Battery/ generator/ converter issue

[kimberlysmoore]

Finally got rid of the shady mobile mechanic who was making things a mess under my hood.
My generator was running fine for a few days. All dash readers good, all batt indicators reading fine.
Then mech said 1 6v house battery was dead. Wanted to “take it off my hands”. I say “that’s ok, I get a core charge with new purchase”.
Taken to Napa to be tested as “fine”. Topped off with a charge.
Mech reinstalled.
Now dash battery indicator reading red (almost dead). Small dewalt inverter plugged into cig lighter reads red (not enough juice to charge 110 for laptop). Plug in several usb power boxes to charge.. all seams well.
Still dash batt indicator said red.
Go out to look at things for myself.
1 wire just hanging there...? I ask mech “where’s this go?” Mech said “I don’t know but if you can charge a usb who cares. Leave well enough alone”. Wtf?
Put wire on batt terminal, dash indicator reads yellow (halfway there). Follow wire, appears to be gene attached but not 100% sure.
Start RV to charge batt. Leave running for several hours on yellow (Don’t yell at me...This works for my RV in the past. I’m boondocked with no shore power and rear end mechanical issues). Come back to a red dash light again. In the past, this would be green by now. Unable to start generator, Batt sounds dead. It’s trying to turn over but no power.
Mech goes out to look at gene and see what is the issue. Tells me “some wire just disintegrated in my hand”. Now gene isn’t running anymore at all (???)).
I tell mech to please stop touching stuff.
He leaves in a huff. try to find wire that has “disintegrated” but can not see what he’s talking about. I start looking for my multimeter, the attachments are missing, my drill is gone, my impact drill is gone, my batts for dewalt drill set and charger are gone. Mech has ripped me off. His phone is going to voicemail.

In conclusion: for 2 days now, inverter On cig lighter will charge small power banks via usb output, non stop but stays red. Pretty sure this is drawing power from starter batt but not sure.
Dash battery indicator still red for house batts. Green for starter batt.
Gene tried to start but not enough juice.
Need to either buy new multimeter it’s find connectors. Ugh.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Amazing

There are decent RV techs in Santa Rosa and Rohnert Park.

[kimberlysmoore]

UPDATE:
Had to get jump to start starter batt. Totally dead. Took a long time. Not enough juice to keep it running for long. Under hood I found even another wire disconnected (wire #3) this one looks Like it’s going from a small relay to ?

kimberlysmoore wrote:
Finally got rid of the shady mobile mechanic who was making things a mess under my hood.
My generator was running fine for a few days. All dash readers good, all batt indicators reading fine.
Then mech said 1 6v house battery was dead. Wanted to “take it off my hands”. I say “that’s ok, I get a core charge with new purchase”.
Taken to Napa to be tested as “fine”. Topped off with a charge.
Mech reinstalled.
Now dash battery indicator reading red (almost dead). Small dewalt inverter plugged into cig lighter reads red (not enough juice to charge 110 for laptop). Plug in several usb power boxes to charge.. all seams well.
Still dash batt indicator said red.
Go out to look at things for myself.
1 wire just hanging there...? I ask mech “where’s this go?” Mech said “I don’t know but if you can charge a usb who cares. Leave well enough alone”. Wtf?
Put wire on batt terminal, dash indicator reads yellow (halfway there). Follow wire, appears to be gene attached but not 100% sure.
Start RV to charge batt. Leave running for several hours on yellow (Don’t yell at me...This works for my RV in the past. I’m boondocked with no shore power and rear end mechanical issues). Come back to a red dash light again. In the past, this would be green by now. Unable to start generator, Batt sounds dead. It’s trying to turn over but no power.
Mech goes out to look at gene and see what is the issue. Tells me “some wire just disintegrated in my hand”. Now gene isn’t running anymore at all (???)).
I tell mech to please stop touching stuff.
He leaves in a huff. try to find wire that has “disintegrated” but can not see what he’s talking about. I start looking for my multimeter, the attachments are missing, my drill is gone, my impact drill is gone, my batts for dewalt drill set and charger are gone. Mech has ripped me off. His phone is going to voicemail.

In conclusion: for 2 days now, inverter On cig lighter will charge small power banks via usb output, non stop but stays red. Pretty sure this is drawing power from starter batt but not sure.
Dash battery indicator still red for house batts. Green for starter batt.
Gene tried to start but not enough juice.
Need to either buy new multimeter it’s find connectors. Ugh.

[kimberlysmoore]

In the past, starting it on yellow and running it would turn it green within minutes. Turning off, would be back to yellow in about 10 minutes. Starting again on yellow and running rv for an hour would turn indicator green and it would stay green for about 8 to 12 hours. This would give me power through an inverter plugged into the cigarette lighter.

Lwiddis wrote:
“Leave running for several hours on yellow...” It will work until the engine stops working at the most inopportune time.

[kimberlysmoore]

No truck shop around here has time for the job. No rv place around here has time for the job.
The tech was sent to me through an agency. They can’t find him.

wanderingaimlessly wrote:
How did you locate the tech?
From a campground host? Or from an online search?
Online ads seldom have references. And there is a reason for that.
Chalk it up as a lesson learned.

[kimberlysmoore]

It’s a 1990 bounder Ford fuel injected 40z oshkosh chassis.
Not sure what the dash indicator is for. It’s part of the water tank and LP tank dash indicators do always assumed house batts. There’s another indicator on the dash separate from those that flashes green and then yellow for the starter batt as I’m starting my rig.
This morning starter batt is dead and auxiliary switch over not working. Mechanic stole voltmeter.

enblethen wrote:
I am guessing this is on '86 Pace Arrow
What chassis?
Not sure what indicator on dash. Is this the one for the alternator? There should be a charge relay that energizes to charge house batteries.
A volt meter will or should show if alternator is putting out.
Voltmeter should show if converter is working by checking voltage at the converter or the 12 volt DC distribution panel.

[kimberlysmoore]

I’m in rohnert park, California.

wa8yxm wrote:
Today and tomorrow I'm in Upstate SC. Monday I head north.. (Well SW then NW Then North) following I-75 from North Georgia to I-94 then I hang a right to Waddams Road.. If you are near I might be able to pause and grab a meter.

But you need either a good study guide for your RV or a decent Technician. Frankly I'm not sure I'm up to a "Basket case" situation but some days I get lucky.

[wa8yxm]

Today and tomorrow I'm in Upstate SC. Monday I head north.. (Well SW then NW Then North) following I-75 from North Georgia to I-94 then I hang a right to Waddams Road.. If you are near I might be able to pause and grab a meter.

But you need either a good study guide for your RV or a decent Technician. Frankly I'm not sure I'm up to a "Basket case" situation but some days I get lucky.

[enblethen]

I am guessing this is on '86 Pace Arrow
What chassis?
Not sure what indicator on dash. Is this the one for the alternator? There should be a charge relay that energizes to charge house batteries.
A volt meter will or should show if alternator is putting out.
Voltmeter should show if converter is working by checking voltage at the converter or the 12 volt DC distribution panel.

[wanderingaimles]

How did you locate the tech?
From a campground host? Or from an online search?
Online ads seldom have references. And there is a reason for that.
Chalk it up as a lesson learned.

[Lwiddis]

“Leave running for several hours on yellow...” It will work until the engine stops working at the most inopportune time.