Community Forums

alpineman1 · 10-29-2012, 11:27 PM

* *Just purchased my first class A Motor home its a 2006 Fleetwood Bounder 37U drove it from Houston Texas up to Canada with no problems, but was never plugged into shore power on trip up just used the Generator when needed. When I first got home didn't plug it in for about 3 weeks and batteries were just fine after 3 weeks. Now I am home and when I plugged into shore power 20 amp into house for storage after a couple days both the house and coach batteries go dead. I boosted to get the engine started and then engine alternator charges the batteries. Plug back in and they go dead again within a couple days this is with nothing running. Any ideas why the batteries are going dead? is there something I have to switch when using shore power?
Also does anyone know how to turn on the engine block heater, I see the cord from the engine but it runs up into the motor home.

**CLIFFTALL** · 10-30-2012, 03:25 AM

Welcome to IRV2. My first thought is the converter , but the sequence of events you described are unusual. Hopefully someone will be along to assist further.

Cliff

Shadowcatche · 10-30-2012, 04:22 AM

A VOM is your friend, the voltage at the battery, plugged in vs not will tell you if the converter is functioning, or turned on. You should be seeing 13.2 V give or take over 14V during boost phase.

alpineman1 · 10-30-2012, 08:49 AM

Should have mentioned when the motor home is plugged into shore power it seams to drain the batteries not charge them.
Also I could not find a switch for the engine block heater

I will check the voltage Shadowcatche

Shadowcatche · 10-30-2012, 09:07 AM

And what are the voltages?

jimtacey · 10-30-2012, 10:25 AM

Generally the engine block heater plugs in under the rear bed into a switch that you can get to on the pedastal of the bed. look on all sides of the pedastal for a switch. It is usually lighted in the on position

Old Bounder · 10-30-2012, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alpineman1

Should have mentioned when the motor home is plugged into shore power it seams to drain the batteries not charge them.
Also I could not find a switch for the engine block heater

I will check the voltage Shadowcatche

If you have interior lights when plugged into shore power (even though the batteries are dead) then you can be sure the converter is working.

You may actually have an Inverter/charger, rather than a converter, if so, make sure it is turned ON, and in charge mode. If it is NOT sensing incoming 120vac power, it will revert to Inverter mode, and most certainly will drain your batteries in a couple of days.

alpineman1 · 10-30-2012, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimtacey

Generally the engine block heater plugs in under the rear bed into a switch that you can get to on the pedastal of the bed. look on all sides of the pedastal for a switch. It is usually lighted in the on position

Thanks was right there next to the breaker/fuse box turned on red light on.

alpineman1 · 10-30-2012, 02:59 PM

Ok just returned, when plugged into shore power 20 amp and when not plugged in same readings house and coach did notice the coach batteries were fully charged at 12.72 the house batteries are completely dead. Interior 12 Volt fixtures ie lights are not working.
Inside while plugged in all 120 volt appliances were working light on Microwave is on.
loulong it is a Magnum Energy ME Series Inverter/Charger there is a on/off switch when I try pressing it it is bottomed out and does nothing the green light blinks on and off about every second which in the manual indicates "search" mode, conserving power when appliances are switched OFF.
Also says that it Indicates "absorption" charge when the batteries are almost fully charged and the inverter is connected to shore power.
This unit also has the ME-RE Basic remote control in the interior counsel when I checked it the power and charge lights are on. on the screen it shows Absorb Charging DC 15.2V 0A

I'm new to all this all your help is greatly appreciated.
We are planning a trip in a couple days and I need it working prior to the trip.

Old Bounder · 10-30-2012, 04:56 PM

If the Magnum is actually charging, and is in the float stage as indicated by the slow blinking light, the output should be about 13.2VDC, That's what you should be reading on both the chassis and house batteries.

You may have blown the large catastrophic fuse between the house batteries and the inverter/charger. (Fuse located near the house batteries in the large positive battery cable path).

Does starting the engine cause the house lights to work, and do the house batteries begin to charge?

alpineman1 · 10-30-2012, 06:51 PM

Ya when I start the engine everything starts working and the batteries begin to charge and lights work

alpineman1 · 10-31-2012, 08:34 AM

So if I hold my voltmeter at the catastrophic fuse I should get a reading on the inverter/chargers side ? Also what size of fuse should this be I'm just going to head out and check it out.

alpineman1 · 10-31-2012, 09:49 AM

So here is what I get at the fuse plugged in I get a reading of 15.2 volts on the inverter/charger side and nothing on the battery side
Termenels looked dirty and throught the glass on the fuse all looked good did not look burnt I cleaned all terminals and reconnected and still did not work so must be the fuse now I need to find one and replace it. Ill let you know what happens after I replace it.

jimtacey · 10-31-2012, 10:28 AM

Before replacing unbolt it from the hangar and check continuity across the blades. That will tell you if it is blown or not. How big is you inverter? 2000watt or 3000watt. This will determine proper fuse size if you can not find the designation on the old fuse. I found on my freedom pure sine wave inverter that the search function could cause it to go into a invert on/off cycle that was cycling 110 volt power on then off every few seconds. I disabled the search function. in the control panel because of that.