DIMMING LIGHT

[GMoney1966_]

CLASS "C" PLUGGED INTO POST 50 AMPS. LIGHTS ARE DIMMING...SO I'M LOOKING AT MY INVERTOR...BUT THIS IS PUZZLING TO ME. IF I START THE RV THERE IS A CLICK MY THE DRIVER SEAT SOMEWHERE AND THE LIGHTS BRITTEN. I'LL LET THE TRUCK RUN FOR ABOUT 10 TO 15 MINS. NO MORE PROBLEM UNTIL THE LIGHTS START DIMMING AGAIN. START R/V LIGHT BRITTEN. TURN OFF VEHICLE UNTIL THIS HAPPEN AGAIN. IS THIS STILL THE INVERTOR?



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[CA_Traveler]

Good advice above. Low battery voltage can cause a variety of strange and unexpected problems. Plus discharged batteries have a shorter life.

A cheap voltmeter can be a valuable RV tool and would isolate your problem. $10 or free at HF.

[wa8yxm]

Well. I wonder how many folks here have ever used a model 28 Teletype (NO Lower case, you need at least a model 33 before you get lower case).

Question: Do the lights SLOWLY Dim or rapidely DIM.

SLOWLY you may have a bad charger section in your inverter (or converter if you do not have an inverter) or you are drawing so much power it simply can not keep up (not likely. My Inverter can kick 100 Amps).

So i'd start with the inverter

If the lights SUDDENLY dim. a circuit breaker between Inverter and battery.

NOTE: I seriously doubt that one.

[MrWizard]

start by going to circuit breaker panel.
and turn each and every one of them off, all the way off, then back on
IF it does not start charging, goto your electric bay
and check the switches, push button circuit breakers, and fuses on the charger-inverter ? combo unit

do you have a portable battery charger
connect that to your house batteries and plug it in
and get your batteries charged
there is more at stake than your lights
you a/c controls and LP fridge controls need 12v, or they won't work
and your food will spoil

[CA_Traveler]

When you start the engine a solenoid is engaged and it connects the house battery to the starting battery which is connected to the alternator, that's your click. But 15 minutes will only partially charge a battery.

As posted above you need to find out why on shore power your charger isn't charging the house batteries resulting in dim lights.

Chargers not inverters charge batteries but both may be integrated together. Referring to charger or charger/inverter is better information for your problem.

[1492]

Moved from FORUM POSTING HELP AND SUPPORT

[GMoney1966_]

Thanks for all the help on this matter. Very sorry my caps upset people. Again, thanks for your help.

[downtheroad]

Grammar lesson aside......sounds more like the converter (not inverter) is suspect...batts are not charging from shore power.

Multi-meter is required to track down and eliminate this, that, and other things....could be as simple as a fuse on the converter, loose wire or worse case the converter is shot..

[Farmboy666]

ScottG wrote:

2oldman wrote:
Inverter, britten, all caps. wow.

Please read before posting here.

I always find those kinds of posts surprising. If I'm asking for some kind of assistance, I make an effort.

Maybe he made he best effort he/she could. Maybe old and not good with electronics, maybe English second language. There are tons of misspellings on this forum, I blame mine on spell cehck.

[ScottG]

2oldman wrote:
Inverter, britten, all caps. wow.

Please read before posting here.

I always find those kinds of posts surprising. If I'm asking for some kind of assistance, I make an effort.

[2oldman]

Inverter, britten, all caps. wow.

Please read before posting here.

[Old-Biscuit]

Why are you YELLING (Caps Lock ---turn it OFF) :B

Battery voltage is going down.....vehicle alternator charges battery back up

Then with engine off battery voltage goes back down

Check inverter POS/NEG wiring connections

[Artum_Snowbird]

Not likely. More likely it's the wiring between the inverter and the battery. Prove it by connecting to battery negative, then to inverter output negative. If the lights go bright, it's the negative connection. If nothing happens, connect to battery positive and inverter positive. If the lights go bright, it's the positive connection.

In my case the negative wire on the inverter negative that connects to the battery was so loose it was just dangling in the socket. Plugged in, it took 3 days to drain the batteries. Running the engine feeds the battery on different lines.

Use your meter to check inverter output on the inverter output terminals before blaming it.