Lights Dim, Blink

[98bluewave]

The lights in my travel trailer started dimming at times, some time the lights work okay, then all of a sudden they will dim, then later they make come back on. At times they have even blinked. They haven't gone off completely. A/C, appliances, etc. seem to work okay.

The trailer is about 6 years old and this is the first time this has happened. Any suggestions are appreciated!!

[mlts22]

Nice thing about a new converter (I assume a three stage) is that it doesn't boil the batteries, so they last significantly longer.

[98bluewave]

Within 6 minutes of posting my problem I had a response and it turned out to be exactly as suggested!! I upgraded the converter and I also replaced the battery.

Thanks for all the responses. This forum is amazing!!

[JJBIRISH]

always start simple, cheap, and the most common… for DC circuits that would be a bad ground and dirty connections… then go from there…

[bukhrn]

thirtydaZe wrote:
which brings up another question, and i hope i don't get this hijacked. when we get out to camp, plug in to the shore power, our lights, etc. keep running on the battery.This part is normal, your lights are 12v (look at the bulbs), the converter converts the 110v to 12v for the lights, the recepticles run off the 110v part. the lights continue to dim out, until finally the system clicks, and then starts running on the shore power. is this normal?

I'd say the lights are dimming because you have a bad converter, mine did the same thing, replaced the converter, no more dimming.

[woodworker59]

Same here. Replaced converter all is well. It was a new 5 ver by the way.

[Trail-Mate]

My OR started doing something like this this past fall. the more lights on the worse it got, But I could hear the converter made a hissing noise when it would do it, It was intermittent. Did it some all winter, when I had it in for service I had it checked and dealer replaced it. I did check all connections and grounds and my battery was good. I have not had a problem since the converter was changed.

[D_E_Bishop]

pianotuna wrote:
Hi,

Probably the converter is failing. Replace and upgrade at the same time.

X2, worked for me. 98bluewave, I had the same problem changed out and upgraded, no more problem.

I did all the recommended stuff from cleaning grounds to tightening all the connections. New converter/charger from PD installed and no more flickering/dimming.

[thirtydaZe]

which brings up another question, and i hope i don't get this hijacked. when we get out to camp, plug in to the shore power, our lights, etc. keep running on the battery. the lights continue to dim out, until finally the system clicks, and then starts running on the shore power. is this normal?

[vic46]

Fouled up ground somewhere.
Vic

[1995brave]

Your battery is probably bad also. Unplug from shore power and see if the lights turn on.

[pianotuna]

Hi,

Probably the converter is failing. Replace and upgrade at the same time.