I plugged my TT into the shore power at the house for a few weeks prior to having a guest stay in it.Test ran everything fine.Day or two before occupancy I went in and noticed the converter and water heater circuits were tripped. I flipped them back on and was GTG.Refilled one of the propane tanks the day of occupancy and everything was working.Hours before occupancy I turned on lights, central fan, refrigerator, water heater and TV.It ran like this for maybe 6 hours straight....Flipped OFF the refrigerator hour prior to occupancy.Hour or two later I smell something horrible. It was dark and I could not see it, but the Interstate Deep Cycle battery was shooting white smoke out like steam from a teapot. I disconnected the negative then positive and removed the battery. TT was GTG off of shore power for the rest of the night.What gives???? Put the trailer under about 1/3 appliance load for a few hours and the battery smokes out??? Ideas??

You need to check the output of the converter - I suspect it's either too high or the battery has shorted internally. Disconnect the battery, let it sit and hour or so and tell us what its voltage is.

The "Steam" coming out off the battery is/was very corrosive. Even if the battery survived (which I very much doubt) you should wipe down all the visible metal and almost everything else with a rag or sponge soaked on in baking soda mix. It will be clear now whether it was the battery or the converter that failed. My bet is the battery. Matt

Battery is now cool. Use baking soda and water to detox the acid on the outside.Pry off the cell caps. Look inside. Are ALL cells so low on water that the plates are exposed? Or just one cell?This is a perfect example of WHY a good permanent mount panel VOLTMETER is so important. A shorted battery will load a converter and voltage will read LOW causing the owner to beware of a problem. High voltage will do the same.PLUG N PAY IS NOT THE WAY

First... I am going to assume you plugged into a KNOWN 120 Volt outlet, not someone's "30 amp" outlet that was really for a dryer or welder or some such and is 240 volt but a true 120 volt outlet.. Or an outlet you have used many times in the past.Now: two questions:1: When was the last time you checked the fluid level in your batteries?2: What converter do you have (May be part of power center if so the model of that)3: Age of batteriesIF you have not checked in ... A while.. Might be user error and all you need is new batteries.However hang a volt meter on the leads and check the output of the converter.

When was the last time you checked the battery fluid level?Check the converter voltage is about 13.6 but I think you just need a new battery.

Noticed Smell Then Smoke - Ideas? | Good Sam Community

11 Replies

Salvo
Explorer
Nov 17, 2014
I got two ideas.

1. The battery probably never got blessed.

2. All this stuff runs on smoke. You let the smoke out and and stops running.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Nov 17, 2014
No response from rollochrome since initial post, 2-days.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Nov 17, 2014
One other questions: You said you plugged in at home.

is this an outlet you have used often for RV or is it a new one?

Might be a 240 volt issue .... Many electricians see a TT-30 and wire it for 240 volts. Many RVers see a welder or dryer or air compressor 240 volt and think "TT-30" (Depending on the outlet type).

I had one Moose Lodge governor ask me if I had tried the 60 amp outlet they had (I had not even seen it, I had however, seen the dual ganged circuit breakers (two pair, both 60 amp) so I already knew it was 240 volt.. Finally found it the next day, they use it for an industrial fryer.
KJINTF
Explorer
Nov 17, 2014
The typical failure of a converter is low voltage and or low current capability.
I highly doubt the converter is to blame (However been wrong before and will be in the future)

My bet is on a defective battery - low water shorted cell etc...
Rollochrome
Explorer
Nov 17, 2014
It was just the battery. Nothing wrong with the RV thankfully.

The battery was old and I just didn't think about checking the fluid level of the battery....

Thanks for the input
TXiceman
Explorer II
Oct 17, 2014
Battery fluid level and/or converter output voltage. does the converter have a 3 stage charging circuit?

Ken
time2roll
Nomad
Oct 16, 2014
When was the last time you checked the battery fluid level?
Check the converter voltage is about 13.6 but I think you just need a new battery.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Oct 16, 2014
First... I am going to assume you plugged into a KNOWN 120 Volt outlet, not someone's "30 amp" outlet that was really for a dryer or welder or some such and is 240 volt but a true 120 volt outlet.. Or an outlet you have used many times in the past.

Now: two questions:
1: When was the last time you checked the fluid level in your batteries?
2: What converter do you have (May be part of power center if so the model of that)
3: Age of batteries

IF you have not checked in ... A while.. Might be user error and all you need is new batteries.

However hang a volt meter on the leads and check the output of the converter.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Oct 16, 2014
Battery is now cool. Use baking soda and water to detox the acid on the outside.

Pry off the cell caps. Look inside. Are ALL cells so low on water that the plates are exposed? Or just one cell?

This is a perfect example of WHY a good permanent mount panel VOLTMETER is so important. A shorted battery will load a converter and voltage will read LOW causing the owner to beware of a problem. High voltage will do the same.

PLUG N PAY IS NOT THE WAY
Matt_Colie
Explorer II
Oct 16, 2014
The "Steam" coming out off the battery is/was very corrosive. Even if the battery survived (which I very much doubt) you should wipe down all the visible metal and almost everything else with a rag or sponge soaked on in baking soda mix.

It will be clear now whether it was the battery or the converter that failed. My bet is the battery.

Matt

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Noticed Smell Then Smoke - Ideas?

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