new power convertor putting out 11.5 volts when hooked up

First of all, if you installed the converter, go back and check all connections to make sure they are clean and tight. A bad ground can lower current reaching the battery(s).

The voltage you read at the battery will start with the actual voltage of the battery when charging is started. If the starting voltage was only around 10.5 volts your battery was close to fully discharged.

Many converter/chargers have trouble starting charging on a very weak battery. A portable charger set to "2 amps" is needed to slowing get voltage of weak battery to around 11 volts. Then use the converter/charger.

It seems after a few tries your converter/charger did get started charging your low battery(s). The voltage reading should keep rising from that low reading to 13.2 volts and eventually either 13.6 volts (or 14.2+ volts if multi-stage charger). Charging should continue for 12 to 24 hours on very low batteries.

Your earlier replies do not state you charged this long yet. If the reading at the battery-terminals never went beyond 13.2 volts the charging portion of the new converter/charger is not functioning. The converter section will output 13.2 volts @ battery-terminals without any real charging taking place.

Without answers to the questions that smkettner asked, everyone is just shooting in the dark.

If you really want good advice, then answer the questions.

I am thinking if a bad battery was holding the voltage to 11.50 it would soon be hot and bubbling like crazy.

I would never assume it to be the battery. :)

newman fulltimer wrote:
soundsmore like a bad batt

I would not say "Bad" without some additional testing

but it sure sounds like a DEAD battery.

A good battery if discharged to say 10 volts can suck a bunch of current... That said,,, if the resting voltage on the battery is 10, good chance a cell is shorted and Newman is 100% correct.

Suggestion: give it a few hours at least and see if the voltage rises, if it does wait for it to stablize at around 13.6 for a day then mark the leads with red and black paint or nail polish (red for positive) and remove to a battery store for testing.

If bad. Well, my first suggestion if you have the room is pairs of GC-2 Golf car battries.. They have been known to recover from that level of discharge.. Marine/Deep cycle and starting batteries are no as good at recovery.

Golden_HVAC wrote:
What is your battery voltage?

My guess is the battery is low and the voltage might go up to 13.0 after a few hours to charge the battery. What was the battery voltage before plugging in the converter? If say 10.9 volts, then 11.5 is actually pretty good improvement.

You might also have a tripped circuit breaker or fuse between the battery and converter. This can also happen if the fuse is smaller than the new converter output, IF the battery was low enough charge to accept more amperage than the wire and fuse is rated at. . .

So tell us the battery voltage, and we will get back to you. If battery is less than 11.5 volts, plug it back in and wait until morning, and check the voltage again. If over 12.8 volts, then a dead battery caused the low voltage, and it should be normal by afternoon!

Fred.

I


Fred I think your right I just didn't want to burn up something bran new the voltage reading is the batteries and yes after hooking back up everything the voltage is moving up pretty good after 20 minutes its up in the 12 volt range now with lights and stuff on so I guess sometimes ya got to pause sometimes even though I don't like to every body had good ideas on what may be wrong but I had ruled those out already thanks Tom.

What is your battery voltage?

My guess is the battery is low and the voltage might go up to 13.0 after a few hours to charge the battery. What was the battery voltage before plugging in the converter? If say 10.9 volts, then 11.5 is actually pretty good improvement.

You might also have a tripped circuit breaker or fuse between the battery and converter. This can also happen if the fuse is smaller than the new converter output, IF the battery was low enough charge to accept more amperage than the wire and fuse is rated at. . .

So tell us the battery voltage, and we will get back to you. If battery is less than 11.5 volts, plug it back in and wait until morning, and check the voltage again. If over 12.8 volts, then a dead battery caused the low voltage, and it should be normal by afternoon!

Fred.

Bad batteries

Also make sure it is getting more than 105v input out of the 120v supply (if it is lower than 105v the output DC voltage will be low too)

What brand converter? Where did you get it? Are you measuring right at the converter output wires?

13.2 is low for virtually every converter at start up. May need to swap under warranty.