Can The FWC Smart Controller/Q4 Charge The Truck Battery?

[PaulT]

Sometimes. But I don’t miss having to push start it in hot weather when it refused to start. Or, freezing in winter whether driving or camping.
But we made a lot of memories camping in it.

Paul

 

[Wallowa]

Sometimes. But I don’t miss having to push start it in hot weather when it refused to start. Or, freezing in winter whether driving or camping.
But we made a lot of memories camping in it.

Paul

Yup.... and torching #3 cylinder...but the 21 million Beetles and their off-spring had class and character...perhaps a twisted soul, but a soul never the less...

In the end memories are all that survive..

Phil

 

[pvstoy]

Can the FWC charge controller/Q4 run current into the truck battery when camper is hooked up on 110v outside power?

Thanks...

Phil

Now to answer your question. No... with the current separator you have the voltage current from the camper 120 volt charger will not charge the battery.

It will allow charge from the truck to the camper battery but not right away, it could take a minute or two. Here is the kicker with that separator, if your camper battery is too low in voltage ( can't remember that number) the separator will not open to charge the camper battery. It's a bummer because that is when you really need to have it charged. The separator won't connect until the camper battery's voltage is brought up.

This reason is why FWC has gone to Blue Seas dual sensing separator and others here have replaced their older version as Rando has mentioned.

With a remote switched separator you have the control and options
to have the battery's never see each other,

run it in auto mode where it will open and close either direction based on voltage( charge from either charge source, truck or camper and all batteries are charged)

OR manually connect all battery's were could be good if you need to make sure the camper battery gets charged or need to jump start the truck battery.

Right now I have the camper Iota charging the camper and truck battery's.

 

[Wallowa]

Pvstoy,

Good overview...thanks...I carry one of these for that "just in case moment" when batteries go south..AG-Micro-Start-XP1..

You are in CC?...I grew up in RNO in 50's/60's...great state to be in then, clean air and sagebrush!

Phil

 

[RajaZoie]

Has anybody seen one of the isolators / separators malfunction and allow the camper batteries to drain down the truck battery when the truck isn't running? Our truck battery has died twice now during really cold temperatures. I think there's some sort of short or other electrical issue. Our mechanic is looking around since the truck also managed to start itself when the key was inserted but not actually turned (!!) and there's some other electrical oddities. Anyways... just wondering if you all have seen something like that? Our camper batteries are fully topped off from the solar so they look fine according to the Victron battery monitor.

 

[RajaZoie]

We have the same unit that Phil does for reference (at least it looks the same... and the camper is currently with the truck at the mechanic so I can't double check... but it's a 2015 Hawk).

 

[Wallowa]

Hey Thanks To All,

Appreciate the information and your experiences....I have put this on the shelf of a "non-issue"....or "if it ain't broken,don't fix it".

Thanks again!

Phil