Converter Problems

[Craig A]

In the last 6 months I've been through two batteries. When I left my rig plugged into 30AMP this week, my battery did NOT recharge, so obvious assumption is the converter is bad. Any suggestions or anyone else have the same issue?

[illapah]

Just a thought, do you have the battery disconnect switch in your rig?

[Craig A]

I don't think so. Where is it?

[illapah]

We have an 07 3295 as you can see from post. Ours is on the panel that is in the understorage area (street side) where the water, tv cable, etc connections are. It is a black plastic key-like affair that I believe is labeled battery disconnect. I have no pics and unit is winterized.

[Craig A]

Thanks for the info, illapah. I don't have a central area like that on mine. I think I'm gonna disconnect the battery, then plug in and measure the voltage across the battery cables and see what I get. I'm pretty sure it's the converter.

[illapah]

Rats!! Hope it is not the converter ($$$$$) but in any case, checking for voltage (and blown fuses) is not a wrong way to go. My expertise is very anemic. Hope some will venture by and give simple solution.

[Craig A]

$100 deductible on the insurance will be paying for itself. Glad I bought it now.

[Cyrus]

On my 2006 329RLT I can hear the coverter fan kick in when I turn on 12 volt lights. It is my understanding that this means there is a load on the battery and the charger is kicking in. Normally the charger is just keeping a trickle charge on the battery and you don't hear the fan. Maybe this will help you decide if the charger is working.

[SlickWillie]

quote:Originally posted by Craig A

In the last 6 months I've been through two batteries. When I left my rig plugged into 30AMP this week, my battery did NOT recharge, so obvious assumption is the converter is bad. Any suggestions or anyone else have the same issue?

Will any of the 12v lights work with the battery dead? There was a long thread just recently on converter problems. Specifically, blown reverse polarity protection fuses. You might want to look at that thread. Lots of good ideas in it.

I should have worded that different; I meant to suggest you try the 12v lights to check the converter. I would think everything but the slides would work.

[waldo238]

I had the battery die on my old TT and all the 12v things still worked when the rig was plugged in to shore power.

[bw2]

This is a good test, disconnect the battery and check the 12v lights. This should indicate the converter is working. I am not sure if this indicates the trickle charge is working, I would believe so.

[Craig A]

The lights barely work, the slides and the landing gear do NOT work off of shore power. I can plug into the truck and get the landing gear moving very slooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooowly.

[bw2]

In my 3400RL, the converter is by IOTA. There is an earlier thread "reverse polarity" that discusses a problem I was having with the slides and lights. There are two 30 amp fuses in the 12v fuse panel. Make sure both of these fuses are good, test them with a volt/ohm meter. If one is blown, there is not enough current flowing through just one fuse, you need both fuses. My slides were very slow when operating just on the battery without the converter. Following that, have the battery tested, you may have a battery that needs to be charged on a battery charger. Since you have stated that plugged into the truck the slides operated very slowly. Also check the output of the converter with the volt/ohm meter. Disconnect the battery connections and test the voltage on the connectors.
I contacted IOTA and they were helpful if all of the above seems to be proper.

Of course, if still in warranty, see your dealer.

[Bill and Lisa]

I had problems following replacement of my converter. The above test where the lights barely worked, was the battery disconnected? It is fairly easy to measure voltage right at the terminals on the converter assuming you have a voltmeter. If you don't get at least 13.5 volts the problem is in the converter. Check the reverse polarity fuses in the converter (you may have to loosen a retaining screw to pull the fuses out.

If you do get 13.5V out of the inverter check the two 12V fuses in the 12v distribution panel as mentioned above. (that was where my problem was and a dealer missed it twice!)

A good 3 phase battery charger