Community Forums

jeeper_jake · 05-27-2015, 09:39 PM

Hi Everyone,

Just picked up an older 12 foot camper made by Taylor coach. The unit has an old converter in it which has a switch that says converter/12 volt battery however, the camper doesn't actually have a battery... so I would like to wire one in.

I've attached some pictures to help understand my situation.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this or maybe even schematics

***I know that this model doesn't come with a battery charger, which is fine. Just looking to hook up a battery so I can run my 12 volt lights when not connected to shore power***

Thanks in advance,
Jake

wa8yxm · 05-28-2015, 06:06 AM

I have not seen one of those in a long, long, long time
The "Converter" is nothing more than a transformer and rectifier.. With the switch on BATT it connects lights and such to the battery Set it on converter and the lights are powered by the transformer/diode bridge combo.. Likely 3-5 amps max.

I would leave it, but add a progressive Dynamics 9200 series in parallel with the batteries.. Which 9200... Well that depends on your battery

ONe Gorup 24.. the smallest one
Group 27 or 29,, around a 30 amp unit
Group 31 45 amp

Pair of GC-2 60 amp

Double the batteries.. Double the amps

(C/2 amp hour rating of batteries times 0.30 (30%) if you wish to figure it out)

G=24 73AH, Group 27 90-95, Group 29 105, Gorup 31 130, GC-2s 220

jeeper_jake · 05-28-2015, 07:21 AM

I appreciate the reply. Lots of good info there.

I'm really trying to save money and was hoping I could just hook up a battery to the existing module and flip that switch and work the lights.

OldJohnT · 05-29-2015, 06:14 PM

If you add a battery but no way to charge it, that's not a good plan in my view. If the Converter you have is indeed a Converter ONLY (NOT a Converter/Charger) and NOT intended to charge a battery, how do you plan to keep your house battery charged???? I got rid of my old noisy hot buzzing Converter Charger and installed a modern Progressive Dynamic 9200 Series "Smart" 3/4 Stage Charger which does a superior job as far as a quality true full charge of my house battery bank. They are not all that expensive and will increase your battery life and you can say goodbye to that old technology Converter.

Your money your choice

John T Retired Electrical Engineer

wingnut60 · 05-29-2015, 08:25 PM

If you don't have a way to charge the battery, it won't be long before you might be looking at the cost of a replacement battery. Batteries don't take well to being fully discharged.
Joe

jeeper_jake · 05-29-2015, 10:39 PM

Sorry guys, I should've mentioned that I have installed solar panels on the roof to keep charge.

It is a small system but works well. I'm just looking for a quick way to hook up to up to the existing 12v lighting since there is a 12 volt battery switch that currently does nothing :(

OldJohnT · 05-30-2015, 05:04 AM

It sounds like your existing Converter (NOT a Converter/Charger) already has a built in Transfer switch (Battery/Converter) so you can switch your 12 VDC loads such as lights or fans or water pump etc etc to EITHER a 12 VDC Battery ORRRRRRRRRRRR the Converters output. If so, that switch would already somewhere somehow have a terminal/lug to which you would attach a house battery, otherwise how could it switch the loads to Battery orrrrrrr Converter. Look inside or outside its case for some lugs or terminals labeled maybe + and - or 12 Volts or Battery??????????

NOTE I'm glad to hear you have Solar to help keep the battery charged. All you have to do is figure where on the Converters transfer (Batt/Converter) switch the battery attaches (But gosh, that's your question) but not being there I just cant tell you, sorry.

John T

jeeper_jake · 06-02-2015, 08:57 PM

OK. Thanks for all the help so far everyone.

I finally had a chance to do some more digging, here's what I've found. There is a sticker on the side of the converter which has a little bit of info on it (see attached photo).

It appears that the red wire is the battery-in wire which will supply 12 volts when the switch is on battery...

Looking at the above posted photos, the red wire is connected to a bundle of other black ones which I have no idea what they do. Any thoughts?

Also, (maybe a dumb question) how would I go about connecting the negative terminal of the battery to the converter? The white is negative according to the panel sticker. Would all of this be a direct connection or should I put a fuse in the positive line?

Thanks in advance,
Jake

OldJohnT · 06-03-2015, 06:11 AM

I just cant see/read enough of the picture well enough to answer all your wiring questions (I knew it had to have a house battery input to operate your Battery/Converter selector switch), other then the house battery NEG must be wired to the Converter somewhere (Well DUH).

But as far as overcurrent protection, if I were wiring up you house battery YES I would use an auto reset circuit breaker or a fuse located right at the house battery + post, then its load/output wires to your Converters battery input. The circuit breaker and wire (from battery to Converter) size depends on the Converter switches current rating and its overall rating. Typical sizes I might expect (battery to converter) would be say 12 gauge wire and a 20 amp auto reset circuit breaker or fuse,,, or 10 gauge wire and a 30 amp auto reset circuit breaker or fuse. IT DEPENDS ON THE CONVERTER AND ITS SWITCH RATING AND ACTUAL CURRENT LOADS I CANT SAY SITTING HERE. Do as the Converter instructions say NOT any of us..........

John T

jeeper_jake · 06-04-2015, 09:49 PM

Thanks for the reply OldJohnT.

So I decided to just go for it. I turned the power on and just went crazy with a multimeter 😁 . I must say I was a little nervous as this circuit is confusing.

After about an hour I had most of it figured out. Turns out the red wire IS for a battery +'ve input. White appeared to be ground. I decided to connect the red wire to the battery (positive) and negative to the white wire and see what happens....

Not sure why, but I connected the positive first and BAM! lights came on 👍 ( and all other 12v stuff). Now I know that this circuit is all connected to ground via the original electrical, but how am I able to have power without connecting the negative terminal from my battery? Is it safe to leave it like that?

-Jake

OldJohnT · 06-05-2015, 07:15 AM

Mornin Jake, hey maybe you discovered the secret to free energy??

Obviously if BOTH connections to your house battery aren't in place yet you still have 12 VDC, it has to be coming from EITHER the Converter (is it on?? Selector switch set to Converter?? and is RV shore power cord in place??) ORRRRRRRRRRR your engine battery.

Unplug the shore power cord (if not already) and see if you still have 12 volts??? If so yet you don't have BOTH + and - connected to your house battery, the 12 volts must be coming from your engine battery.

When you switch that Converter switch Converter to House Battery what happens???

If you leave it as is with no connection to your house battery Neg post, even if you have 12 volts, if youre not plugged in (so converter is supplying 12 volts) it will drain your engine battery.

I think youre close but no cigar

John T

TQ60 · 06-05-2015, 08:18 AM

The white wire likely ground from battery to converter.

A friend had battery place swap out the cabin batteries and afyer he discovered a large white wire not connected.

After spending about an hour digging and checking other end was confirmed to be converter ground under the fridge.

Connected and all is well.

Without it converter still had a ground path but not good as it was by unknown path.

So look near converter fo same wire and confirm use before connecting.