Heart Inverter doesn't charge batteries

[vegasfoodguy]

I have Heart Freedom 15 inverter in 1999 Diplomat. When shore electric is hooked up, The batteries show dead. after driving for several hours, the inside remote shows the batteries dead. The built in charger-converter doesn't seem to be working. The hydrometer shows recharge, just below good. All 24 cells show the same (4_6v) none dead.

I know, kind of confusing.

Thanks,
Terry

[Sam_Spade]

vegasfoodguy wrote:
The Onan generator in not activating the Heart unit nor is Shore power.

So that leaves us with two likely possibilities:
The converter itself has failed.
An input or output fuse/breaker has blown/tripped.....or a connection is otherwise broken or come loose.

[vegasfoodguy]

lafrentz wrote:

vegasfoodguy wrote:

lafrentz wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
Did you check the push button circuit breakers on the front of the inverter
What happens if you turn it off, and disconnect the batteries wait five minutes and reconnect and turn on

agreed except that wont help the fact his alternator is also not charging the house batterys

Thanks People, for the responses, To clarify, The coach alternator is charging the batteries, I'm in Ely Nv. snowing like crazy, I couldn't
troubleshoot today. As temporary fix, I hooked up battery charger (Thanks Harbor Freight). The Onan generator in not activating the Heart unit nor is Shore power.

Thanks again,
Terry

why did you say in your first post after driving for several hours the batterys are still dead? now your saying the alternater charged the batterys?

The Heart remote shows they were dead, The hydrometer read recharge, not dead. I said it was a confusing post. The holding tank monitor shows about eighty percent on battery.

Thanks again for taking the time to give advice.
Terry

[lafrentz]

vegasfoodguy wrote:

lafrentz wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
Did you check the push button circuit breakers on the front of the inverter
What happens if you turn it off, and disconnect the batteries wait five minutes and reconnect and turn on

agreed except that wont help the fact his alternator is also not charging the house batterys

Thanks People, for the responses, To clarify, The coach alternator is charging the batteries, I'm in Ely Nv. snowing like crazy, I couldn't
troubleshoot today. As temporary fix, I hooked up battery charger (Thanks Harbor Freight). The Onan generator in not activating the Heart unit nor is Shore power.

Thanks again,
Terry

why did you say in your first post after driving for several hours the batterys are still dead? now your saying the alternater charged the batterys?

[vegasfoodguy]

lafrentz wrote:

MrWizard wrote:
Did you check the push button circuit breakers on the front of the inverter
What happens if you turn it off, and disconnect the batteries wait five minutes and reconnect and turn on

agreed except that wont help the fact his alternator is also not charging the house batterys

Thanks People, for the responses, To clarify, The coach alternator is charging the batteries, I'm in Ely Nv. snowing like crazy, I couldn't
troubleshoot today. As temporary fix, I hooked up battery charger (Thanks Harbor Freight). The Onan generator in not activating the Heart unit nor is Shore power.

Thanks again,
Terry

[lafrentz]

LOL Doug beat me to it

and as I already opined its not likely anything to do with converter because the OP CLEARLY said the alternator does not charge while he drove it for several hours

so either stone dead non chargable batterys or bad main link somewhere in the systems

[dougrainer]

Sam Spade wrote:

vegasfoodguy wrote:
I have Heart Freedom 15 inverter in 1999 Diplomat. When shore electric is hooked up, The batteries show dead.

FIRST.....make sure you didn't forget to put the battery disconnect switch to ON. (Yes, I've done that.)
Then get a portable multi-meter so you can see where the voltage IS and where it ISN'T.
The second basic thing to check is the main cable connections at the battery.

And when the gen is running and you have no AC power......be sure that your power cable is plugged into the GEN outlet. (Yes, I've done that too.)

There can be automatic switches and solenoids that can fail but always check the basics first. 🙂

Inverter/CHARGERS are NEVER connected thru the battery disconnect solenoid. They are wired Direct to the Coach batteries with a 200 plus amp fuse. Doug

[gonesouth]

first thing I would do is get a battery charger (borrow from a friend?) and see if the batteries will accept a charge. In a 17 y.o. coach battery failure is not impossible. Disconnect each battery in turn and charge it and if all are good then start to search for fuses/circuit breakers/relays (solenoids) in the charging circuits. The first rule is always to go for the common element and your batteries are in all scenarios.

If you have time and a multimeter while the batteries are charging off-line you have time to check the wiring in the charging circuits for the items others mentioned. I would work from the batteries upstream to the Heart and the alternator, but some may feel it's more efficient to work from them towards the batteries. The big thing I've learned on motorhomes is that looking for the obvious answer doesn't always work that well.....a methodical search from one end is usually quicker.

[dougrainer]

There is NO solenoid or relay between the Inverter and the batteries on this Inverter/charger system. The battey cables are al;ways connected DIRECT to the batteries. With one exception. There IS a 150 to 300 amp fuse on the positive battery cable close to the batteries. IF that fuse s blown, the Inverter will not charge the batteries. Bu, this will NOT stop the engine from charging the batteries. He either has BAD dry batteries or the fuse is blown or more likely on a 17 year old unit the charger is burnt out on the Heart unit. Doug

[lafrentz]

Tom/Barb wrote:
Sounds to me like a high resistance connection in the Heavy Cabling of the battery circuit.

not entirely sure what your trying to convey but to me he has a
blown main fuse/bad relay/bad solenoid that is not allowing any charge from the converter nor the alternator

[lafrentz]

MrWizard wrote:

The built in charger-converter doesn't seem to be working. The hydrometer shows recharge, just below good. All 24 cells show the same (4_6v) none dead.

i took this to mean, he was getting some charge from the alternator to the batteries, but the inverter wasn't seeing it ?

perhaps you are correct and the problem is in the battery relay isolator circuits

the reason I said what I said is the op said
quote:
after driving for several hours, the inside remote shows the batteries dead.

[Tom_Barb]

Sounds to me like a high resistance connection in the Heavy Cabling of the battery circuit.

[MrWizard]

The built in charger-converter doesn't seem to be working. The hydrometer shows recharge, just below good. All 24 cells show the same (4_6v) none dead.

i took this to mean, he was getting some charge from the alternator to the batteries, but the inverter wasn't seeing it ?

perhaps you are correct and the problem is in the battery relay isolator circuits

[lafrentz]

MrWizard wrote:
Did you check the push button circuit breakers on the front of the inverter
What happens if you turn it off, and disconnect the batteries wait five minutes and reconnect and turn on

agreed except that wont help the fact his alternator is also not charging the house batterys

[lafrentz]

vegasfoodguy wrote:
I have Heart Freedom 15 inverter in 1999 Diplomat. When shore electric is hooked up, The batteries show dead. after driving for several hours, the inside remote shows the batteries dead. The built in charger-converter doesn't seem to be working. The hydrometer shows recharge, just below good. All 24 cells show the same (4_6v) none dead.

I know, kind of confusing.

Thanks,
Terry

well if the alternator is also not charging the batterys then don't be assuming your converter is bad till all solenoid's and relays etc are ruled out.It would be a stretch to assume your alternator charge solenoid and the converter both failed at the same time