Converter/Inverter

[jhruska]

I have a 2007 Winnebago Journey 39k - the inverter/battery charger is not working normally and will not charge the house batteries, even though the inverter function works normally. Am I correct in assuming that this coach, besides the inverter/battery charger, also has a converter running off 110 volts that will supply 12 volts to the coach when connected to shore power? If so, then when connected to shore line power the 12 volt features of the coach are running off the converter and not depleting the house batteries (which at present I am not able to charge via the inverter.)

The inverter is a Dimensions Inverter/Charger, model 12X20B3R1T. The inside display panel gives the message "Charger off - Battery Temp Hi". The batteries were not good and have been replaced, but I still get the same error message. Neither the batteries or the battery compartment feel warm. ? bad temperature sensor??

Any ideas or similar problems??

Thanks for your help.

[Beabop]

suggest you call the tec at the factory tomorrow. We had our Demented rebuilt at the factory, it overcharged and killed our batteries, but if it isn't an easy fix for yours, would reccomend a different brand. Ours was rebuilt last year and seems to be working OK.

[Pusherman]

A little terminology:

An inverter converts 12V to 110V. Used when not hooked up to shore power to power 110V appliances in your coach.

A charger charges your coach batteries when hooked up to shore power.

A converter converts 110V to 12V to power your 12V systems in your RV.

To your specific question of whether when hooked up to shore power, yes, the 12V appliances in your coach should work, and will not deplete the batteries.

If your getting the 'Hi Temp' warning, something else is going on, possibly bad batteries. But since you've already replaced them, it could be the hi-temp sensor, or a bad converter/charger/inverter system (which is what you have).

A good RV tech should be able to diagnose the problem.

[Harry B]

You can jumper the sensor out at a cable entering the Dimensions inverter/converter.

There are two small cables coming from the inverter/converter and each has a connector within about 6 inches of the inverter/converter unit. There is a flat telephone like cable that runs to the control panel inside. The other is a round two conductor gray cable (red and black inside) that runs to the temperature sensor. Disconnect this connector (it lays on top of my inverter/converter) and insert a 21K ohm resistor (Radio Shack) across the two terminals of the short cable running to the inverter/converter. Make sure the jumper resistor does not touch ground when you try out the inverter/converter.

21K ohms is the reading you should have at about 75 degrees. A couple of thousand ohms higher or lower is OK. The resistance lowers as the temperature gets colder. This resistance is within the normal operating range that the Dimensions inverter/converter expects. If your sensor is the problem the error indication should disappear. If the error message remains it is probably a problem internal to Dimensions inverter/converter.

Hope this helps isolate the problem.