Odd 12VDC issue - is it the charger or battery or both?

myredracer wrote:



About 1/2 hour later, the voltage at the converter with it still turned off is down to 12.4 volts with just some lights on, which would indicate it's discharged to about 80 percent. It's looking like the battery isn't holding a charge. Electrolyte level is fine and I check it periodically. We never dry camp so the battery never gets discharged much. We only have one group 24 INTERSTATE battery.

Wait-- 12.2 VDC is a 50% discharged wet cell battery WITH THE BATTERY AT REST. You have a pretty small battery and read 12.4 VDC with a load on it.

Could the battery be bad-- sure. But, do not conclude that from the information above.

Fully charge it and then load test it.

A built in voltmeter is a good idea but it's limited to one connection. Buy a digital voltmeter from any store under $20, sometimes free at Harbor Freight.

Most likely what has happened is the WFCO has been charging your Interstate 12VDC batter at 13.6VDC for a long period of time and may have boiled out the battery fluids... This has been a long on-going problem with the WFCO products of never producing anything except 13.6VDC.

If the batteries fluids got boiled out then the next thing that happens is usually a shorted internal battery cell. The shorted battery cell will then demand a whole bunch of DC CURRENT from the WFCO Inverter and will over heat it much like you have described...

The fix is definitely check the battery and I suspect you will find it bone dry of fluids. The symptoms of this happening is the battery would become really hot during the process and some may have exploded which is rare. There is also an identifying smell associated with the battery boiling out the fluids.. Smells like rotten eggs...

Once you remove your battery terminals you should test the leads coming from the WFCO unit with a inexpensive MULTIMETER to see if the unit is still producing 13.6VDC... This should get you home with just purchasing a new battery until you get home... The smelling of burned plastic may have fried your WFCO Converter for you...

A NCIS GIBBS rule is to never allow your battery to get discharged below the 50% charge state which is around 12.0VDC. This will drive a nail into your battery life line real quick. Sounds like you have done this a couple of times now. Your battery performance will never be the same after this happens and eventually will short out an internal cell.

Also Keep in mind you are not allowed to travel in your Trailer here in the States without a working battery. This is Safety requirement by our US DOT to operate the trailer electric brakes in the event the trailer becomes disconnected while being towed over US Public roads. Canada should have the same Safety rules in effect...

Like others have said when you get back you may want to replace your WFCO Converter/charger unit for a Progressive Dynamics equivalent or perhaps a IOTA model. These units will operate with the multiple charge modes andprevent your battery from ever boiling out of fluids... The WFCO products have a long recorded history of not doing this. You can continue to use your WFCO products but you should start a bi-weekly maintenance program of testing your batteries for ample fluids.

Even after losing one of my Interstate batteries back in 2009 due to the same process of using a WFCO product and replacing with a PD9260C Converter/charger I still look at my batteries every couple of weeks. They are always right at the required fluid level but out of habit I still look at them.

As you can see the battery is the center of everything when you are camping... I also on a regular basis read my battery voltage at their terminals with an Multimeter (I have three in parallel) and if they are fully charged they will read 12.6-7VDC. Then I will connect up to shore power or generator and this DC VOLTAGE should should jump up to the 13.6VDC telling me all of the connections are good between the batteries and the DC Power Distribution Panel and also tell me my PD9260C COnverter/charger is charging just fine without no blown fuses or tripped breakers etc...

This is how I keep out of trouble haha... But of course you can't plan for all things that seem to happen on trips. Its like you are being tested sometimes... This falls under another NCIS GIBBS rule known as S**T happens hehe...

Roy Ken

Sounds like your converter has gone south.
Even at maximum output the converter should not trip thr breaker. Also the burnt smell is a dead give away.

Your converter may not have quit but it is bad.

My bench Whiffie is waiting to get a heart lungs kidney liver and toenails upgrade. Pull the pair of ceramic resistors and let them glow mounted remotely. Yeah yeah yeah it's like trying to rehabilitate a Yugo but I'll bet I'll win. Worth it? Let's not go there...

For normal people I recommend upgrading both sad sack examples. Try a progressive dynamics or Iota and a Lifeline. They'll work good together. You are sadly experiencing the REAL cost of junk component failure on a priceless vacation. I feel for you.

Lots of problems with the WFCO units. I pulled ours a while back and we just run off an mppt charge controller now.

CA Traveler wrote:
Have the battery load tested for starters.

So you have a Lifeline AGM battery?

Buy a portable battery charger to keep the battery charged during your trip as required. A burning smell is a big red flag. Disconnect the WFCO AC and DC wires or CB's

I said Lifeline but meant Interstate. It's a standard lead acid battery.

This would be the 2nd battery (Interstate) that has died in the 2 1/2 years that we've owned the TT from new. Maybe the converter has been slowly killing the batteries all along.

I like the idea of getting a separate charger of some sort until we get home. I bought a DC voltmeter and ammeter earlier this year but haven't gotten around to installing it and about now I wish I had.

One thing for sure........battery is junk. Replace it.

It is causing converter to go into overload

Is converter failing..........
DC output at 13.6V is acceptable
Under 13.2V would be failing.

So get new battery and then pay attention to converter DC output....if it has low DC or starts overcharging then turn it off (AC CB) and purchase/use a portable battery charger until back home.

Have the battery load tested for starters.

So you have a Lifeline AGM battery?

Buy a portable battery charger to keep the battery charged during your trip as required. A burning smell is a big red flag. Disconnect the WFCO AC and DC wires or CB's