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Charging your batteries
Inverter-Charger
Your Roadtrek is equipped with a inverter-charger which converts 120 volt AC (household current) to 12 volts DC when you are connected to shore power or
running the optional gasoline generator. This 120 volt power is used to power your 12VDC appliances as well as charge your batteries. Whenever you are
receiving either source of 120 volt power, you are charging your batteries.
Standard Alternator Charger and Battery Isolator
While driving, your Roadtrek will also charge the coach batteries from the vehicle alternator through a separator. The separator allows extra vehicle
alternator-produced electricity to charge your coach batteries in addition to keeping your engine (chassis) battery charged. When the vehicle engine is not
running, it breaks the electrical connection between your coach batteries and your engine battery, so your engine battery remains charged to start your engine
even though you are using coach battery power while camped. This is all automatic - there are no user adjustments possible to the separator.
Optional Engine Generator
Your vehicle may be equipped with an engine generator. The engine generator is mounted on the vehicle engine and is operated by idling the vehicle engine. If
your coach batteries are low, start the vehicle engine and let it idle until the batteries are sufficiently charged. Usually 30 minutes of idling are enough to restore
moderately depleted coach batteries to a useful level of charge.
As with a conventional generator, always close the rear windows of the vehicle and turn off the roof ventilation fan when the engine generator is charging the
batteries to avoid exhaust entering the vehicle's interior.
The engine generator is charging the coach batteries whenever the vehicle's engine is in operation, which means you are also charging them as you drive. You
will arrive at your camping destination with fully charged coach batteries.
There is no required maintenance for the engine generator. Note, however, that your vehicle's serpentine belt (the belt which drives the vehicle's alternator,
water pump, power steering, etc.) will be different than the one for similar vehicles without the engine generator, so carrying a spare belt may be prudent in
case you have a serpentine belt failure while traveling.