RV Generator Load Management Basics
How Battery Chargers and Other Base Loads Affect Your Generator
Auto Genstarts Systems and Safety Tips
Mysterious Generator Startups or Shutdowns? Elementary!
Sounds li ke a case for coach and are connected to the gen era tor remole
Sherlock Holmes. You say control via the coach wiring hamess. The benefit
th ere's a problem with your to you is that you don 't have to mon itor your bat-
generator? It shuts down or tery condition when using the inverter, and you
starts by itself at unexplained won't be stranded without enough battery life to
limes? But thorough testing start the generator.
and trouble· shooti ng fail to
uncover a problem. What's But if you aren't aware of the auto genstart fea-
wrong with your generator? ture, or don't know how it works , the generator
may seem to be ma lruncti oning, when it's actually
Maybe nothing - if it's in a dO ing exactly what it should.
coach equipped with an auto-
matic generator start/stop sys- Even if you don 't experience unexp lained shut-
tem . These control systems, most often installed downs , it's a good idea to become fam iliar with
in coaches with Onan QD diesel generators, afe your control panel to see whether the coach is
designed to start and stop the generator automati- equ ipped with an automatic starlistop feature and
cally based on battery voltage andlor air-condition- to lea rn how to control it.
er demand. The control panels are otten com-
. bined with the inverter/charger controls inside the
. --.--------------------------.--------------
DON'T OVERLOAD YOUR GENERATOR!
• Ba ttery charging is an "ill visible" base load - you ./ Microwave oven
moy not realize it is applied because it starts ./ Toaster
automatica lly. ./ Lamps
./' Be aware of Ilow large your "invisible" base ./ TVNC R or stereo
load can be (per chart 1) .
./ Air conditioners fleed "reserve" power to
start up. Too much base load can prevent
• Manage your electrical loads
by adjusting battery charge
air conditioner starting (see note below). rates 10 besl suil your needs.
Charge rates are usui:llly
• Battery chargers replen ish pOWl:lf drained from : adjustable - consul t your
./ Inverter lo ad s wilen 120 volts AC is not inverter/charger ma nufll or
present - such as microwave, lamps, manufacturer.
TVNCR , stereo, refrigerator or icemaker.
./ DC loads such as lights, pumps, fan s or Note: Each air
slide-outs. conditioner typi·
./ Engine starting ~lIy draws from
./ Generator starting 1400 to 2400
watts ( 11-20
• Cilart 1 shows the power required from the generator amps), depending
for battery charging only. tn addi tion to battery charg· upon size and operating co nd itions (more power is need ·
ing , other AC base loads may include: ed at higll temperature or hu midity) . During start-up, air
./ Refrigerator i ice maker cond itioners can draw 3 - 4 times that amount.
./ Coffeerna ker
Battery Charging Loads
Batte ry Cha rge r Amps Req uired From Equ iv ale nt
Inverter/Converter Max Output Ge nerator Appliance Load
Size (Watts) (14vdc ) (at 120VAC) Watts Exampl e
1000 50 Amps 12A 1440 Hi-efficiency ai r cond or microwave
1500 75 Amps 16A 1920 Hi-efficiency air cond plus microwave
2000 100 Amps 21A 2520 11000 air cond plus microwave
2500 120 Amps 26A 3120 13500 air cond plus microwave
3000 140 Amps 28A 3360 11000 + 13500 air conditioners
Example: a 2000 watt inverter running at 100A battery cha rge capacity creates the sa me load as an 11000 Chari 1
BTU air conditioner plus a micrO'.\'ave oven .
SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
• Operate your coach on ly if it has a properly functioning CO monitor and alarm.
• Always disable auto start systems:
~~' While re-fueling
~ For genset service
~ . For storage or long-term parking
Coach owners should ask the ir coach dealer for training on how to ope rate auto-starting
systems as well as how to adj ust battery cha rger output. If the dealer can 't help, the owner
should contact the inverter/charger or control manufacturer.
Battery Charging Times
Table is for a 100A battery c harger (typical 2000 W in ve rter)· pul ling 21A (2520 watts) from generator.
Battery Bank Size Hours that a 100A battery charger must run to reach float
(Amp hours) rate at this % of battery charge.
80% 22Yo 40% ~ 0% (11 vde)
100 0.3 0.7 1 1.3 1.6
200 0.6 1.4 2 2.6 3.2
400 1.2 2..8 4 5.2 6.4
600 1.8 4.2 6 7,8 9,6
800 2.4 5.6 8 10,4 12.8
1000 3 7 10 13 16
1200 3,6 8.4 12 15.6 19.2
1500 4,5 10.5 15 19,5 24
Chart 2
, --
IT TAKES TIME TO RECHARGE YOUR BATTERIES!
+ Chart 2 shows how long a 100A charger must run • Large battery charge loads limit the num ber of
before reaching float ra te. Charge rate begi ns to other appliances (like air conditioners) that can
taper off ea rl ier. operate on ge nerator power.
0/ Example: using a 100 amp battery charger, • AC loads powered through the inverter lengthen
a 600 amp-hour battery bank at 60% charge charge time due to power sharing.
level must be charged fo r 4.2 hours before Consult your inverter/charger manual o r manufac-
reaching float rale . turer for charge rale con trol.
• Chart assu mes no other DC loads are on. If DC • Poor ba tteries, cables or co nnections also lengthen
lights, pum ps or fa ns !:Ire also operating, charge charge time.
ti me W ill be longer. If too many DC loads arc
applied, the charger may never CRlch up wil h the • Manage electrical loads to get the most from you r
batteries! generator and electrical system.
Onan Corporation
1400 73rd Ave. NE
Minneapolis, MN 55432
1-800-888-0NAN
www.funroads.com
©200 1 Cummins Power Generation. Onan is a registered trademark of Cummins Inc. F-1362 (3/01)
