...

the block heater ran off of 110 volts, the little pump ran off of 12 volts..

-Christopher

[Robin97396]

Sounds possible, but if I was going to heat liquids I'd have a warm floor and not be using the old bus heater. Keep my feet warm and I'm good to go.

[family wagon]

My money says the battery powered coolant heater is a Webasto or Espar. The heat comes from diesel, but the battery run the control circuit and the circulation pump.

[karrlot]

Originally Posted by family wagon

My money says the battery powered coolant heater is a Webasto or Espar. The heat comes from diesel, but the battery run the control circuit and the circulation pump.

My Line Setting Ticket says there is a Phillips engine block heater 120V-125ow. I have a plug in the front bumper for this.


I haven't been able to find any documentation on the coolant heater but I still have a box of records to look through. The head mechanic at the bus barn mentioned that they installed it after they bought it. It runs off of deisel and has a fan that blows the exhaust out the side of the bus and I think a pump to pump the coolant through the engine and to the back heater in the bus.

[Robin97396]

I have never heard of that kind of heater. So that apparently can be set to run and keeps the bus warm?