I had trouble with the original contactor after I installed the 160 amp alternator so I decided to upgrade to a 200 amp system. I also wanted to do away with the power consuming main contactor for coach power. I made up a complete panel that controls both the house power and the charging connection to the alternator, I have no isolator (never did have one), just a contactor that closes when the alternator is producing voltage and the main buss voltage is over 13.2 VDC for 2 minutes. This is also a bi-directional system so that when I am charging the house batteries, if they are over 13.2 VDC, the contactor pulls in and the chassis batteries are brought on line for charging as well. The system uses the Intellitec "Big Boy" contactors, house power is a latching and the other is controlled by the Intellitec "Bi-directional Isolator Relay Delay Diesel-2" system. Will be on the road tomorrow and see how it all goes!

Replacement DC panel



As installed:


Will post the schematic after I clean it up a bit,

That looks like a really nice job, Ed. I have a deep appreciation for how tidy you've kept what I would have turned into a rat's nest. Certainly goes beyond my electronic abilities

As an aside, I drove a Mack the other day and blew a 'fuse' for the taillights. When I opened the fuse panel, I realized that it didn't have fuses in the traditional sense, but instead it had small circuit breakers. Sure enough, a little while later the 'blown' breaker cooled down and started powering the lights again.

My question is, have you or anyone else here used something similar in the fuse block of their coach? I'll probably end up doing some wiring again at a certain point, and it sure is nice to not have to root around in the bottom of the glove compartment to find a suitable replacement fuse in the middle of the night.

quote:

Originally posted by Noob Goldberg:
My question is, have you or anyone else here used something similar in the fuse block of their coach? I'll probably end up doing some wiring again at a certain point, and it sure is nice to not have to root around in the bottom of the glove compartment to find a suitable replacement fuse in the middle of the night.

My Barth has automatic reset circuit breakers all over it. Behind the grille, inside the genset compartment, etc. Auto parts as well as RV stores sell them.

And I will echo your compliment on Ed's good looking installation.

....did you ever:

"Will post the schematic
after I clean it up a bit"

Ummmm, not yet, thanks for the reminder!

I will try to get that done next week along with a schematic of what it takes to put a GM electronic cruise control in the Barth.

The radiator job along with all my "honey do" projects, took a lot of energy

I'm impressed, just wonder about the cost. I buy my parts in Canada and always feel I.m getting gouged on this type of purchase.

quote:

Originally posted by MWrench:
I had trouble with the original contactor after I installed the 160 amp alternator so I decided to upgrade to a 200 amp system. I also wanted to do away with the power consuming main contactor for coach power. I made up a complete panel that controls both the house power and the charging connection to the alternator, I have no isolator (never did have one), just a contactor that closes when the alternator is producing voltage and the main buss voltage is over 13.2 VDC for 2 minutes. This is also a bi-directional system so that when I am charging the house batteries, if they are over 13.2 VDC, the contactor pulls in and the chassis batteries are brought on line for charging as well. The system uses the Intellitec "Big Boy" contactors, house power is a latching and the other is controlled by the Intellitec "Bi-directional Isolator Relay Delay Diesel-2" system. Will be on the road tomorrow and see how it all goes!

Replacement DC panel



As installed:


Will post the schematic after I clean it up a bit,

Ed did you ever get a schematic done for this? In case anyone is looking to tackle a rebuild. I am going to go old school on the Monarch when the weather moderates. Blizzard tomorrow and Sunday. Sorry its getting old.

The Monarch has a definite upgraded system with digital and dual switching up front. Morris told me none of it worked and Gunner had disconnected. It was still draining as it had not all been disconnected. It is now.

Trying to think of what cool thing I can do with the wire harness of 18 gauge wires I have running from dash to the front side of the engine compartment??

This is still a great documentation photo! It represents why Barthmobile is so valuable to our Members!

I know I finished the schematic for this and the cruise control but probably didn't post it and it go buried in my other piles of junk. I will look to see if I can find it and post it again.

I am happy to say I have not had a bit of trouble with the big relays. I used the BIG BOY latching relay for the main coach connect/disconnect and it doesn't draw any power from the batteries when connected or disconnected.

Did have one problem with the paralleling relay that ties the coach batteries to the chassis batteries when the engine is running. I washed down the engine room and that black control module didn't like getting wet. A little denatured alcohol and very fine brush cleaned it up and the PCB is now conformal coated.

I also would like to clean up the rats nest behind the display panel, if I get really crazy, I would like to put provisions for an iPad with all the converters driving it for a "glass panel", much like they do in the latest kit airplanes. That is a lot of work. Nothing is digital on the early diesels except the Allison 6 speed and even that is primitive.

More later

quote:

Originally posted by Dana:
This is still a great documentation photo! It represents why Barthmobile is so valuable to our Members!

I agree. I think I must be getting old. I find Ed's photos more interesting than Playboy's. I can look at them all day...

quote:

I agree. I think I must be getting old. I find Ed's photos more interesting than Playboy's. I can look at them all day...

Well Steve, I am a heck of lot older than you, although I like Ed's photo's I would strongly disagree about the Bunnies on playboy.

The sun must be getting to your head!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Duane88:
although I like Ed's photo's I would strongly disagree about the Bunnies on playboy.

Yeah but they all look the same to me!