Search all the info here and didn’t quite answer my question.
Why aren’t my batteries charging?
A few days ago the inverter began to beep. I noticed the inverter reading low at 11. I was about to travel for a week, so I turned the inverter off and left. Came back and tried to turn the inverter on, nothing.
Put a multimeter on the leads coming into the inverter only reading 2, went to the battery box and tested also reading 2. Have been hooked to shore power the whole time. Disconnects are in proper position. The power panel indicates full charge on the batteries. I’m not an electrician so any help is appreciated.
My next move seems to be to pull the batteries and have them tested and charged (cell fluid was full) if possible, then replace and see if they run down again.
One other thing, like the inverter, the level up system does not come on at all, I’m assuming this is because the batteries are too low. What is confusing to me is the fact I am hooked to shore power. I thought they would operate off shore power, appears in wrong about that?
2019 3121rl
FB - Omar & Maria’s Great RV Adventure
FT since 5/19
Sounds to me like you're not getting power to the batteries from the converter in the power panel by the stairs. If your meter shows batteries are full I'm assuming it's working. You can test this by shutting off the breaker to it. Mine is on the far right.
Forgot to mention I tripped the breaker and turned it back on thinking g maybe it would reset something, to avail. The converter appears, I say it that way because I’m not electronically inclined, to be working properly.
The Level Up and inverter, amongst other 12V devices, need battery power. At 11V or less, the batteries aren't doing it. You are on shore power so the converter should be producing 13.4V or so. That should be charging the batteries but it sounds like it is not. ut the converter can't produce enough amp at 12V to run anything significant (LED lights will work but not high energy draw devices like hydraulics. The inverter duns directly off the batteries and if it say low voltage, the converter in not charging the batteries. Which is what you have determined.
The output of the converter runs through the disconnect battery switch in the convenience center (be sure you can not remove the key as that is the position which allows the 12v to pass), through the two 50 amp self resetting circuit breakers into the batteries.
You need to use a voltage meter and check the power along the way. Be sure to check the converter to ensure it is producing 13.4V or so and the reverse polarity fuses haven't been blown (if the battery display shows full charge I suspect the fuses are OK).
There are only a few places where the flow can be interrupted and a voltage meter will find it easily.
There have been few reports of the left 50 amp circuit breaker failing and not allowing the 12V current to flow.
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Carl (n Susan) There is more to life than fuel mileage.
2012 Montana 3700RL Big Sky Package towed by a 2015 Ford F350 6.7L PSD 4WD CC LWB
Im assuming the same - converter not charging the batteries. Not being electrically inclined, I would t know where to begin tracing power back from the converter to the batteries. But I’m truly thankful for the response as it will give me something to talk about when approaching others who might...thanks.
In your fuse panel you may (or not) see a green blinking light. This is your charge wizzard light. Next to it is a small black button. You can press and hold this button for 5 seconds ( i think) to change the mode.
Mine was not charging one time. I cycled through the modes and it started working again.
I have attached the charge wizzard instructions and converter troubleshooting instructions.
Hope this helps.
Correction. That was the wrong charge wizzard instructions.
Next post has the manual with the correct instructions.
I recommend all RVers carry a meter and learn the basics. Start first by measuring your battery level. You can get a meter for around $5 at harbor freight on up to hundreds. But for simple 12v checks that cheap meter will tell you a lot. If the battery itself is 11v, you know your charger isn’t working. There are lots of good you tube videos on using a meter. Best of luck. Hope the Charge Wizard reset helps.
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Ron and Terrie Ames - MOC #1920/KF0NTA
2021Montana 3230CK Super Solar Legacy Package
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4x4, SRW, LB, Crew Cab, Pullrite 3900 Hitch
I wonder if there is a way of knowing what the different green light flashing sequences mean.
For example when I began to trouble shoot the green light flashed every 9 seconds approx. then when I held the manual button in for 6 secs the flashing sequence turned to a double flash every 6 seconds approx.
Any thoughts? I know it’s late and probably won’t get many eyes on this tonight but thanks in advance
There are some of still up on the elft coast. Here is what the blinking lights mean:
The Mode Select Switch:
The Charge Wizard functions are fully automatic however, you can test the Charge Wizard’s functions manually by pressing and holding the MODE SELECT SWITCH BUTTON DOWN. When the button is first pressed, the light will be “ON” all the time, indicating it is in the BOOST Mode (converter output 14.4 VDC). If you continue to hold the button, the unit will switch to the NORMAL Mode (converter output 13.6 VDC) and the light will blink from once to many times a second. If you continue to hold the button down the unit will go into the STORAGE Mode (converter output 13.2 VDC) and the light will blink approximately every five- (5) seconds. NOTE: No matter which mode you manually select, the Charge Wizard will automatically return to the NORMAL Mode of operation after 4 -hours.
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Carl (n Susan) There is more to life than fuel mileage.
2012 Montana 3700RL Big Sky Package towed by a 2015 Ford F350 6.7L PSD 4WD CC LWB
Carl nailed it. While you're at the converter, make sure the 4 reverse polarity fuses are actually good. Visual inspection sometimes isn't enough. You'll need to check them with an ohm meter. Connecting the battery backwards for even a millisecond can blow these fuses.
I know of at least one other flashing sequence on the converter - that of a flashing redish/orange. Turns out that this means that the converter needs to be replaced - which is happening with mine as I type this (Montana approved the replacement under warranty). Thanks to all who provided thoughts/diagnostic testing to my very similar posting under a different thread.
I just got done trouble shooting this very problem.
The issue was, the transfer switch was disconnecting the second leg of the shore power. So, No Converter, and no nothing on anything on the right side of the breaker panel.
Pull the cover off of the breaker panel, and with a meter, make sure you have power coming in on both legs of your shore power. Could be the same problem I had.
My second AC was on the same leg as the converter, maybe yours is too, try turning on your front AC.
1. In one of my posts I mention the house battery power indicator was on “Full Charge” you’ll get that reading hooked to shore power, its false. I shut the shore power off and the reading was dead.
2. With shore power, I tested the power at the converter that leads back to the battery box thanks to the posting here with the converter schematic. Power was good.
3. Went to the battery box and took the batteries out as they were reading 2volts and 3 volts on the second. Followed the red power cable from the battery box back to the first connection, dead, followed back to the next connection which was on what I thought was a bar style connector, and the power was dead in the battery side and spot on correct 13.6 on the other.
4. Turns out it’s not a bar that those two connectors run to but a fuse called a “Shortstop 12v B12 50amp”. Autozone charged and tested the batteries for free, they are still good. Autozone did not have the fuse I needed.
5. Found the fuse online at BassPro. They had a resettable one in stock - 14.99 - brought everything back, cut shore power, replaced the 50amp fuse on the firewall with the resettable one, reinstalled the batteries, turned on shore power and everything was working. Been monitoring the inverter to see if it maintains being fed13.5v
6. The resettable fuse is obviously not cost effective, the original is a 12v B12 50amp fuse, about 82 cents online, but hey when you need it now and it’s resettable, I’ll pay $15 all day.
7. Appreciate all the help I got here (especially the schematic) and those in the park were at to just talk it out....
Yup, the notorious 50 amp self resetting circuit breaker does it again. If you Search here, you will find that beastie frequently opens up under load and then closes again making it appear there is a hitch in giddy up of the pump. That is an indicator is is worn out. A total failure like you encountered is much easier to diagnose. The best solution is replace it with an 80 breaker which you will find links to in the many Threads you found doing a Search.
I didn’t figure that to be the fuse that those links were referring to. But it makes sense, the right side of that fuse leads to the hydraulic pump and the battery...thanks
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