Intellipower converter problems???

[ALAG321]

I have an Intellipower 9100 model PD9180 and I don't think it is charging my batteries. I have tested the AC current input and it is at 114v. I unhooked the battery leads from the output side of the converter and it shows an output of 11.8. According to Intellipower website, output should be 13.6. Is my converter bad?

[bearaboo]

I believe you have to have the battery connected for the converter to function. I would check the converter output with battery connected. Also, how old and what condition is the battery. The converter will only put out a charging voltage on a good battery.

[ALAG321]

Batteries are about 18 months old. The only reason I disconnected the wires is because that is what intellipower says to do. With them connected, I get a reading of 10.4, so I suspect the batteries may have an issue. It just cannot figure out why I cant get the 13.6 reading with wires disconnected like the manufacturer says it should read, therefore I am suspicious of the converter.

[wa8yxm]

I"m not sure the Intella power needs a battery. I know my TS-2000 (Ham radio very senistive) is not able to tell if the house batteries are connected, but the Intelletec BCC may be hooking the chassis battery in .. Not sure without looking, again, at the diagram.

However that said, Disconnect the battery, charge it up with an auxulary charger and test it.. You might have a shorted cell in the battery.. Yes, even on a "new" one (Had one last me about a week once, that was a LIFETIME warranted starting battery, The replacement lasted several years,, (I'd have to ask my brother how many,, It was his wedding week it failed and I can do the math, alas the wedding failed too, he's on #3 now, I'm still on #1)

But that does sound like shorted cell. The voltage at the battery may never come up.

On the other hand... The battery may not be bad, but since it is the easiest thing to check out.. Do it first. THEN go after the converter

If you get another 9100.. be sure to get the wizard.. He is fantastic at babying your batteries.

[Gary RVRoamer]

I'm guessing Alag321 is using the procedure described by Progressive here:
Troubleshooting Guide for PD9100 Series Power Converters

The 91xx series does NOT need a battery connected and the cable should be disconnected at the PD 91xx rather than the battetry end (just in case there is a cable problem). If you have at least 110v input and cannot get 13.6dcv output, the converter is bad and needs to be replaced.

[Shadowcatche]

I had a problem with a PD unit and the way I found it was to monitor the voltage at the battery, A VOM is your friend but you should have a way of monitoring state of charge all of the time. When the battery is full you should be getting about 13.1V float from the PD.

[ALAG321]

I pulled my batteries out of the coach and took them to an Autozone to be tested. Although I'm not sure the guy knew what he was doing, he said the batteries were good. One other observation though, with the batteries out, I have no lights in the RV, even though the RV is plugged in. Does everything run off the batteries even when plugged in?

[pkmesser]

You should have power in the coach, even with the batteries disconnected, if the convertor is powered up. That's exactly what happens when you throw the battery disconnect switch.

BTW, do you have that switch in the connect position when you are trying to charge the batteries? Also, that solinoid could be the problem.

[Wanabee FTer]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALAG321 Batteries are about 18 months old. The only reason I disconnected the wires is because that is what intellipower says to do. With them connected, I get a reading of 10.4, so I suspect the batteries may have an issue. It just cannot figure out why I cant get the 13.6 reading with wires disconnected like the manufacturer says it should read, therefore I am suspicious of the converter.

I have a PD9260 that has 2 ATC type fuses (blade fuse) on the 12 volt output side of the converter. Have you checked the fuses yet?

[ALAG321]

I have checked the blade fuses and they are good. I need to check the cut-off switch when I get home, hadn't even thought of that. As far as a solenoid, I have heard one clicking in the left front compartment, but as soon as I connect a charger to the truck battery, it stops. In a previous post, someone turned me on to the low truck battery causing the solenoid to click. Is this the battery you are referring to?

[RickO]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pkmesser You should have power in the coach, even with the batteries disconnected, if the convertor is powered up. That's exactly what happens when you throw the battery disconnect switch.

This isn't the case with my Itasca. If the house battery switch is "off" the coach is dark and voltage from the inverter/charger is shut off too.

Rick

[ALAG321]

I just got home from work and checked the shut-off switch. I have 3 of them and they are all in the on position. One is located just inside the entry door to the left, the other 2 are mounted to the frame next to the batteries. All 110 outlets, work, but no lights, no electric step. Ugh! what is wrong with this thing?????

[RustyJC]

In the current configuration you describe, do you actually have 120VAC at the converter supply terminals and 0VDC (thus, no 12 volt lights, etc.) at the output terminals with the batteries disconnected at the converter? (When you disconnect the batteries, make sure the converter will still feed the 12VDC distribution panel.)

Rusty

[pkmesser]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ALAG321 I have checked the blade fuses and they are good. I need to check the cut-off switch when I get home, hadn't even thought of that. As far as a solenoid, I have heard one clicking in the left front compartment, but as soon as I connect a charger to the truck battery, it stops. In a previous post, someone turned me on to the low truck battery causing the solenoid to click. Is this the battery you are referring to?

The fact that you hear a click is not conclusive, that only means the coil is good. The contacts may be bad. Put a volt meter on each side of the solinoid, if while it is supposed to be on, you get the same voltage, then it is good, othewise the contacts are probably bad. I've had the solinoid for the isolator do this, and from a lot of other posts, it seems the contacts fail more than the coil.