Battery not charging

[papademuchos]

I have a 2004 Jayco Greyhawk class C. The battery isn't charging when plugged in, nor when the generator is running. It does charge when the engine running. I'm looking for ideas of where to start troubleshooting. Thanks in advance!

[Arch Hoagland]

A lot of RV's don't charge the engine battery from the coach side.

Did your's ever charge the battery from the coach side?

[2cyber71]

I doubt your inverter / charger charges the chassis battery
My 1999, 2004 Class As didn’t

[Skip426]

We have to know if your problem is with the coach or chassis batteries , to be of any real help .

I see that a couple of members have covered the possibility of your coach not being set up to charge the chassis battery when on shore power.

[dvspl]

Originally Posted by papademuchos

The battery isn't charging when plugged in, nor when the generator is running. It does charge when the engine running. I'm looking for ideas of where to start troubleshooting. Thanks in advance!

Are you talking about the chassis battery or the coach battery? The chassis battery probably doesn't get charged by shore/generator power by design. If the coach battery isn't charging, the problem is most likely with your converter. Start by checking the circuit breaker, then test for 120V input to the converter. If that's good, look for 12V output from the converter. There are reverse polarity fuses on the output side that are often the problem.

[papademuchos]

Sorry for the confusion. I'm talking about the coach battery. How do I identify the converter? Behind the panel. I have three devices.

[THenne1713]

You do not clarify if talking about COACH Battery or chassis/ engine? Many CHASSIS batteries do not charge from Coach unless the manual BOOST Rocker switch=ON; but (some brands/years) used the INTELLITEC CHARGE CONTROLLER, that would swap charge around, as needed, based on which battery was LOW, and WHERE the CHARGE source is. Even w/ this system, a bad solenoid that would CLUNK but not connect was a COMMON culprit. GOOD LUCK. Provide specifics, and we can help more?

[twinboat]

If 12 volt things work while plugged in but not with the shore plug out, then look at the battery disconnect switch near the door. It needs to be on.

If the 12 volt things come on with the engine running, then look at the battery terminal connections for corrosion or not tight.

[dvspl]

Originally Posted by papademuchos

Sorry for the confusion. I'm talking about the coach battery. How do I identify the converter? Behind the panel. I have three devices.

Not sure what converter model you have, but it should look something like this. The wires connected to these output lugs will connect to the DC fuse panel and your battery.

[papademuchos]

Thanks for your replies! And thanks for pointing out the converter. So mine looks like this:


If I'm testing things correctly, I'm getting 120 V in, but nothing out. (I should get 12 V out, right?) Also, the fan is not running - I'm assuming it should be? I checked the two 30 Amp fuses and they are good. So does this mean the converter is bad and needs to be replaced?

Here's where I'm reading 120 V:


Here's the plug on the back that plugs in to the control box with the breaker switches:

[wolfe10]

And, you have checked the two fuses (picture #2 in post immediately above)?

[Skip426]

At the white and black wires your should have 13.1 >14.1 volts depending on the battery state of charge . If you read the same voltage as the battery terminals , ( eg. 12.1 ) then no converter output .

Cooling fan operation is controlled by an internal temp sensor ; fan doesn't run continually.

[papademuchos]

Ok, I'm embarrassed. I'm really embarrassed! The breaker switches were all switched to off. I thought I had checked those before, but perhaps I assumed that since they were all going the same way that they were all on. I think this was a case of a 2 year old. She loves to flip switches.

Skip426 - you are correct, I was reading my battery voltage from the black and white, not 120. I followed the lead in to the panel where the converter plugs in and wasn't getting anything. Then I glanced again at the switches and noticed them pointing to Off, not On.

Thanks again - I feel stupid! lol

[Skip426]

Thanks for wrapping up your post .

Don't feel stupid , any number of the members here would have done the same thing .

I once spent half an hour trying to start my coach after fueling up ; because of a failed starter relay ; until I remembered that crossing the terminals at the starter would work . 30 seconds later we drove off.

Now if you were the one who switched the C/Bs off, that's a different story .