Converter issues

[dennislanier]

Have a couple questions about my converter. Jayco class c with Iota dls45 converter. I really plugged in to shore power about 2 hours ago and the converter fan is still running don’t recall it running that long before. Could the constant fan be a sign of the converter failing? It is probably the original one in this 2004 mh. I checked the voltage at the battery and it read 12.7. Voltage at the output of converter read 13.0. Any help appreciated before I head out next week.

[time2roll]

Is the battery hot or excess gassing? How is the water level?
Did you allow the battery to discharge in storage?

[dennislanier]

Yesterday I re-checked the converter. The output at the converter was up to 13.4 volts and the fan was running much slower (and quieter). Did not re-check the battery since it is pouring down much needed rain here. I'm going to check everything out again when it stops raining and hopefully take a short 3 night trip. Thanks again for the suggestions and if I get stranded I will be back in touch!!!

[wa8yxm]

Fan is controlled by a Thermostat and it's getting hotter out there...

[BFL13]

dennislanier wrote:
Ok will do this tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks again for all your help

You might be needing a new battery before the trip next week. If so, we can give you a hard time about how it got that way 🙂

[dennislanier]

Ok will do this tomorrow and see what happens. Thanks again for all your help

[BFL13]

13 at the converter and 12.7 at the battery indicate it is charging a very low battery. As the battery comes up. both those voltages will rise until it is 13.6 at the converter and almost 13.6 at the battery.

Check the battery voltage with wires off. Connect the wires and turn off the converter and run the furnace fan and whatever works, now check the battery voltage--did it drop a bunch under load?

Meanwhile, check the DC fuse panel for the "lights" fuse. Something could have shorted a lamp on that circuit--water in outside light or a shower light can do that. EDIT forgot the lights do work with that switch closed. Getting mixed up!

[dennislanier]

Ok the 13 volts I measured in my first post was at the actual converter terminals. The refrigerator is running and the bathroom fan is working. Water pump is working also. Looks like I am getting voltage from the converter but not the full 13.6 volts. Does that make sense? Really appreciate your time on this. You must have better things to do than try to educate a doofus like me!!

[BFL13]

dennislanier wrote:

BFL13 wrote:
If there is no output from the converter, then your 13 at the converter and 12.7 at the battery can't be right. It would be lower at the converter's end. Disconnect the battery wires not the switch and check converter output with 120v on.

Ok just so I understand. You are saying to disconnect both wires from the battery. Then take my volt meter and attach it to the battery leads and take that reading? What should the voltage be at that point? Is that correct?

Yes. About 13.6v. However you really should measure converter output at the DC fuse panel where the converter output wires go if you can't get at the converter's own output terminals.

Waiting to hear about that before speculating about the lights. What about the other 12v things? All of them? Fridge controls, fans, water pump?

Did you snap the converter's 120v breaker back and forth? If the converter is plugged into a receptacle is that receptacle live--confirm by plugging in something else.

[dennislanier]

BFL13 wrote:
If there is no output from the converter, then your 13 at the converter and 12.7 at the battery can't be right. It would be lower at the converter's end. Disconnect the battery wires not the switch and check converter output with 120v on.

Ok just so I understand. You are saying to disconnect both wires from the battery. Then take my volt meter and attach it to the battery leads and take that reading? What should the voltage be at that point? Is that correct?

[BFL13]

If there is no output from the converter, then your 13 at the converter and 12.7 at the battery can't be right. It would be lower at the converter's end. Disconnect the battery wires not the switch and check converter output with 120v on.

[dennislanier]

BFL13 wrote:

dennislanier wrote:
Just thought of something else I read earlier. If I turn OFF the battery disconnect switch and stay plugged in to shore power the 12v lights go out. If the converter is working shouldn’t the lights stay on with shore power?

Yes, IF the converter is also getting 120v input while other 120v things are. You can check for that too.

EXCEPT--if the converter is on the other side of the battery so it supplies the 12v fuse panel across the battery and uses the same wires to the panel as the battery, so now the disconnect will cut off the converter's 12v too.

Don’t know exactly what you mean here. How can I tell if the converter is on the other side as you say?

[dennislanier]

BFL13 wrote:

dennislanier wrote:
Just thought of something else I read earlier. If I turn OFF the battery disconnect switch and stay plugged in to shore power the 12v lights go out. If the converter is working shouldn’t the lights stay on with shore power?

Yes, IF the converter is also getting 120v input while other 120v things are. You can check for that too.

The tv and microwave are getting 120 volt power with battery disconnect off. I just tried it again and the 12 volt lights went off.

[BFL13]

dennislanier wrote:
Just thought of something else I read earlier. If I turn OFF the battery disconnect switch and stay plugged in to shore power the 12v lights go out. If the converter is working shouldn’t the lights stay on with shore power?

Yes, IF the converter is also getting 120v input while other 120v things are. You can check for that too.

EXCEPT--if the converter is on the other side of the battery so it supplies the 12v fuse panel across the battery and uses the same wires to the panel as the battery, so now the disconnect will cut off the converter's 12v too.

[dennislanier]

Just thought of something else I read earlier. If I turn OFF the battery disconnect switch and stay plugged in to shore power the 12v lights go out. If the converter is working shouldn’t the lights stay on with shore power?