Community Forums

Waggy · 09-02-2019, 05:58 PM

We have been staying at a full service site for the last 6 days. Last night I dis covered that the 12 volt lights in the unit were low and the fridge was not on The microwave which is connected to 110 was on and seemed to work. The coach battery was really low so we checked the power coming in and it was 120 volts. Today I plugged in my solar panel and charged the 12-volt batteries for the coach batteries and things seem OK. The lights seemed to be bright and everything seems to be okay. I have no idea what caused my problem last night. It was as if I was getting half power. Any ideas on how I could check it and fix it? Thank you

Bahamaniac · 09-02-2019, 06:06 PM

If you are plugged into 120 your onboard battery charger should be keeping the batteries charged. I would check your charger.

Waggy · 09-03-2019, 02:02 PM

I would check the charger if I had any idea where it was!
I would like to find a diagram or something that will tell me how the electrical in the coach really works! It seems to me that I get straight power coming in at 120, I've also got a generator that will bring in 120. Somehow it is converted to 12 volt to be used in the coach in place of the battery. I've also got 120 plugins power for the fridge etc. Does the 120 converter unit just charge my coach batteries and that all the 12 volt system is running off at the 12 battery or does the converter actually output 12 volts to the lights and stuff somehow?

Should I be testing the landline amps some how?

shootist · 09-03-2019, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Waggy

I would check the charger if I had any idea where it was!
I would like to find a diagram or something that will tell me how the electrical in the coach really works! It seems to me that I get straight power coming in at 120, I've also got a generator that will bring in 120. Somehow it is converted to 12 volt to be used in the coach in place of the battery. I've also got 120 plugins power for the fridge etc. Does the 120 converter unit just charge my coach batteries and that all the 12 volt system is running off at the 12 battery or does the converter actually output 12 volts to the lights and stuff somehow?

Should I be testing the landline amps some how?

the charger is hooked to the same batteries as the loads from the coach, so yes. If your battery terminals are corroded, the water level low, or just a bad battery the charger will handle a fair amount of load while plugged in to 120v.

winniman · 09-03-2019, 04:14 PM

If you have an electrical tester, you can check your batteries for voltage. While plugged in, your house batteries should test around 12.5 to 13 or more volts. Your engine batteries should be around 12.7 at rest. If your house batteries are much less that 12.5 or so, your converter is not working correctly. The voltage at your house batteries should be what your converter is putting out. Also, if your fridge is on auto, it should switch to electricity as soon as you plug in to shore power. It will switch back to gas as long as your house batteries are on and charged. Its amazing how many people accidentally shut off the salesman switch at the door. This shuts off the 12 volt to the rv. Almost everything in the rv requires 12 volt. Even most of the things that are gas, require 12 volt for the controls. This includes the fridge, hot water, furnace, most A/c units. Most all lights are 12 volt. About the only thing that doesn't need anything is the gas stove.

bigchick · 09-03-2019, 04:25 PM

itvery much sounds like your converter is not outputting 12 volt dc power. if it were you lights would not be dim. it is highly probably that the refrigerator is not working as its 'brains', the control board is powered by 12 volt dc. the heat may be provided by 120 volt ac or propane, but it still needs the brains to tell it what to do.

so why is your converter not providing 12 volt dc power? possibilities include:
- it is not receiving 120 volt ac power. go turn the converter circuit breaker all the way off and then back on.
- the reverse polarity fuses on the converter are blown. pull them and check them with a multimeter or circuit tester. replace if blown
- you might have a loose cable connection
- the converter may well have failed

if you have not been getting 12 volt dc power from the converter for the last 6 days or portion then your battery was trying to provide power. but is is now pretty discharged and is not being recharged by the converter.

Bahamaniac · 09-03-2019, 05:23 PM

There is an easy way to tell if your 12v charger is working if you have a voltmeter. Unplug the coach and measure your battery voltage. Then plug the coach in and check voltage again across the batteries. Voltage should be higher.
Your onboard charger should be mounted behind or near your breaker box. Check that it is getting 120v.