House Batteries Wont Charge

[Honey_Hole]

Here is what I have done:

- With the Generator running, I am only getting 12.3v at the house batteries.
- When I am pluged into 110v at my house I am only getting 12.3V at the house batteries.
- When I start the motor on the RV I get 13.5v at the house batteries.
- When I am plugged into 110v or when the generator is running all my major appliances work like normal. (Microwave, TV, AC, ect)

Motorhome:

1999 National Seaview 8340
Ford V10

Generator:
Generac Highline Q-55G
GN-480 OHVI

Please let me know if you need any other information.

I appreciate any help, If you suggest checking something, can you please describe what it looks like and where it might be. I can use a multimeter but this is my first RV and first time working on a charging system like this so I am not very familiar with what things are called or what they look like.

Again thank you for any help.

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by Honey_Hole

Here is what I have done:

- With the Generator running, I am only getting 12.3v at the house batteries.
- When I am pluged into 110v at my house I am only getting 12.3V at the house batteries.
- When I start the motor on the RV I get 13.5v at the house batteries.
- When I am plugged into 110v or when the generator is running all my major appliances work like normal. (Microwave, TV, AC, ect)

Motorhome:

1999 National Seaview 8340
Ford V10

Generator:
Generac Highline Q-55G
GN-480 OHVI

Please let me know if you need any other information.

I appreciate any help, If you suggest checking something, can you please describe what it looks like and where it might be. I can use a multimeter but this is my first RV and first time working on a charging system like this so I am not very familiar with what things are called or what they look like.

Again thank you for any help.

What is the make and model of your Inverter/Charger?

usually looks something like this and is often in a baggage compartment next to the compartment with the house batteries.

[BatteryPro]

Hi,
The problem is that your converter or inverter/charger is not charging the battery. An inverter/chharger is usually near your battery bankl. A converter can be just about anywhere. If you have a combination AC and DC power panel, the converter is sometimes located inside of it.

Larry

[87Rockwood]

Sounds like your converter is not running=need to check fuses and breakers. Also your converter may be old enough to think about upgrading should the converter be bad. Converter should charge batteries when plugged in to 120 vac or running the generator.

[vsheetz]

On genny or shore power the battery voltage stays the same as when the genny is off or shore power is disconnected, correct? if yes, Sounds like the converter (battery charger) is not charging. Find it and check for 120vac into it and 12vdc out. If no input check for tripped breaker. If no output and you have input, converter likely bad or blown fuse/breaker.

[Honey_Hole]

Originally Posted by BatteryPro

Hi,
The problem is that your converter or inverter/charger is not charging the battery. An inverter/chharger is usually near your battery bankl. A converter can be just about anywhere. If you have a combination AC and DC power panel, the converter is sometimes located inside of it.

Larry

Originally Posted by bruceisla

What is the make and model of your Inverter/Charger?

usually looks something like this and is often in a baggage compartment next to the compartment with the house batteries.

Wow thank you so much for the quick responds and the descriptive help.

I found the "Converter Charger" it is a Magnetek Series 900 Model 950



Is there any way to test it? I can hear a nice humming noise coming from it when it is plugged into 110V (I did not check if it humming noise is present when plugged into generator )

Thank you again for the help

[bruceisla]

Magnetek Converters and Where to Reach Them

http://d163axztg8am2h.cloudfront.net...197cf894aa.pdf

http://d163axztg8am2h.cloudfront.net...30a0e3df20.pdf

[87Rockwood]

If it is humming (forgot the words?) then the 120 vac side of it is good. Now check the 12 volt DC output for voltage and let us know what it is.

[OldToolmaker]

Parallax Power Supply - Archived Tech Docs

What documentation there is is under archived stuff.

FWIW it might be time to just replace your Magnetec with a newer smart charger.

If you're skilled at reading between the lines, heres the brochure for yours:

http://d163axztg8am2h.cloudfront.net...30a0e3df20.pdf

Sorry to say buy your Magnetec at best is a harmonically regulated transformer best used to run your lights while plugged into shore power.

I say spend the money on a 4-stage charger converter and you'll be happy.

[Honey_Hole]

Originally Posted by vsheetz

On genny or shore power the battery voltage stays the same as when the genny is off or shore power is disconnected, correct? if yes, Sounds like the converter (battery charger) is not charging. Find it and check for 120vac into it and 12vdc out. If no input check for tripped breaker. If no output and you have input, converter likely bad or blown fuse/breaker.

Originally Posted by 87Rockwood

If it is humming (forgot the words?) then the 120 vac side of it is good. Now check the 12 volt DC output for voltage and let us know what it is.

So it plugs into a 120v out let. I checked that and I have power coming from there.




It has a large Wire that runs to the nearby circuit panel. I checked for power where it attached to the circuit board and it is 12.3V, is it suppose to be 13.5V?

[87Rockwood]

Yes it should be 13.5 to 14.0. Now with power off (unplug it) remove the fat wire, being careful do not short it to anything,plug the converter back in to the 120 and take a new dc reading of the fat wire with it hook to nothing.

[bruceisla]

Originally Posted by Honey_Hole

So it plugs into a 120v out let. I checked that and I have power coming from there.




It has a large Wire that runs to the nearby circuit panel. I checked for power where it attached to the circuit board and it is 12.3V, is it suppose to be 13.5V?

Assuming the connection is the wire with the blue end, there is a notation on the board that says something about "CB3 located at ... " (can't read it).

and yes, the output should be around 13.5 volts.

[87Rockwood]

If you do need to put in a modern charger you batteries will thank you for it. The modern 4 level charger is the bees knees for batteries.

[Honey_Hole]

Originally Posted by 87Rockwood

Yes it should be 13.5 to 14.0. Now with power off (unplug it) remove the fat wire, being careful do not short it to anything,plug the converter back in to the 120 and take a new dc reading of the fat wire with it hook to nothing.

Thank you so much for taking the time to walk me through this step by step. Electrical is definitely my weakest point, but I try and every time I try I learn more, So thank you for teaching me.

I unplugged it, removed the wire from the circuit board, replugged it back in, and did a DC reading at read 14.9.

Now I am confused haha