Brand new Evergreen IGO C183RB travel trailer, the company is out of business a couple of weeks after my purchase. Trailer was sent to service center because it was constantly tripping the campground GFCI whenever it was plugged into GFCI shore power. (they said the problem was a bad 30amp plug but that they had to disconnect all the white wires in the panel to find it)Got the trailer back less than 2 days ago, and went out to look at it this morning. It was not plugged in since I got it back. I have a Tri-Metric digital battery monitor in the trailer and it said that the batteries were at 56 percent discharge level. Before the service, the batteries were always at 98 percent or more discharge level. As soon as I plugged into my house 120 power, the converter came on and the converter fan was running really hard and continuously. The converter is also drawing 22amps with nothing on in the trailer. NO lights, no A/C ... nothing at all. I've had the trailer plugged in for 3 hours now, and the battery is only at 62 versus the 56 percent it was at. Called the RV service center and they tell me its likely that the converter is blown and needs replacement. The unit has only been used for 2 weekends since getting it. I checked all the fuses in the panel and can't find any that are blown. Is it possible that the service center's electrical work, has messed up something, or do I just have a bad converter and need to get it replaced? Bringing in the trailer again tomorrow, but don't have a lot of confidence in these folks. They're the only option in my area though so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Check the break away switch. Also make sure the battery isn't internally shorted (or hooked up backwards for that matter) by checkin gits voltage. If it's down around 10V it's junk. I bought a brand new battery that was bad a couple of years ago. Store said it happens!

Check with your voltmeter in a number of places.First with nothing connected, at the battery.Then connected to the truck, you should see truck battery voltage.Then connected to shore power, you should see converter output voltage.Then most important, check at the converter output terminals both positive and negative. If you converter is putting out, but the battery is low, likely you have a loose wire between the battery and converter. That is what I found with the same situation, I wiggled the wires at the converter terminal strip, and suddenly the interior lights got much brighter and I had found my problem. It was the negative wire at the converter that was loose, so I tightened it up and all was good again.

So far good advice, best to check in with an update for next steps...

Hi,First point, the batteries were working fine until the recent service with the wiring changes. Batteries were at 98 percent when the trailer was dropped off but got them back from the service at 56 percent when I checked today.Been charging batteries with 120 house power, converter has been running hard and non-stop for 4 hours, batteries went up to 76 percent charge, with the converter amp draw going down to 16 percent as the batteries get more charged.I don't have a voltmeter and don't know how to use one, but I did check all the connections on the panel for the converter, they all were tight. The converter was very hot to the touch so I've unplugged the trailer from shore power and my digital tri-metric battery monitor says that the batteries are still at 76 percent charge.when not plugged into 120 volt house power, no current draw from the converter.

Benaroo wrote:Been charging batteries with 120 house power, converter has been running hard and non-stop for 4 hours, batteries went up to 76 percent charge, with the converter amp draw going down to 16 percent as the batteries get more charged.I don't have a voltmeter and don't know how to use one,I don't think any of that sounds really unusual; just your first experience with having your batteries discharged a LOT.After the converter cools down a bit, another 4-6 hours should get them back up above 90 percent I bet;probably even higher.If they are conventional wet cell batteries, NOW would be a good time to check the "water" level.And you should get a voltmeter and learn how to use it. Honestly. Really.

Battery draining fast and converter running hard

32 Replies

AllegroD
Nomad
Aug 12, 2016
Your batteries may have also been drained, while at the shop, by parasitic draws. These are small things, like the CO2 alarm, which will eat at your battery.
CA_Traveler
Explorer III
Aug 12, 2016
I only use a subset of the available Trimetric displays.

It's great for monitoring the battery but it doesn't reflect house loads unless both my charger and solar are off. I used it in that mode to measure and record all of the various house loads for reference.
Benaroo
Explorer
Aug 12, 2016
You do realize that the TM2030 has a volt meter built in right? At least you could view batt. Voltage with it and for that matter you can clearly see any amps draw. I suggest that you master this device.

Yes I do know that about the trimetric, that's where I got all of my readings that I reported on in this forum, i.e. battery charged level, amps being drawn by the converter and the fact that the battery had low voltage.

I haven't mastered all of the levels in it yet, as I only installed it in a couple of wks go, but am working on it.

Thanks again everyone, I'm really grateful for all the willing input and I think I'm good to go from here.
Tom_M1
Explorer
Aug 12, 2016
Benaroo wrote:
But, it sure looks like a voltmeter is a necessity with a trailer and I want to get on that really quickly.
The most useful meter I own is a clamp-on type that will also measure DC amps. Sears sells one for about $60.

Craftsman Digital Clamp meter
grizzzman
Explorer
Aug 12, 2016
Benaroo wrote:
CA Traveler wrote:
Interesting that you don't know how to use a voltmeter and yet installed the Trimetric. Clearly you want to be on top of your battery charge condition - Congratulations on being far ahead of many! Solar next?

Well, I'm pretty good with electronics, I have done a lot of media room wiring and definitely wanted to be on top of my battery situation with the intent to do a some boondocking and intend to add some solar panels in the future. That's why I chose the trimetric 2030rv. Just never needed a voltmeter before I guess so didn't learn.

But, it sure looks like a voltmeter is a necessity with a trailer and I want to get on that really quickly.

You do realize that the TM2030 has a volt meter built in right? At least you could view batt. Voltage with it and for that matter you can clearly see any amps draw. I suggest that you master this device.
Benaroo
Explorer
Aug 12, 2016
CA Traveler wrote:
Interesting that you don't know how to use a voltmeter and yet installed the Trimetric. Clearly you want to be on top of your battery charge condition - Congratulations on being far ahead of many! Solar next?

Well, I'm pretty good with electronics, I have done a lot of media room wiring and definitely wanted to be on top of my battery situation with the intent to do a some boondocking and intend to add some solar panels in the future. That's why I chose the trimetric 2030rv. Just never needed a voltmeter before I guess so didn't learn.

But, it sure looks like a voltmeter is a necessity with a trailer and I want to get on that really quickly.
Benaroo
Explorer
Aug 12, 2016
I was referring to my 6 volt deep cycle batteries that were discharged to 56 percent charge level after getting service done on my trailer.

After 15 hours of charging them on 15 AMP house current the batteries are now are up to 100 percent charge level as indicated by my tri-metric battery monitor. Full charge.
red31
Explorer
Aug 12, 2016
what does full charge mean?
Benaroo
Explorer
Aug 12, 2016
Sam Spade, Yup I checked the water levels in both of my 6 volt batteries after the full charge, water level was good.

Good point though.
Sam_Spade
Explorer
Aug 11, 2016
Benaroo wrote:
but they are charged now and the converter fan isn't running anymore either.
Can't thank you guys enough for the help.

You did check the water level too......right ??
:)
This is very important.