I would guess that the boiling over is a sign that the batteries are at the end of their life. How old are the batteries. Have they ever been completely discharged. One bad battery or if the batteries are old can boil over. They are being overcharged becasue they can never get fully charged.
You can pull the batteries out and charge them one at a time with a battery charger and if they still boil they are most likely bad. However I would check them with a acid battery tester first. Like this one
You can pull the batteries out and charge them one at a time with a battery charger and if they still boil they are most likely bad. However I would check them with a acid battery tester first. Like this one
JanTx wrote:
so many things to learn and remember,, scares me to death!
JanTx,
Actually, learning about your coach is kind of fun. You simply start with the basics and go as deep into what you want to know as you want. For instance, The "house battery(ies)(if you have more than one)are what powers up about 98% of the inside of your coach. That is, just about everything with the exception of the TV, VCR-DVD player, and, the Microwave. Then, in order to power up those, you need 110VAC power. You'll get that power from one of three sourses. One, shore power, two, generator, or three, an "Inverter" that converts 12VDC battery power to, 110VAC power.
Now, this is where most people simply don't go any further in obtaining knowledge. If folks would simply take the time when they purchase a new coach, or new to them I should say, and learn about how their system works. That is, how are my 12V or, 6V golf cart batteries charged? How are my engine batteries charged? Do both the house and engine batteries charge together?
What you accomplish is, not only learning and knowing how your system(s) work but, also, a good possibility of how to analyze them, if something should be acting up or, not working at all. Most of this stuff is not all that hard on RVs to comprehend. All it takes is a little time and, sometimes some coaching for explanation in case you run up against a stumbling block.
Scott
stuplich wrote:FIRE UP wrote:
Well Bob,
if your rig is a diesel, about 99.9% of them have inverters, NOT CONVERTERS, and, many of them are Inverter/Chargers so, you could be having an issue with that system. Now, if your coach is a gas unit, about 99.9% of them, come with Converters, not Inverters!
Fire Up
I beg to differ!
I think that MANY,(MOST?), diesel coaches have a CONVERTER in their INVERTER/3 stage battery CHARGER.
My Freedom 20 INVERTER/CHARGER is also a CONVERTER.
Here's a link to my Freedom 20 manual:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CDEQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.xantrex.com%2Fdocuments%2FDiscontinued-Products%2FFreedom%2520series%25201.pdf&ei=8vOcUbfsMKTgyQGc_IGoAQ&usg=AFQjCNEpd-ghhONSAiIWxw8_5R9taIWcXw&sig2=xpe7W9EKXVRXcr1u7EUnvQ&bvm=bv.46751780,d.aWM
See page 4, "Introduction".
Mel
'96 Safari
Mel,
Well Sir, you are correct in the fact that there IS a converter "inside" your INVERTER. While both of us are correct, my statement simply states that the primary mechanism for other than battery operation is, either a CONVERTER, usually supplied with a gas coach or an INVERTER, usually supplied with a diesel coach. Now, I don't work on these coaches day in and day out and, do not see or learn about what's new as todays coaches are sent out from the factory. My experience is from owning (4) motor homes to date. We've had (2) Class Cs, and (2) Class As. Both the class Cs and one of the As were gas units and for primary electrical operations inside the them, was a CONVERTER and NO INVERTER.
But for our present coach, an '04 Itasca Horizon, 36GD with the 330 CAT, it comes with a Dimensions 2000 Watt INVERTER/CHARGER. Now, I've read up on mine a few times and, while I can't recall, it might state in it's specs that it too has a "Converter" built into it. I'll check into that so I know before I state anything I might regret. Thanks
Scott
