Stupid Battery question

[dpinkowski@...>]

John,

Put a volt meter on the batteries with the engine running. It should read >12V,
probably around 14V. The meter will only read 12V with the engine off (and
obviously disconnected from shore power)

Dave

>From: mbulriss <mbulriss@...>
>Date: 2008/03/20 Thu PM 07:57:06 CDT
>To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Re: Stupid Battery question

>
>John,
>
>Not sure how you are wired, but on my 83 PT, the batteries were
>actually hooked in series and parallel fashion. Four six volt
>batteries, each pair of two hooked in series to form 12 volts, and
>then the two series hooked in parallel.
>
>In that case, then yes, you can hook up the 12 volt battery charger to
>the end battery positive and negative connections. On the PT there
>were jumper studs on the door frame to hook jumper cables to so you
>didn't even have to touch the batteries.
>
>You shouldn't need to disconnect cables to charge them. You wouldn't
>disconnect them to have your on-board charger charge them when plugged
>into shore power.
>
>Hope this helps,
>
>Mike Bulriss
>1991 WB40 "Texas Minivan"
>San Antonio, TX
>
>--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "bubblerboy64"
>wrote:
>>
>> I guess the battery isn't stupid but rather its owner but I am a
>> little turned around on this. I have four batteries in my system
>> hooked in series. They are 6 volts batteries producing 12 volts
>> (right?) Now if I want to charge them directly (not by plugging in
>> the shore line of the bus) Can I disconnect the positive lead and
>> connect my battery charger to the bank of batteries, positive lead to
>> the positive terminal on the first battery and negative lead to the
>> negative terminal on the last battery in series? And then what do I
>> set the charger on 6 volts or 12 volts? Why am I doing this you
>> ask? I am not certain if my house charging system is working and I
>> want to work around it so that I know that I have a fully charged
>> battery bank and then drive the bus tomorrow. If the batteries stay
>> charged I know the bus is charging the batteries on the road. I am
>> trying to separate out systems so I can start to figure out my
>> problem. I assume the batteries are done for but if they would take
>> a charge directly off the charger perhaps not. And if I get new
>> batteries I'd like to know that the rest of the system is in order.
>> Any information or direction towards information would be
>> appreciated. Much to learn.
>>
>> John Heckman
>> central Pa
>> 1973 FC
>>
>
>