Going to try to explain this....LOL...Need help

[Shwthomas1975]

Morning.....First camping trip was last weekend in our hybrid trailer.
No power so used battery and generator.
Last year the battery would last quite a while. This time it lasted til about midnight both nights (woken by the blaring carbon monoxide detector LOL). Was running the heat, but that didnt matter in the past.
Did a little poking (I am no electrical guy). Noticed that when the generator was plugged in the 4 electrical charge gauge lights were only 2 high. Last year they were 4. When I plug it in, it's only 3.
I also noticed that when I turn off the breaker for the fridge, the lights dim and then go out. Took ff the cover and the fridge breaker also has the wire to the inverter. So when I turn off that breaker, the battery isn't charging anymore. But, why would the lights dim?
Any way to check for a bad breaker?
Any help would be greatly appreciated....

[Shwthomas1975]

Thank you so much beemerphile1 . Just got nback from harbor freight. 5 bucks :)Can't change the basttery, but it seems to be working ok. Here are some numbers:
With no shore power
Battery itself - 11.41
1 post on that fuse shown earlier .01
the other post .12

With Shore power
Battery 11.98 up to 12.03 in a matter or seconds (so it is indeed charging)
1 post 12.56
the other post 12.56.

Checked a plug inside too while plugged in and it was 117.1

All seems well. But while in there the furnace fan kicked on. The furnace switch is off and the thermostat is off. Should that kick on by itself like that for any reason?

Any other things I should check with this meter?

Thnx again

[beemerphile1]

Shwthomas1975 wrote:
Tomorrow morning I'lkl grab a meter from harbor freight and see how things look. I'm sure I'll be back here with input and questions and I really really appreciate all the help...

Go to this page and print for a free meter, no purchase necessary;
http://slickdeals.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2626774&d=1396860625

[mena661]

Unyalli wrote:

Kiwi_too wrote:
Sorry, but I would not get the above for this diagnosis. It is good at showing what is going through that socket. There is value to that. To run down a problem, you want a 120/12v volt meter with probes, so you can test all lines and components. You cannot test the relay with the above.

Disagree, for a few bucks it's far better the 4 leds.

But a meter doesn't need a 12V socket to work. He needs the meter.

[Shwthomas1975]

Tomorrow morning I'lkl grab a meter from harbor freight and see how things look. I'm sure I'll be back here with input and questions and I really really appreciate all the help...

[Unyalli]

Kiwi_too wrote:
Sorry, but I would not get the above for this diagnosis. It is good at showing what is going through that socket. There is value to that. To run down a problem, you want a 120/12v volt meter with probes, so you can test all lines and components. You cannot test the relay with the above.

Disagree, for a few bucks it's far better the 4 leds.

[AllegroD]

Sorry, but I would not get the above for this diagnosis. It is good at showing what is going through that socket. There is value to that. To run down a problem, you want a 120/12v volt meter with probes, so you can test all lines and components. You cannot test the relay with the above.

[Unyalli]

Do you have a 12 volt outlet in the rig somewhere?

INNOVA 3721 Battery and Charging System Monitor

Walmart

[tenbear]

Shwthomas1975 wrote:
Oh man. I will go get the meter and try that. Little confused but maybe it'll get clear when I see it. 🙂 What should the voltage be on both terminals?
Thnx again.
One more ? So this meter I'm to get should be able to check volts and ohms? Anything else? Sorry if that is a silly question

You can measure the voltage across the circuit breaker. It should be zero if the CB is good.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

BS, you guys. Authentic dummies know it all. Can explain smoke, no starts, blank screens, and flat batteries so fast it'd make your head swim. Read? "We doan need no steeking books!"

Smart people ask questions. Show me a kid who learned to ride a bicycle who never did a perfect two-and-a-half gainer, in the process. In a couple of pulse charge tests I actually had the Fire Dept roll up in a pumper. The guy I was subcontracted to whispered furiously to me "You gotta say something! These guys buy batteries from me!"

[BFL13]

Shwthomas1975 wrote:
Thank you. I will order this tonight. Hopefully it is kind of like a dummies book 🙂

I'm a dummy and it worked for me! 🙂

[Shwthomas1975]

Thank you. I will order this tonight. Hopefully it is kind of like a dummies book 🙂

[BFL13]

This book is a must for starting out RVers to have a clue about their rigs. It has helped me a lot and still does.

http://www.bestconverter.com/Books_c_67.html

[Shwthomas1975]

Oh man. I will go get the meter and try that. Little confused but maybe it'll get clear when I see it. 🙂 What should the voltage be on both terminals?
Thnx again.
One more ? So this meter I'm to get should be able to check volts and ohms? Anything else? Sorry if that is a silly question

[mena661]

Shwthomas1975 wrote:
Thank you all so much. mena661, I have one of those on the neck of the trailer which has the positive wire going to it and leaving it. It looks awfully corroded. What does that do? Is it just like any other fuse? Just needs replacing? Don't think I can read anything on it. Are they all the same? Thnx
So, would that cause the charger to not charge the battery? But would the lights and all still work?
Thnx again

It could be that but I would check it with a meter before replacing. The voltage should be the same on both terminals of the auto-reset breaker. Use the frame as ground. There also (usually) two reverse polarity fuses on the converter itself. Check those too when you get the meter. Remove the fuses and use the Ohms function on the meter. Should read 0.

[Shwthomas1975]

Thank you all so much. mena661, I have one of those on the neck of the trailer which has the positive wire going to it and leaving it. It looks awfully corroded. What does that do? Is it just like any other fuse? Just needs replacing? Don't think I can read anything on it. Are they all the same? Thnx
So, would that cause the charger to not charge the battery? But would the lights and all still work?
Thnx again