New coach, old (charging) question....

[Vibrant93]

Hey guys, 1st time poster here. Been a member since '02 (what's that tell you) but finally got life in order enough to settle down with a coach! The wife and I just picked up an '00 Itasca Suncruiser 35u. 1st thing we've done was grab a couple of 6 volt batteries and put them in series for the house side. Here is where I kick the dead horse... What I'm noticing is that they are doing the job very well but I feel as though they are not receiving a charge when plugged into shore power. AKA not seeing a voltage on the house side above 12.2 with the master disconnect on and 30 amp shore service. This coach has a Magnetek 7455 converter/charger of which I've located and checked fuses. Everything checks out with the fuses. My question... Even though the coach has this converter with a charger function, does that mean the coach is wired for the charge feature that the converter offers? After hours of reading various posts and trying to go through schematics I feel as though there isn't a definitive answer. I don't have a problem upgrading to a 3 phase converter if mine has a bad charge side but doing so and still not having the charging function work is going to be an issue. Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this but does anyone really know? Do the 2000 model Itasca Suncruiser 35u's take a charge off shore power if they were factory equipped with a Magnetek 7455 converter?

[Vibrant93]

*UPDATE. After checking voltage from the converter to battery and not seeing anything I did pull the plug (no pun) and bought a new converter. I went with an Iota 55 amp unit. The UPS man, who I also like to call Santa, left a package at the door today. AKA tonight was a good night. After a quick swap we are now charging the house batteries on AC power. It was indeed a bad converter. Thanks everyone!

[tropical36]

Vibrant93 wrote:
Hey guys, 1st time poster here. Been a member since '02 (what's that tell you) but finally got life in order enough to settle down with a coach! The wife and I just picked up an '00 Itasca Suncruiser 35u. 1st thing we've done was grab a couple of 6 volt batteries and put them in series for the house side. Here is where I kick the dead horse... What I'm noticing is that they are doing the job very well but I feel as though they are not receiving a charge when plugged into shore power. AKA not seeing a voltage on the house side above 12.2 with the master disconnect on and 30 amp shore service. This coach has a Magnetek 7455 converter/charger of which I've located and checked fuses. Everything checks out with the fuses. My question... Even though the coach has this converter with a charger function, does that mean the coach is wired for the charge feature that the converter offers? After hours of reading various posts and trying to go through schematics I feel as though there isn't a definitive answer. I don't have a problem upgrading to a 3 phase converter if mine has a bad charge side but doing so and still not having the charging function work is going to be an issue. Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this but does anyone really know? Do the 2000 model Itasca Suncruiser 35u's take a charge off shore power if they were factory equipped with a Magnetek 7455 converter?

Hard to say what the problem might be without personally troubleshooting the thing and assuming that you do have a 120vac input. You might pull the cover with drilling out the rivets if needed and see if you have the proper DC output there.
Having said this, I never could fix my heavy outdated OEM model and replaced it with this one....Converter Charger
Knowing now, would have replaced it anyway, whether the old one was bad or not.

[Clay_L]

Here is a drawing I made of the battery disconnect circuit for my 2004 Winnebago.They have used to same set up for many years except for the Ultimate Advantage in the early 2001 time frame. It may help give you an idea of how it works and what to check.

[tderonne]

DrewE wrote:


It's worth noting that there are some variations in how things are wired. More often than not the converter is on the house side of the battery disconnect switch, so it should power things when the battery is disconnected (but not charge the battery), but there are rigs where it's connected on the battery side, so it will not power the coach with the battery disconnected but it will charge the battery under those circumstances.

Winnebagos (at least of this vintage) are set up the first way. Sure looks like his converter is putting out anything. He said fuses were checked. A voltage check at the converter will confirm there is no output.

OP, you did check the fuses right on the converter, correct?

[DrewE]

Vibrant93 wrote:

tderonne wrote:
A quick check for the converter is to turn off the aux battery switch while plugged into shorepower. Coach 12 volt systems should remain on being powered by the converter. I suspect you'll be in the dark...

You are correct, I'm in the dark when I do that! I just assumed that the aux battery switch always had to be on, regardless of shore power being involved or not.... I'm learning here guys.

Thanks for all the help!

It's worth noting that there are some variations in how things are wired. More often than not the converter is on the house side of the battery disconnect switch, so it should power things when the battery is disconnected (but not charge the battery), but there are rigs where it's connected on the battery side, so it will not power the coach with the battery disconnected but it will charge the battery under those circumstances.

[Gjac]

Until you check the output of your converter as Mowermech suggested we are all just guessing. The Magnatec is a very simple converter and and should put out 13.2 - 13.8 VDC. If I had to guess I would suspect your cables from the converter to your batteries either corroded or loose, or a burned relay/solenoid in your battery disconnect. You should read 13 + VDC at your converter output when plugged in to shore power and at your batteries if everything is working correctly. A reading of 13+ v at your converter and just resting battery voltage at your batteries(12 v or so) would indicate what I suggested above. Find out your problem first before buying a new converter and finding your problem was just a loose cable. Good luck.

[Vibrant93]

tderonne wrote:
A quick check for the converter is to turn off the aux battery switch while plugged into shorepower. Coach 12 volt systems should remain on being powered by the converter. I suspect you'll be in the dark...

You are correct, I'm in the dark when I do that! I just assumed that the aux battery switch always had to be on, regardless of shore power being involved or not.... I'm learning here guys.

Thanks for all the help!

[Vibrant93]

So I was out playing with it a little more this evening and found something interesting. When I have the master cutoff switch for the house batteries turned off I do not get a voltage reading on the panel inside the coach when I flip the switch to the house battery voltage test setting. I have a smart (agm style) charger 12/14/16 volt for my race car battery and hooked that up to the house batteries. Once I did this, still with the battery cutoff switch in the off position, I then could get a voltage reading on the panel inside the coach... This was all while not being plugged into shore power. Any idea why the panel would show voltage with a charger on the batteries but not when they are at rest? I did not have a chance to probe the leads coming out of the converter but I'm leaning towards that being the culprit. Until I can get a new one I'm not going to connect to shore power. For now I'll bring the battery charger out there and give them a bump here and there.

[mowermech]

aCheck the output voltage at the converter output terminals when plugged in to shore power. then check the battery voltage. The VDC readings should be nearly identical. If not, there is something wrong between the converter and the batteries. Are you sure the master disconnect is ON, so the batteries are connected to the circuits?

[tderonne]

A quick check for the converter is to turn off the aux battery switch while plugged into shorepower. Coach 12 volt systems should remain on being powered by the converter. I suspect you'll be in the dark...

[Vibrant93]

FIRE UP wrote:
Vibrant93,
You've been given some good info. You have stated that see no more than 12.2 on the house battery side. May I ask, WHERE are you seeing this reading? Is it on a panel for checking the house battery voltage? Or, are you reading it with a VOM at the house batteries posts?

I was seeing the reading on the info panel inside the coach. To verify it's accuracy I did use my VOM direct at battery and confirmed accuracy at the battery. Each battery was at 6.1v individually and then 12.2 in series.

FIRE UP wrote:
gemert and Don have both indicated that you "should" see 13.8 at the output of the Converter/Charger. Well, something's obviously not correct here. How are your lights in the coach, with no shore power attached and, with shore power attached? Are they any brighter with the shore power attached?

Honestly, I can't really see a difference in the light output between being shore power plugged in and unplugged...

FIRE UP wrote:
If you take a reading at the house battery posts with the shore power disconnected, then take another reading across those same posts, WITH the shore power connected, is there any difference? How much is any?

I did try this last night and there wasn't a difference. From what I'm seeing, the only charging is coming from the solar panel at this point.

FIRE UP wrote:
Yes, if you have a Converter/Charger, it is wired and setup to not only supply a charge to those house batteries but, also supply 12V to all your house appliances if and when, you are plugged into shore power.

If you run the tests that have been suggested, and, you see no difference in the voltage across the battery posts, then you potentially more than one issue.

1. As you suspect in your original post, you have a problem with the output side of the charger side of your converter.
2. You have a breakdown in the line(s) from the charger to the batteries.
3. You may have a bad cable, cable connection, set of cable connections, loose terminal, ????

It will interesting to find out just what your issue is. Keep us posted.
Scott

Thanks again for all of the info, it's very helpful. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't some odd wiring identity from the factory with these coaches not actually be able to accept a charge from the Converter. I'll follow up once I know more.

Thanks everyone!

[23hotrodr]

vibrant93-- jGet rid of the Magnetek boat anchor. It has "cooked" countless batteries since it was installed in your Suncruiser. Don't let it "cook" your new batteries, even if you can get it to work. It just will cost you more than getting a new Progressive Dynamics or Iota converter.

Winnebago also did not install anything to keep your chassis battery charged. I highly recommend you install a Ultra Trick-L-Start to automatically charge the chassis battery whenever you are plugged into shore power or the generator is running.

If you do want to check the boat anchor, first make sure the converter is plugged into a good 120 volt ac outlet. Start with a voltage reading right at the output terminals of the converter. It should always read over 13 volts. If it is less than 13 volts at the converter output and you are sure the fuses on the converter are good, then the converter is dead. Good Riddance!

There is also an automatic circuit breaker just before the batteries on many Winnebago MHs. Check for converter voltage on both sides of this circuit breaker to make sure it is good. This is usually in the charge wire just before the batteries.

You will never regret installing a good multi stage converter over the boat anchor you have now. Good luck-- Mick

[jerseyjim]

Converters do lose their "edge" over time. My coach is a 2001 and the converter was marginal...just last fall. I bought and installed a new one (Parallax) on the net for $209. 55 amps.

Not to be confused within INverters. They either work or they don't.

[scrubjaysnest]

The voltages given above are to low. GC-2's need 14.4 to 14.8 volts to properly charge as measured at the batteries. Float should be 13.4 to 13.6 volts. I'd replace that old converter even if it is working and get a Progressive Dynamics or Iota 3 stage converter.