Conflicting data

[jbeliera]

Hello.. I am puzzled as to why when I test my two six volt batteries , they show fully charged by the tester but my system panel inside the coach tell a different story.. the panel lights show only a partial charge of two lights instead of the fully charged four that it used to indicate.. could it be my converter panel malfunctioning and not showing the proper level of battery life or is my converter off line with my batteries z i don’t boon dock so no problem but the panel should indicate the right level of charge in my battery bank of two 6 volt batteries.. I am not hooked to shore power when . I trouble shoot the problem… any 12 volts lights that I switch on show very dim lighting so I can only summarize that the power at the battery bank is not showing and bright lighting to any 12 volt light when flipped on like it should if both batteries where fully charged

 

[Carl n Susan]

It sounds like you are not getting 12V from the batteries to the power panel. The batterie should measure 12.4V with a VOM, if fully charged, when shore power is disconnected. Below is a 12V diagnosis flowchart. It was intended for someone questioning the output of their converter and it not making it ot the batteries. In your case, I would start at the batteries (the last bullet point). Measure the voltage there and then work your way up the bullted list until the point where the measured voltage drops off. Dirty battery cables or a bad 59 self resetting circuit breaker is my guesses.

The 12V flow from the converter to the batteries is pretty straight forward. As others have pointed out, here are the places to look. All connections should have 13.5 +/- Volts if the converter is working.

• The converter is part of the power distribution panel -Ensure the CB for it is On
• There are Reverse Polarity Fuses on the converter which protect against connecting a battery backwards. - Ensure they are not blown.
• Check the output voltage at the converter. - it should be in the 13.5V DC range.
• Prior to the new Giggy Box (which replace the Red Key) the power then runs to the Disconnect Switch in the Convenience Center. - Ensure the Red Key is in the position where it can *NOT* be removed. If removed, this interrupts the power charging the battery. The Disconnect Switch is not know to fail, but you can remove it to check there is power in and out of it just to be sure.
• The power next flows to the group of 50 amp self-resetting CBs behind the battery. We all know about the one that hiccups and interrupts the hydraulic system. That one also passes power to/from the converter and batteries. You want to check it and it's brother (it is in the current flow to the battery) to ensure there is 13.5V on *EACH* side of the CB.
• The last connection is the one from the 50 amp CBs to the batteries. Ensure you have clean connections and the cables are not corroded (watch out for internal corrosion under the shrink wrap).

Somewhere along this path there will be the problem. A simple VOM should find it. I hope this helps.

 

[jbeliera]

IT sounds like you are not getting 12V from the batteries to the power panel. The batterie should measure 12.4V with a VOM, if fully charged, when shore power is disconnected. Below is a 12V diagnosis flowchart. It was intended for someone questioning the output of their converter and it not making it ot the batteries. In your case, I would start at the batteries (the last bullet point). Measure the voltage there and then work your way up the bullted list until the point where the measured voltage drops off. Dirty battery cables or a bad 59 self resetting circuit breaker is my guesses.

The 12V flow from the converter to the batteries is pretty straight forward. As others have pointed out, here are the places to look. All connections should have 13.5 +/- Volts if the converter is working.

• The converter is part of the power distribution panel -Ensure the CB for it is On
• There are Reverse Polarity Fuses on the converter which protect against connecting a battery backwards. - Ensure they are not blown.
• Check the output voltage at the converter. - it should be in the 13.5V DC range.
• Prior to the new Giggy Box (which replace the Red Key) the power then runs to the Disconnect Switch in the Convenience Center. - Ensure the Red Key is in the position where it can *NOT* be removed. If removed, this interrupts the power charging the battery. The Disconnect Switch is not know to fail, but you can remove it to check there is power in and out of it just to be sure.
• The power next flows to the group of 50 amp self-resetting CBs behind the battery. We all know about the one that hiccups and interrupts the hydraulic system. That one also passes power to/from the converter and batteries. You want to check it and it's brother (it is in the current flow to the battery) to ensure there is 13.5V on *EACH* side of the CB.
• The last connection is the one from the 50 amp CBs to the batteries. Ensure you have clean connections and the cables are not corroded (watch out for internal corrosion under the shrink wrap).

Somewhere along this path there will be the problem. A simple VOM should find it. I hope this helps.

I just read that there is a switch in the battery compartment that shuts off the converter to the batteries .. if so wouldn’t that also show up in the panel as no info from batteries that show the condition of the batteries in the light panel

 

[Carl n Susan]

According to your Profile, you have a 2008 Larado. I have no knowledge of that brand but I doubt there is a battery cutoff switch in anything of that era.

 

[jbeliera]

According to your Profile, you have a 2008 Larado. I have no knowledge of that brand but I doubt there is a battery cutoff switch in anything of that era.

We sold the Laredo and now have 2014 Montana

 

[jbeliera]

We also a switch in the battery compartment

 

[BB_TX]

I know nothing about the Laredos. So these questions are based on my 2007 Montana.

With shore power disconnected, use voltmeter to check voltage at the batteries and again at your 12 vdc fuse panel. That voltage should be exactly the same. Around 12.4 vdc for a fully charged battery. If not the same, you have some problem between the batteries and your converter/fuse panel.

Two possibilities there. The wire from the battery goes to a 50 amp auto reset circuit breaker (in a Montana located on the wall behind the battery). From there a wire to the battery disconnect switch (in a Montana located in the convenience center where water hookups are located). From there a wire to the converter/fuse panel.

Those 50 amp auto reset circuit breakers are cheap and prone to fail. Burned contacts and high resistance could easily cause a voltage drop from the battery.

The battery disconnect switch in the wrong position should completely disconnect battery from the fuse panel.
(Again these are what a Montana has).

With shore power connected and using a voltmeter you should measure 14+ vdc at the fuse panel and at the battery when the converter is in the charging mode.

 

[jbeliera]

I know nothing about the Laredos. So these questions are based on my 2007 Montana.

With shore power disconnected, use voltmeter to check voltage at the batteries and again at your 12 vdc fuse panel. That voltage should be exactly the same. Around 12.4 vdc for a fully charged battery. If not the same, you have some problem between the batteries and your converter/fuse panel.

Two possibilities there. The wire from the battery goes to a 50 amp auto reset circuit breaker (in a Montana located on the wall behind the battery). From there a wire to the battery disconnect switch (in a Montana located in the convenience center where water hookups are located). From there a wire to the converter/fuse panel.

Those 50 amp auto reset circuit breakers are cheap and prone to fail. Burned contacts and high resistance could easily cause a voltage drop from the battery.

The battery disconnect switch in the wrong position should completely disconnect battery from the fuse panel.
(Again these are what a Montana has).

With shore power connected and using a voltmeter you should measure 14+ vdc at the fuse panel and at the battery when the converter is in the charging mode.

Thank you for your response… I think I found the problem.. I had the montana in the shop for about a month to have a hydraulic main pump replaced… I know that I have a battery switch in the battery compartment and it is tripped by pushing to black Button in…and the tech must have inadvertently tripped it to the off position and the battery… the battery disconnect. The one in the water compartment was left on and consequently drained my batteries down because there are systems in the background always running to drain those batteries if you don’t turn that switch off.. when I came home I plugged in my power to the house 30 Amp box thinking that the converter would charge my batteries while plugged in.. well if the 50 amp battery breaker was tripped to the off and I didn’t know , my converter was never going to recharge my batteries… now the battery breaker is back on and my converter is in full charge mode.. I hear the battery water moving and my converter is running with my green light on the steady green position

I am a little concerned about the water in the batteries rumbling and spilling a out a little but I guess it’s putting out the volts to get those batteries rumbling and up to voltage speed…my lights in my rv panel are moving up… they red lights are moving up to bring it full charge-soon I hope… the lights are up to two red lights now in my systems panel…

 

[jbeliera]

Thank you for your response… I think I found the problem.. I had the montana in the shop for about a month to have a hydraulic main pump replaced… I know that I have a battery switch in the battery compartment and it is tripped by pushing to black Button in…and the tech must have inadvertently tripped it to the off position and the battery… the battery disconnect. The one in the water compartment was left on and consequently drained my batteries down because there are systems in the background always running to drain those batteries if you don’t turn that switch off.. when I came home I plugged in my power to the house 30 Amp box thinking that the converter would charge my batteries while plugged in.. well if the 50 amp battery breaker was tripped to the off and I didn’t know , my converter was never going to recharge my batteries… now the battery breaker is back on and my converter is in full charge mode.. I hear the battery water moving and my converter is running with my green light on the steady green position

I am a little concerned about the water in the batteries rumbling and spilling a out a little but I guess it’s putting out the volts to get those batteries rumbling and up to voltage speed…my lights in my rv panel are moving up… they red lights are moving up to bring it full charge-soon I hope… the lights are up to two red lights now in my systems panel…

I noticed that my 50 amp breaker is kicking off while on converter charging and it won’t stay on so I am ordering new one

 

[Carl n Susan]

A 2014 has a 90 amp converter. If your batteries were seriously depleted, it will produce more than 50 amps to try to recharge them. That 50 amp CB will pop. Been there, done that. That is why an 80 amp breaker is recommended.

The really bad news is that those batteries are probably toast. Lead acid batteries don't respond well to being fully discharged. Which may be why the converter is tripping the 50 amp CB

 

[jbeliera]

A 2014 has a 90 amp converter. If your batteries were seriously depleted, it will produce more than 50 amps to try to recharge them. That 50 amp CB will pop. Been there, done that. That is why an 80 amp breaker is recommended.

The really bad news is that those batteries are probably toast. Lead acid batteries don't respond well to being fully discharged. Which may be why the converter is tripping the 50 amp CB

I took the batteries to interstate last week and had them tested.. the rep said they were fully charged and good almost as new all acid levels were showing at new levels

 

[jbeliera]

I took the batteries to interstate last week and had them tested.. the rep said they were fully charged and good almost as new all acid levels were showing at new levels

Thank you for the advice just bought two 80’s from Amazon I am retuning the 50

I took the batteries to interstate last week and had them tested.. the rep said they were fully charged and good almost as new all acid levels were showing at new levels

it could be just a bad breaker

 

[jbeliera]

Thank you for the advice just bought two 80’s from Amazon I am retuning the 50

it could be just a bad breaker

We will see what the new breaker does

Thanks again for your good advic

 

[jbeliera]

Thank you for the advice just bought two 80’s from Amazon I am retuning the 50

it could be just a bad breaker

My interstate batteries are derp cycle golf cart batteries if that means anything