Community Forums

JasonFuller · 05-21-2011, 10:33 PM

Hello,

I have a few issues that need to be addressed on my RV. The first is my charging problem. The house batteries wont chage on shore power or off the alternator. I've puchased new batteries so I'm pretty sure that isn't the issue. I thought I might start by checking the power converter and working out from there. The first question; where is the silly thing? Second question is; should that be the first place to start?

Thanks in advance,

Jason

73Indian · 05-21-2011, 11:19 PM

Hey Jason,
Welcome to the club. As a fellow Oregonian, I live in Keizer, some info that will help fix the problem you are having would be, Is this a new problem or has it ever charged the batteries? What have you checked or tried?
Since I drive more of a "Vintage" MH there is a switch on the dash for charging just the starting batt or both starting and house batt when the engine is running. Do you have this switch?

I am sure someone here will know how to help you more than I can but some problems are easy and some are our own fault, I know that one for sure.

Anyway good luck. Les

TXiceman · 05-22-2011, 07:51 AM

If you don't have a volt-ohm meter, stop by Radio Shack or Home Depot and get a basic meter and learn how to use it.

Locate your power converter and see if it is putting out something like 13.5 to 13.8 volts DC to the batteries. If not, this is the problem.

Ken

JasonFuller · 05-22-2011, 09:12 AM

I live in Gresham and just returned from a week at the beach ( Cape Lookout )

I have a new set of batteries that I have connected in parallel. I've had them on the charger since I returned home yesterday charging at 10 amps. They still haven't fully charged. I don't have a switch on the dash for selecting one or the other.

I do have a VOM and as soon as I locate the converter I'll start troubleshooting. I was a bit tired yesterday when I got home and didn't really look hard.

ga traveler · 05-22-2011, 09:43 AM

Usually if the house batteries are not charging while driving, the isolator relay is bad. You have a relay that closes when you start the engine. This causes the house batteries to charge along with the chassis battery. When you turn off the switch, the relay drops out. This keeps from discharging the chassis batteries when camping. Check to see if you have 12V on the small wire going to the relay. If there is 12V, then check to see if it is closing and allowing current to pass through. Use your volt/ohm/meter to check this. I believe you will find that there is no power going thru the small wire or the relay is bad. Also, if this started when you changed batteries, you may have left the charge wire off. Look carefully in the battery compartment and see if there are any loose wires.

JasonFuller · 05-22-2011, 09:51 AM

Interesting, that might indicate multiple problems. Not charging off the alternator could be the isolator, and not charging off of shore power could be the converter/transformer. Well, time to get the coveralls on and break out the VOM.

Also anyone know where I can get a wiring diagram? I found them for 1990 and newer on one of the other posts. But I haven't found anything for 1989 and older.

thx
j

Senior Chief · 05-22-2011, 03:49 PM

Your converter /charger is likely going to be behind or close to your power distribution panel. Silly question, but have you looked around there?

Are all your cables good? It would seem unlikely (but not impossible in a vintage rig) that 2 completely separate systems are both bad in some way.

Do you have a "battery disconnect" labeled switch anywhere? We have 2, in a cabinet above the door. One disconnects the chassis battery, the other disconnects the house batteries. If this switch is thrown or bad, the batts are isolated.

Just some random thoughts...

JasonFuller · 05-22-2011, 06:16 PM

Thanks for the random thoughts I did check there before chasing cables

. The power converter is in a little cubby under the passenger seat. Anyway there is a 120AC receptical that it plugs into. The ground is connected to the chassis and the 12VDC positive is connected to the breaker panel. I plugged the Intelipower PD-9055 into shore power and it didn't turn on. I checked to make sure that the receptical had 120AC and it did. Next question is will the converter turn on if the either the breaker or solenoid is bad? The cable from the converter through the breaker is connected to the top selonoid left hand lug. The right lug connects to the starter and pos side of the chassis battery. There is then a jumper from the left lug to the bottom solenoid that I think is an isolator.

Thanks for the feedback.
j

JasonFuller · 05-22-2011, 09:33 PM

There is a good link for the converter

http://www.progressivedyn.com/servic...hoot_guide.pdf

Mine is bad I'll get one on order. I did find somethig interesting. If the converter isn't connected shore power doesn't run half of the lights. Connecting the converter allows the lights to come on. Interesting because in my others rigs shire power ran one of the double lights and house batteries ran the other one.

TheOslunds · 09-15-2011, 11:07 PM

Did you ever figure out why your house batteries are not charging? Did you get your converter working?

I have an '89 Sunflyer 32' and also have a house battery charging problem. My converter is humming away and powering the overhead lights and other things it should. My house batteries have been dead a couple times so I plan to replace them with 6 volt batteries as soon as I figure out how to prevent the new ones from being killed by lack of charging. The manual says the converter is sophisticated enough to have a separate charger built in to switch to trickle when the batteries are closer to topped off. I just located the converter tonight thanks to your thread and haven't yet pulled it out to begin troubleshooting and verify that it indeed has 2 separate output circuits.

Have you had any luck decoding the dash switches for 12V power modes? Seems the engineers were ahrd at work making the system unnecessarily complicated.
Loren

Dave78Chief · 09-16-2011, 10:56 AM

Loren,
Which model of converter do you have? The PD9055 reffered to by the OP only puts out 13.6VDC which is a little low for efficient battery charging. The newer PD9200 series (PD9260) converter is a full up 3 stage converter/charger. There was also a intermediate 9100 series converter which required the optional PD9105 Charge wizard attachment to function as a 3 stage converter charger. As shown on the last page of the Owners PD9000 manual, there is only one "+" and "-" output. On the 1990 rig, the "+" leg connects to a 40amp fuse which then goes to the Battery disconnect switch. "-" goes to ground. Battery disconnect relay must be energized to charge the battery.

PD9000 Owners manual: http://www.progressivedyn.com/servic...000_Manual.pdf
PD9000/9100 Troubleshooting: http://www.progressivedyn.com/servic...hoot_guide.pdf

If your setup is like the in the OP's top picture, there are 2 relays shown.
The top relay (silver) is the isolation solinoid that connects the chassis battery to the house battery. Given that picture looks identical to the 1990 drawing package, I suspect the 1989 version is simular setup to the 1990 version in which the battery isolation solinoid is operated by the Battery Mode Select switch (on the dash). Not sure how it is labeled but in one position the ignition key has to be ON to energize the relay. In the opposite position the source to turn the relay ON is the house battery as long as the battery disconnect switch is ON.

The relay below that (silver on black) in the OP's picture is the Battery disconnect Relay. It is controlled by the Battery Disconnect switch (also on the dash). The Battery disconnect relay must be ON for the converter to charge the battery.

Dave

TheOslunds · 10-02-2011, 10:30 PM

Thanks for the assistance. Been a bit time challenged lately on the RV. I did manage to finish changing the plug wires and get the front wheels re-installed but haven't been able to put additional time into charging troubleshooting. Will update when I've had more of a chance to check it out. I may just band-aid it for now with a boat battery charger I have lying around the garage.