Community Forums

scottandanna · 05-05-2016, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YosemiteBobR

Depending on how it is hooked up, you can be seeing some voltage drops. You may just have to give it additional time. Do you have the numbers on the charger? Perhaps even testing the charger that will tell you a lot too.

With battery on shore power, fully charged, at the battery posts, with tester, i was getting 12.8 as well.

I doubt it is voltage drop. Not that much distance and not that much wired in to this setup.

Should I look into replacing the onboard charger? or is that part of the inverter/brains of the trailer?

I am sorry...I don't know how it is all set up behind that fusebox inside the trailer.

twinboat · 05-05-2016, 02:43 PM

The brains are a "converter" not an "inverter". ( Inverters make 120 AC from 12 DC )

Don't know how old the trailers is but you could have a bad converter.

You may be able to get an exact replacement from "Best Converter". Find the make and model number.

I took the black wire, that feeds my converter, off the breaker and wired in a stand alone 55 amp, 3 stage, smart charger/converter. I found it on Amazon.

scottandanna · 05-05-2016, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

The brains are a "converter" not an "inverter". ( Inverters make 120 AC from 12 DC )

Don't know how old the trailers is but you could have a bad converter.

You may be able to get an exact replacement from "Best Converter". Find the make and model number.

I took the black wire, that feeds my converter, off the breaker and wired in a stand alone 55 amp, 3 stage, smart charger/converter. I found it on Amazon.

Trailer details are in signature...it is all less than a year old. Your solution sounds easy enough. I don't think I would need that much power.

Santa_Claus · 05-05-2016, 03:47 PM

I don't really have an idea of what the problem might be, but wanted to agree that 12.8v charging is VERY low. Should probably be closer to 14.8v for a full absorption charge, and 13.5 or so for float. The battery mfg should have specs online. But yeah, something is not right.

YosemiteBobR · 05-05-2016, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottandanna

With battery on shore power, fully charged, at the battery posts, with tester, i was getting 12.8 as well.

I doubt it is voltage drop. Not that much distance and not that much wired in to this setup.

Should I look into replacing the onboard charger? or is that part of the inverter/brains of the trailer?

I am sorry...I don't know how it is all set up behind that fusebox inside the trailer.

OK, I have to agree with you, not much voltage drop, so it points to the converter/charger. You need to get the info off the converter. It really should be charging more than that. You could also test it right at the converter as well. Maybe a bad cable, just thinking of everything now. Some converter/chargers are part of the distribution panel and some are just behind on the deck. You might have to remove the panel to see unless there is someway to get behind without doing that. Those wires are mixed with 110v so be careful.

scottandanna · 05-05-2016, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YosemiteBobR

OK, I have to agree with you, not much voltage drop, so it points to the converter/charger. You need to get the info off the converter. It really should be charging more than that. You could also test it right at the converter as well. Maybe a bad cable, just thinking of everything now. Some converter/chargers are part of the distribution panel and some are just behind on the deck. You might have to remove the panel to see unless there is someway to get behind without doing that. Those wires are mixed with 110v so be careful.

I will have to pull that panel out and take a look behind it, to see what I am working with.

I don't mess with anything electric without unplugging from shore and flipping off main breaker

YosemiteBobR · 05-05-2016, 04:10 PM

Good deal!!! I assume your warranty is over?

Pigman1 · 05-05-2016, 04:20 PM

OP's idea for mounting the shunt directly on the battery is a good one. In fact, I have my shunt mounted directly on a post of my battery bank. We run 840W of panels on the roof through a Morningstar MPPT controller with six 6V Lifeline AGM batteries. My Magnum inverter has a battery monitor that needed the shunt similar to the OP's. I used a soft piece of copper tubing pounded flat to make a copper bus bar and hard mounted it to the top of the battery. My shunt isn't even fastened to the battery, just to the bus bar and the main coach cable. It's been working great for well over a year and over 20,000 miles.

scottandanna · 05-05-2016, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YosemiteBobR

Good deal!!! I assume your warranty is over?

No, still under warranty. So I need to be careful what I do so as not to void it.

YosemiteBobR · 05-05-2016, 07:40 PM

My converter went soon after I got my trailer (3 years ago) I dealt directly with WACO Products, didn't even take it into the shop. You might want to call them after you see what you got (to know whom to call) and talk to them about it. They may just ship you a new comverter if that is what it is after testing.

Another way to test your converter/charger is to disconnect the battery (just remove the ground cable) then turn on shore power. Now if your lights don't work, it's your conveter, or if they are real dim, it's your converter, but if everything works then it's something else.

twinboat · 05-05-2016, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YosemiteBobR

Another way to test your converter/charger is to disconnect the battery (just remove the ground cable) then turn on shore power. Now if your lights don't work, it's your conveter, or if they are real dim, it's your converter, but if everything works then it's something else.

Doing a test as discribed, even outputing 12.8 volts, everything will work. It just won't charge a battery.

A volt meter is the accurate test.

YosemiteBobR · 05-05-2016, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by twinboat

Doing a test as discribed, even outputing 12.8 volts, everything will work. It just won't charge a battery.

A volt meter is the accurate test.

It's not going to hurt anything to try it. It's the process of elimination. All I'm tyring to do is help the guy.

scottandanna · 05-06-2016, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YosemiteBobR

My converter went soon after I got my trailer (3 years ago) I dealt directly with WACO Products, didn't even take it into the shop. You might want to call them after you see what you got (to know whom to call) and talk to them about it. They may just ship you a new comverter if that is what it is after testing.

Another way to test your converter/charger is to disconnect the battery (just remove the ground cable) then turn on shore power. Now if your lights don't work, it's your conveter, or if they are real dim, it's your converter, but if everything works then it's something else.

Did this. Everything still worked.

okcnewbie · 05-06-2016, 07:36 AM

Scott,

First I would like to praise you for having the insight to install a battery monitor. These things are awesome even when everything is working and can be invaluable when something needs troubleshooting.

If you disconnect your battery what voltage are you getting out of the converter? What model/make is the converter?
As most have said; You need to be seeing voltages as high as 14 or more when the battery needs charged and around 13 for float after it is charged.

Good luck pard