Electrical problem..Magnatec converter?

[Bubba_Bill]

Perplexing problem, Damon Intruder now in storage shed. Plugged in shed outlet, ran small electric heater for 4 to 5 days, no problem. Turned heater off, no 110 or 12 volt devices running. Went back several days later, all batteries drained to about 9v. Engine, gen would not turn over, 12v lighting very dim. 110v outlet GFI breaker thrown. Every time I try to reset outside GFI, trips. If I turn all inside breakers off, except main, breaker stays on. 'Receptacle' breaker seems to throw shorepower breaker every time, suggesting short. However, I've had this problem before. My question is: If batteries run down below a certain voltage, is there such a draw on the converter/charger that it would exceed 20 or 30 amps? Since I rent the storage barn, I don't know what the GFI outlet is rated at. I can plug my battery charger in to charge batteries without tripping the GFI. Not sure what my problem is! We wintered for 3 months down South with no problems. BIll

[wny_pat1]

Using 1995 and Parallax Magnetek in the same sentence tells me that your converter/charger is a single stage charger. Same charging power 24/7, and that is not good for your batteries. My guess is you need to replace the converter/charger with one that is a 3 stage charger, for proper battery maintenance. And you need to use something to change the starter batteries also, cause they are probably not being charged. And you need to replace the batteries, and make sure you keep them watered!

[ksg5000]

In many/most rigs the engine and coach batteries are not combined when hooked to shore power - that happens when you turn the ignition key or press the emergency start button. As such, it's common for RV engine batteries to go dead if you haven't hooked up a separate charger or installed something like a TrikLStart. At any rate - any auto/tire outlet will test your batteries for free to determine whether their toast - good starting place.

[Bubba_Bill]

I'm thinking that is a correct assumption that the converter/charger is drawing too much current for the storage building's GFI outlet. Given, that is, if one bad battery sucked the others down. I doubled checked most everything, a few minutes ago, including the numerous 'basement' lights to make sure no switch/light/appliance was on. The only things, I believe, that may be constant are the house monitor and car radio memory. I'm inclined to think the engine battery is most likely the culprit, since it's old '06'! I hadn't realized the 2 house and 1 engine battery were somehow interconnected. It's a semi-major project to get the engine battery out and will have to wait a few days for warmer weather. Left my battery charger on 2 amp deep cycle mode. The other 'thingy' I've never fully understood is how the big round 'Master' switch functions. It is located next to the driver's seat. There a couple of heater things...flat black rubber.. hanging over the black and gray water valve areas. Perhaps they could be thermostatically controlled from somewhere and were 'on' during this cold snap we're having?

[CA_Traveler]

"Batteries dropping to 9V in several days indicates that you left a lot of loads on or the batteries are shot. Regardless of their age have them load tested. By 12V deep cycle batteries do you mean marine deep cycle which isn't much different than a starting battery.

You might have moisture in one of the GFI plugs which is causing it to trip. Some good ideas above but regardless you need to keep the batteries charged.

Not all rigs charge the starting batteries from the charger so it could also be bad. On my last rig I added a 2 stage 2A charger to the starting batteries.

[tiredkid]

QUOTE:Next, I'm not sure if the charger function of the converter feeds off of the 'Recep' breaker, or if its hot wired directly to the shore power connecter

That makes no sense? why would anyone ever do such a thing? I seriously doubt this is the way its wired.U may have a bad soliniod that is stuck on and caused the starter battery to go dead when the charger quit as it would be drained by the house batterys going low. There is most certainly something left on or shorted for all the batterys to go that dead in just a few days
Its possible you simply have 3 bad batterys but to me that's a stretch
and does not account for the 120V breakers tripping
But like I said earlier you most likely will not be able to run the inverter/converter successfully off a 15 or 20 SP breaker if the batterys are that dead as the converter will draw more than the line will supply. I have had this happen to me

[Bubba_Bill]

Sometimes, problems like these are difficult to explain. This same scenario occurred once before, while in the storage building. I charged the house batteries-2 12v deep cycles newer batteries, and didn't have any more problem for months until now. The fact that the house and engine batteries were 'dead', is confusing. There are, as I recall, 3 separate solenoids 'under the hood' so I'm guessing normally the converter/charger is hooked up through all 3 batteries. Next, I'm not sure if the charger function of the converter feeds off of the 'Recep' breaker, or if its hot wired directly to the shore power connecter....if that's clear. With only the 'main' breaker on, I can't hear any hum or anything directly at the converter. Normally, when it warms up, the converter fan cuts on and you hear it. If one of the house batteries was bad, the system would probably never work properly. I may need to pull them out and have them load tested. I'm guessing possibly the engine battery could have gone bad which might suck the house batteries 'dry' since all 3 'died' in a matter of a few days. There was no known power draw. Fridge off, no lights,WH is propane. I would not have thought the house batteries would in way connect to, or through the engine battery. Hope my rambling has some clarity. I do appreciate the help guys, eventually I(or, we)will figure this out. Sadly, apparently there is no wiring diagram of the coach.

[wa8yxm]

You said the "Outside GFCI" trips... and the GFCI breaker was thrown (I assume this is the one inside the RV)

Some builders wire the converter on the GFCI chain, Though usually on Magnetek there is as seperate breaker for the converter (Of course they may wire the gfci to the converter's breaker as well)

It is possible the converter is toast

Step one is to get some charge into those batteries and do it NOW cause every minute you waste is costing you battery life, if that is they are not already beyond recovery.

Step 2: And you hae started here well, is short identification.. Turn off all breakers, and one at a time till you cause a failure.

Step 3: If thats a magnetek 6300 you really need to upgrade it.

NOW: the "outside GFCI" commment.. if your RV is plugged into a GFCI outlet, there are SOME converters that will trip a GFCI if the batteries are very low, Some if the batteries are full up and the rest work properly.

[tiredkid]

Bubba Bill wrote:
Perplexing problem, Damon Intruder now in storage shed. Plugged in shed outlet, ran small electric heater for 4 to 5 days, no problem. Turned heater off, no 110 or 12 volt devices running. Went back several days later, all batteries drained to about 9v. Engine, gen would not turn over, 12v lighting very dim. 110v outlet GFI breaker thrown. Every time I try to reset outside GFI, trips. If I turn all inside breakers off, except main, breaker stays on. 'Receptacle' breaker seems to throw shorepower breaker every time, suggesting short. However, I've had this problem before. My question is: If batteries run down below a certain voltage, is there such a draw on the converter/charger that it would exceed 20 or 30 amps? Since I rent the storage barn, I don't know what the GFI outlet is rated at. I can plug my battery charger in to charge batteries without tripping the GFI. Not sure what my problem is! We wintered for 3 months down South with no problems. BIll

The problem is with the batterys so low the AMP draw from converter
far outdraws the shore power source.Charge up the batterys with a charger first.Another thing to do is set PM at 10 amps. GFI are a pain when u get in this situation.I usually turn off all the breaker feeds except the one I need to run the charger section of the inverter.Running a 120V heater and Inverter/converter off a 20 amp SP
is hard to do effectively and its hard on the transfer switch if power runs low and breaker does not trip it will cause stress on the ATS(chatters)

[RoyB]

You definitely need to get some charging going for the batteries ASAP. Deep cycle batteries do not do well if discharged below 50% or around 12.0VDC state of charge. I would be surprised if any of your batteries will survive this.

One of the batteries may have shorted out an internal cell giving your converter/charger a short circuit condition.

Also I think your Parallax Magnetek series converter requires a good working battery to keep a relay going in the converter in order for it to work.

I would check each battery for proper fluids and make sure one is not giving a short circuit back to your converter/charger.

This may be premature but if the Parallax Magnetek Converter/Chargers is not working you should replace the converter/charger chassis with a good proven smart mode unit. The Progressive PD4600 or PD9200 Series converter/charger units would be a great replacement for the Parallax Magnetek Converters chassis.

I would bring along a good portable smart mode charger like the Black and Decker VEC1093DBD 40 AMP charger unit and get some charge going back into the batteries to see if they are going to recover ok to some degree. I carry one of these along with a 2KW Honda Generator secured in the bed of my truck. My truck bed is also covered with a locked folding bed cover. The batteries using smart mode charging technology will tell you the story is a quick three hour charge time period.

All part of owning a RV TRAILER haha...

Just some of my thoughts here
Roy Ken

[jmerritt]

Have you metered the batteries while connected to shore power to verify that the converter/charger is working? Is the converter on the "Receptacle" circuit that you say trips the main breaker. Sounds like you need to meter each 110v circuit at the main RV panel to see which one is the problem. Also, besides a short a missing or loose connection can cause a GFI to trip. If you don't already know, trip each breaker on your RV service panel and determine what each one powers. Since the "Receptacle" breaker throws the main RV breaker then by process of elimination you should be able to figure out what is on that circuit. Then check each item. Don't forget your refer and water heater if either or both have electric element heaters, they will cause a GFI to trip if they are bad. Unplug your refer and see if that makes a difference. Also the water heater if it has an electric heater element.

John

[ksg5000]

Try turning on all breakers except for the one handling the converter - that should determine whether the converter is part of the problem.