Community Forums

Boeing Guy · 10-23-2010, 01:45 PM

After being at our campground and hooked up to shore power for about 15 hours,our house batteries start going dead.
We are new at rving and can't figure out what we should be looking for, or what to do next. Any suggestions???

UFO Pilot · 10-23-2010, 02:06 PM

I would suspect that your converter/charger isn't working.

Martind4 · 10-23-2010, 02:30 PM

Is this a new problem or is it ongoing? Depending on the unit, the converter/charger could just be turned off or have a blown fuse/circuit breaker.

How old are the batteries? CDo you have a way of checking the output voltage of the converter/charger?

Boeing Guy · 10-23-2010, 02:53 PM

It has happened before. We just replaced the house batteries and it works for about 12 to 14 hours. Then the lights dim and are depleted. Works ok with the engine running and works ok with the generator running.
We got to the campground and everything seems to work ok for about 14 to 16 hours. Then the lights go dim, fridge quits working but o 110 volt works. Microwave etc.

GaryKD · 10-23-2010, 05:56 PM

Hi Boeing Guy,
1. Check the Converter/charger circuit breaker. The one in the main 110 AC panel.

2. Check the input voltage on the converter/charger. It should be 110 VAC.

3. Unplug the converter/charger.

4. Take the output wires off the output terminals of the converter/charger.

5. Plug in the converter/charger.

6. Check the voltage on the output terminals. It should be what is printed on the converter/charger cover. Gut feel says around 13.5 VDC.

7. Reconnect everything (always remove power from the converter/charger before disconnecting or reconnecting wires).

8. Check the voltage at the batteries. It should be the same as the output of the converter/charger.

If you have not found a problem, gut feel says the problem is:
9. the batteries
10. dirty battery connections
11. dirty battery ground (at the chassis side of the wire).
12. A tremendous draw on the batteries. This is an entirely different answer to track this problem.

HarveyP · 10-24-2010, 03:24 PM

Any chance your refrigerator is running on electric that is coming from your inverter?

Mike Canter · 10-24-2010, 05:17 PM

My 110v domestic refrig runs off my inverter OK. That is the only way mine works because it is does not have a gas heater (Thank god)

Forest Grump · 10-30-2010, 01:21 PM

The converter while running also supplies DC power to the coach if I remember right while supplying power to charge the batteries. Big batteries and high DC draw require a larger converter. You might also have too small of a converter for your load if every else above checks out.