Any Electrical Wizards Out There?
I just spent 4 days at a racetrack campground and our house battery drained each night. I just figured it was time for a new one but it charged up on the way home and held the charge for 2 days so far...
Forum Discussion
I had the same problem a few months back. What I found was that my converter was working just fine, but the leads to the battery off of the converter output terminal strip were loose.
Just so it's perfectly clear... mostly at racetracks generators are used to produce 120 volts. Whether you are plugged into shore power, or on generator, that is still the same 120 volts, and that then goes to the converter and is turned into 12 volts that then charges the battery.
When I was connected to power, the converter showed good voltage output on it, but the battery would not get charged. I eventually found it by being connected, and wiggling the wires on the terminal strip. When I found the loose wire, the interior lights immediately came on bright from the good voltage from the converter actually making it to the battery.
It was exactly as you described though, when we drove the vehicle, the alternator voltage went to the battery, and charged it fine.
So, before you change out the converter, make sure you have good wires. If you have the slightest doubt, use your jumper cables from the battery and connect short leads from the other end of the jumper cables to the converter output terminal strip, then see if you still have the problem. It's an easy check to do first, much easier than changing the converter.
Just so it's perfectly clear... mostly at racetracks generators are used to produce 120 volts. Whether you are plugged into shore power, or on generator, that is still the same 120 volts, and that then goes to the converter and is turned into 12 volts that then charges the battery.
When I was connected to power, the converter showed good voltage output on it, but the battery would not get charged. I eventually found it by being connected, and wiggling the wires on the terminal strip. When I found the loose wire, the interior lights immediately came on bright from the good voltage from the converter actually making it to the battery.
It was exactly as you described though, when we drove the vehicle, the alternator voltage went to the battery, and charged it fine.
So, before you change out the converter, make sure you have good wires. If you have the slightest doubt, use your jumper cables from the battery and connect short leads from the other end of the jumper cables to the converter output terminal strip, then see if you still have the problem. It's an easy check to do first, much easier than changing the converter.
