Help…about to leave for AZ & have a problem

[homefor2]

I've had my camper plugged in to 115 Volt outlet for several days. Tried to get the slide out and found that my 2 12V batteries are about 11 volts.

1.Plugged in a battery charger over night and they looked good at over 13 volts.

2. Disconnected the battery charger and plugged in to the house again. Two days later the batteries are at 9 volts.

In the past I never had a battery issue while plugged in to 115 power.

[homefor2]

Progressive Dynamics it is.

[jmckelvy]

Snowman9000 wrote:
If it is a WFCO converter, they are notorious for not going into float mode, and boiling batteries if you leave them plugged in 24/7/365. They also are notorious for never going into the 14.4 boost mode, but that would have nothing to do with why your batteries boiled out.

I've verified the 14.4 problem with mine, but never left it plugged in steady to verify the float problem.

Anyway, glad to hear you can get on to AZ!!! 🙂

Unless Arctic Fox has changed converters, his camper has a Progressive Dynamics converter at least mine does.

[homefor2]

Now that I have new batt's you can bet I'll be checking those like a new mother checks her newborn.

[BFL13]

13.8v is the proper voltage for 50F and it is colder than that for the six "cold" months of the year on the Island. The OP would only overcharge his batts on Float at 13.8v in the warm six months of the year.

Our rig's batts do just fine in the "cold" six months on the Island here on shore power, with the 13.8v Parallax 7355 as their float charger. (With the added Equalize every so often to de-stratify.)

The OP just needs to check is battery water more often. He does not need a new converter for Floating unless he is on shore power all summer.

[Snowman9000]

If it is a WFCO converter, they are notorious for not going into float mode, and boiling batteries if you leave them plugged in 24/7/365. They also are notorious for never going into the 14.4 boost mode, but that would have nothing to do with why your batteries boiled out.

I've verified the 14.4 problem with mine, but never left it plugged in steady to verify the float problem.

Anyway, glad to hear you can get on to AZ!!! 🙂

[homefor2]

My converter seems to be working. It has a boost mode (14.4 Volts) a Normal Mode and a Storage Mode. Now that I have 2 new deep cycle batteries, I think I'm OK.

[jrnymn7]

Homefor2,

You could keep the converter for converting only, and install an actual charger; for probably much less $$. If nothing else, it would force you to pay more attention to your batteries and charging system, and avoid such situations as you find yourself in now. 😉

Converters only charge at 13.6v during the abs stage. And it appears whatever charger you were using does the same? Whichever batteries you end up buying, they will require more than 13.6 volts to get them truly full. Yes, as long as you're plugged in to a pedestal, you'll be fine, but as soon as you try dry camping for a few days, in cold weather, you'll quickly find out how poor a job converters do at actual charging.

However, if you do decide on a new converter, be sure to get one that can be forced into boost mode, at 14.4-14.8 volts. But even then, bringing the batteries up to 14.4+ volts, and holding them there for a while, is what is required; and no converter can do that, unless it's equipped with a boost button and a pre-programmed time interval.

[RAS43]

If you always have hookups or only occasionally dry camp then I say get 12 volt batteries. That way if one does fail you still have 12 volt power. I found that out the hard one time many miles from town. And then it was hard finding a 6volt battery. JMO

[Bobbo]

RoyB is right. That is why I pulled out a perfectly functioning (note that I did NOT say perfectly good) Parallax/Magnatek 7345 and replaced it with a Progressive Dynamics PD4655V.

I gave the Parallax/Magnatek to another poster on this forum who had a failing Parallax/Magnatek and wanted to stay with the same. He just had to pay the shipping.

I also upgraded my wires to the battery from 8g to 4g at the same time.

[RoyB]

The older single mode converters is what kills the batteries... The single 13.6VDC type converters will boil out the battery fluids over a short time and once that happens your batteries may go belly up pretty quick. Most of the time when they run out of fluids they get an internal short.

You really should replace your older 2007 converter and get a smart mode multi-voltage output type. This will almost take care of your battery for you...

at least that is what I found with my setup... I would pick up at least a 45AMP smart mode type converter or more depending what the AMPS rating the older converter is so it would support another 12VDC battery.

One almost needs to have two batteries especially if you have slides and maybe want to camp off the power grid alittle bit...

Roy Ken

[2oldman]

homefor2 wrote:
I now realize that they need frequent attention and that's difficult without the slide out tray. What to do.

AGM

[homefor2]

This website has proven it value once again. There are so many helpful people here I don't know what I would do without it. I pay it forward any time I can. Thanks everyone.

[homefor2]

Just had an ah ha moment. Realized that stupid me had the battery kill switch under the counter in the off position. Now I'm getting the reading at the battery compartment and my converter is working.

Now I just have to decide wether to go for two new 12V batteries or two six's. Problem with the 6's I don't think they will fit in the compartment with the slide out tray in place. I now realize that they need frequent attention and that's difficult without the slide out tray. What to do.

[homefor2]

Thunder Mountain wrote:
If the batteries were that thirsty, do yourself a favor now and replace them. They are either shot or circling the drain.

I agree. I always thought they were suspect.

I just checked the converter at the output terminals on the converter and it's putting out over 13.3 volts so that makes me happy. The thing I don't understand is when I check the battery leads in the compartment (batteries disconnected) I don't get a reading. :? The converter has 2 30amp fuses on it and they both look OK.