Trouble Shooting my Converter

[Bill and Lisa]

Hopefully sometime this week the rest of my parts will come in and I will take my unit back to my local dealer to have them installed. While there he will trouble shoot the new converter which was installed last week but did not charge my battery last weekend. I have learned that the red led lights on the indicator panel are not an active indicator of what is going on but simply respond to voltage on the bus. The "C" light can and will come on without a charge actively being applied to the battery if the battery voltage is high enough. Best I can tell it comes on somewhere around 13.8 volts DC.

My 6v batteries, fully charged are sufficient to light the "C" light. I am concerned that the dealer will plug in A/C power, point to the "C" light and say "It's working".

Having spent hours pouring through the extensive wiring diagrams included with the owner's manual does anyone know where in the 12v system the battery disconnect is? I am considering opening the disconnect to remove the battery voltage from the bus so the lights and or measured voltage at the output of the converter is only the output of the converter and not a high battery voltage masking the lack of converter output.

I did think about checking the converter fuses this weekend (2 40A knife edge fuses) but even using a pair of needle nose plyers I could not pull the fuses (I had the breaker open). Connections out of the converter appeared tight. I still need to check the ground connection into the DC power panel to ensure it is tight.

Thanks for your inputs and insights.

Bill

[noneck]

Ok, simple test for this is.... Unplug or shut off main disconnect, pull the + terminal off battery and tuck somewhere so it does not touch any metal, plug in or turn on main disconnect. If your DC stuff works then your converter is providing 12vdc and as you turn on more lights and stuff it tests the ability for managing load.

[Okie Guy]

You might also check the fuse amp against the panel amp list. My panel said to use a 40amp fuse and the dealer had 30amp fuses in the converter box. I went to an auto parts store and they told me this is a common mistake. He keeps a box of 40amps on hand just for rvers. Anyone else had this happen to them?

[bsmeaton]

Bill,

The disconnect will isolate the 12V buss, however I am not sure if the battery charge portion of the coverter goes straight through to the batteries. I do know the jacks, slides, and breakaway power is ahead of the disconnect switch (feed straight from the battery with breakers located on the front bulkhead below the slide pump).

A simple test for your charger - put a voltmeter across the batteries and check while plugged into AC, then unplugged from AC. The charging voltage should try to creep up above 13V, but when the charger is not operating, voltage should be closer to 12V.

[Clyde n Deb]

quote:Originally posted by noneck

Ok, simple test for this is.... Unplug or shut off main disconnect, pull the + terminal off battery and tuck somewhere so it does not touch any metal, plug in or turn on main disconnect. If your DC stuff works then your converter is providing 12vdc and as you turn on more lights and stuff it tests the ability for managing load.

I am having the same problem. Have checked all fuses, etc. I was also advised to not unhook the battery and try this as it is needed to complete the circuit and regulate the voltage from the converter in the system. Looking for more help.......going in search of a loose wire or ground this weekend.

[Clyde n Deb]

Solved my problem. Was a loose ground wire running from converter to distribution panel.

[bsmeaton]

Hey Clyde - good find!

Back in business and time to start working on the summer vacations!

[Bill and Lisa]

I too fixed my problem this weekend. couple of key pieces on intel to pass on.

To remove the 40 Amp fused located on the converter you must first loosen some screws (between the two fuses) or they will not pull out.

Brad - DC bus is feed by the battery (connects in the middle of the bus) and the converter (connects on the far left end of the bus). Converter feeds through the two 40A fuses on the far left which are the only fuses which don't have blown indicator lights (mine were blown during the initial power surge and never caught). We did reroute the wires from the panel to the converter to make things neater while I was in there.

Clyde, you got bad intel on the need to keep the battery on line to regulate the converter. Today's coaches don't have to have a battery to run. The converter puts out 13.6V DC period. (14.2V if you install the rapid charge jumper). Even though both my fuses in the panel were blown (and therefore the converter didn't see the bus let alone the battery) reading at the converter posts showed 13.6V feeding the 2ft cable up to the bus.

I also installed the IQ4 module into the jumper connection which converts the converter from a 2 stage charger to a 3 stage "Intelli" charger. cost about $30 with shipping.

Bill

[bsmeaton]

Bill, thanks for the info

Brad

[noneck]

There you have it...I have had a number of RVs and running DC stuff is Ok when no batteries exist as they have converters configured to clamp output voltage w/o need for battery in circuit.

[Clyde n Deb]

"To remove the 40 Amp fused located on the converter you must first loosen some screws (between the two fuses) or they will not pull out."

Mine has 2 30's actually, and they did come out, but not willingly. Had to take the front of the converter off to get them back in properly. All while laying on the floor with 2 arms snaked into the cabinet. Had help to hold the flashlight and get one screw back on the converter. (He had smaller hands)

Thanks for the input on the battery/no battery issue. Had input both ways and was unsure of late.

Now, onto the next challenge!