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Topic: new one-batteries not charging  (Read 263 times) previous topic - next topic
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new one-batteries not charging
OK this is a bit complicated- when plugged into shore power, there is no charge to the batteries, but everything works just fine ..AC, micro, ect.. When running the gennie,  ALL 12v systems are working fine, the AC works, the micro, etc., but no charging to the house batteries.

The HP22B is showing the slow discharge, and no incoming power via either shore or gennie.

Now, I have started the coach engine, and the charge rate is 30 plus amps..so whatever is happening, it's only via shore/gennie.  I'm letting the engine run to recharge the house batteries, but I need to figure out what ISN'T working between them and shore/gennie.

I am parked in the shade, but there was a slight charging coming from the solar, so that avenue is working as well...what gives???

I know there's a fuse in the battery compartment, but since everything else is working I think it can't be that.

I did just have a new transfer switch installed, but since all the interior stuff is working w/the gennie., fairly sure it isn't that. And yes I thru all the breakers and reset all I could fine.

Help?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire
"CHERRYOTTE" our little red home on wheels
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #1
OK this is a bit complicated- when plugged into shore power, there is no charge to the batteries, but everything works just fine ..AC, micro, ect.. When running the gennie,  ALL 12v systems are working fine, the AC works, the micro, etc., but no charging to the house batteries.
The HP22B is showing the slow discharge, and no incoming power via either shore or gennie.

A little confusing.
The HPV22B is the solar controller, it doesn't show discharges.
So, from the way you describe it, I'm guessing everything is working except the converter, which charges the coach battery, when shore or generator power is available.
Check the 12v-volt fuse panel and make sure the two 30-amp converter fuses are good. Output of the converter can be checked with a voltmeter.
I suspect the converter or its fuse(s) are bad.
 
Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #2

...I did just have a new transfer switch installed, but since all the interior stuff is working w/the gennie., fairly sure it isn't that. And yes I thru all the breakers and reset all I could fine.


I agree with Larry and would also ask:

1.  You say you cycled your breakers in the 120 volt / 12 volt control center but are you certain the 15 amp breaker that supplies power to the converter/battery charger actually reset and is not in a tripped state due to a short somewhere?  You can reset the breakers but if there is a short, the breaker will instantly trip to prevent bad things from happening.

2.  What do you mean by "transfer switch"?  You say you just had that work done and if I were there, I would look to see what was affected by that installation.  If everything worked before the "transfer switch" work and now something is wrong, that is a good clue on where to focus your troubleshooting efforts.

Good luck.

Dan

2007 IB-30

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #3
Sorry..just saying  the HP and the Trimetric is showing the house batteries slowly discharging..down to 50%..been plugged into shore for the last day and a half [they were at 100% when I arrived/plugged in]. I have the switch set to 'shore'. I don't understand why the batteries are being used for anything, since I'm on shore power.
I pulled and replaced the two 30 amp green fuses at the top of the PD 7345 amp controller, flipped/reset all the breakers, reset the one behind the batterys on the wall under neath my frig, cleaned/checked bat. water and solar controller fuses..
The converter's little green light is flashing, everything inside is working fine, w/gennie/shore. Had a mobile RV repair person sort of walk me thru this, and he seems to think it is a connection somewhere, not the controller failing..me, I'm just over my head here..I don't do electrical! I also don't have nor know how to use a volt meter...parked at my ex's place in Grass Valley, CA. and will see if he has one or if he can check anything for me--he used to be an electrician but that was YEARS ago.
At 02:43 PM 7/21/2016, you wrote:

Quote

Quote

On: Thu Jul 21, 2016 Gini Free Wrote: OK this is a bit complicated- when plugged into shore power, there is no charge to the batteries, but everything works just fine ..AC, micro, ect..
When running the gennie, ALL 12v systems are working fine, the AC works, the micro, etc., but no charging to the house batteries.
The HP22B is showing the slow discharge, and no incoming power via either shore or gennie.

A little confusing.

The HPV22B is the solar controller, it doesn't show discharges.
So, from the way you describe it, I'm guessing everything is working except the converter, which charges the coach battery, when shore or generator power is available.

Check the 12v-volt fuse panel and make sure the two 30-amp converter fuses are good. Output of the converter can be checked with a voltmeter.
I suspect the converter or its fuse(s) are bad.
Larry
Larry

Collection: Lazy Daze

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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire "CHERRYOTTE" our litte red home on wheels "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire
"CHERRYOTTE" our little red home on wheels
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #4
Quote
I agree with Larry and would also ask:

1. You say you cycled your breakers in the 120 volt / 12 volt control center

but are you certain the 15 amp breaker that supplies power to the

converter/battery charger actually reset and is not in a tripped state due

to a short somewhere? You can reset the breakers but if there is a short,

the breaker will instantly trip to prevent bad things from happening. 

Yes..rechecked them, they are staying 'on'...

Quote
 
2. What do you mean by "transfer switch"? You say you just had
 that work

done and if I were there, I would look to see what was affected by that

installation. If everything worked before the "transfer switch" work and

now something is wrong, that is a good clue on where to focus your

troubleshooting efforts. 

Sorry..been coming at this for the past two hours, a bit frazzled..I meant a new transfer RELAY..and if it weren't functioning correctly, when I fire up the gennie, there wouldn't be any power to the inside..and there is--everything is working perfectly via gennie, shore but no charge to the house batteries. Also even tho I'm mostly in the shade, the solar monitor showed a small incoming charge by it self...??
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire
"CHERRYOTTE" our little red home on wheels
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #5
With problems with both Gennie and shore, I too tend to discount the ATS.  As Larry said, it sounds like a controller problem, but could be a connection issue.

Suggestions - find someone who has and will help with a voltmeter.   Hooked up to shore or genie, check voltage into the controller.  It should be 120 AC.  Check voltage coming out.  It should be about 13.5 volts.  If you have good voltage out, then you have to check the connections between the controller and the batteries, and the battery terminals themselves.

Good luck.

Ken F in WY
'08 MB

 
Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #6
Follow up...after following all the various advice given me..fuses to check, symptoms, explained, etc., I had my wonderful Mobile RV Repair person here in Grass Valley, Ca. [Byron's Mobile RV] come to see if he could track down the issues.

To reiterate; the whole coach worked GREAT on either shore or gennie, but no charge to  [coach'] batteries. With the engine running, charge to coach batteries.. otherwise, kept charge to coach batteries via battery charger using shore power.
When NOT connected to either shore or gennie..absolutely NO 12v anywhere inside coach..nada..

Checked/replace all fuses inside coach, and inside battery compartment [including the solar fuses inline]. Reset all breakers [repeatedly...grin]..Nothing.
Byron found the two small metal/metallic fuses NOT shown on any of my schematics or fuse/breaker diagrams under the frig, w/lower drawer removed..pushed the little black button [small--BB sized], and viola! Everything is hunky dory again. Now, my rig is a 31ft IB 1998, so those two pesky fuses may be anywhere in other models. But in mine, it's under the frig, behind the lower drawer, on the right hand side.!! GRIN!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire "CHERRYOTTE" our litte red home on wheels "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire
"CHERRYOTTE" our little red home on wheels
"Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #7
Byron found the two small metal/metallic fuses NOT shown on any of my schematics or fuse/breaker diagrams under the frig, w/lower drawer removed..pushed the little black button [small--BB sized], and viola!

Just what I suggested he look for in our telephone conversation a few days ago.
Nice of LD to hide the circuit breaker and never mentioned it or its location in the Owner's Manual.

I have found a lot of them either tripped or damaged, with high internal resistance. Replacement is needed in many cases.
While a resettable circuit breaker is OK, LD doesn't use the highest grade of breaker and they do develop resistance over time.
This may not sound too bad but consider than the charging amperage, from the converter and the solar panels, pass through this breaker on its way to the battery. Any resistance causes lost battery charging power.

While we are at it, another problem that comes up occasionally is deteriorating battery switches.
If your rig has lead-acid batteries and a Factory battery switch, check it for internal resistance.
The Hella switch looks stout but it is the cheaper version of Hella's marine switch. It is not sealed and the battery fumes eventually rot the switche's contacts, causing, you guessed it, resistance or a total lack of a connection, in severe cases.
I prefer using a fuse.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #8

Checked/replace all fuses inside coach, and inside battery compartment [including the solar fuses inline]. Reset all breakers [repeatedly...grin]..Nothing.
Byron found the two small metal/metallic fuses NOT shown on any of my schematics or fuse/breaker diagrams under the frig, w/lower drawer removed..pushed the little black button [small--BB sized], and viola! Everything is hunky dory again. Now, my rig is a 31ft IB 1998, so those two pesky fuses may be anywhere in other models. But in mine, it's under the frig, behind the lower drawer, on the right hand side.!! GRIN!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gini Free and Junah, canine xtrodinaire "CHERRYOTTE" our litte red home on wheels "Growing old is mandatory. Growing wise is optional."

We have the same two 12v breakers in the same location on our 06.

Jim

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #9

While we are at it, another problem that comes up occasionally is deteriorating battery switches.
If your rig has lead-acid batteries and a Factory battery switch, check it for internal resistance.
The Hella switch looks stout but it is the cheaper version of Hella's marine switch. It is not sealed and the battery fumes eventually rot the switche's contacts, causing, you guessed it, resistance or a total lack of a connection, in severe cases.
I prefer using a fuse.

Larry

Larry, are you talking about the battery disconnect?

Jim

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #10
Larry, thanks for the tip about the breaker in the battery compartment. We don't have the generator to worry about, but the original battery breaker has to be aged. Gonna check mine for resistance before hitting the road, when I install my new Victron monitor. When it comes to electric systems I am always great full for help!
Paul
'92 Mid Bath

Re: new one-batteries not charging
Reply #11
Larry, are you talking about the battery disconnect?
Yes, the switch is normally installed in-between the two batteries.
Amazon.com: HELLA 002843011 2843 Series 100A Rating Battery Master Switch:... F.

Larry
As an Amazon Associate Lazy Daze Owners' Group earns from qualifying purchases.
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze