interior lights

[Bemota]

I'm having an issue with myinside lights. They ramdomly go from dim to bright. I have a WFCO 55 amp charger, that goes from 14.3 to 13.2, on a 1 minute cycle. I'm on 50 amp shore power at a campground, my EMS tells me that I'm drawing 118-120 volts and about 10 amps on each leg. Other than the coach lights, furnace and etc. I have a 12V electric cooler in the basement for DW's insulin. I think the charger is going further south then I am, thinking about replacing it, should I go to a 65 amp or larger? This is a keystone cougar 2011 326MKS I got used last May. I have 2 12V batteries that run everything for over 4 hrs when I turn the converter off. Should I stay with WFCO ? Whats better, any help would be great. Thanks, Dan

Sorry for so long !!!

[time2roll]

Bemota wrote:
I just checked the voltage same lights on now, goes from 9.3 to 10.7 volts without batteries. Dan

Time to replace the WFCO.

If you camp plugged in I recommend a PowerMax 45 or 55 amp.

If you ever expect a fast battery charge on generator power I recommend the PD4655 or IOTA with IQ controller.

[RJsfishin]

You're batteries WERE NOT GETTING CHARGED, that is the reason they are only fair cond.
Deep six the WFCO, get a PD9245, let the batteries get a good charge, then see if they're still good enuff for your camping style.
Be sure to get the wizard Pendant w/ the converter (sometimes optional) so you will have 3-4 stage charging at 14.4 volts

[Bemota]

Well, had batteries checked, he said they were " fair ". A guy at the campground here said he had a prblem with his ground connections, I'll check them and order a new converter. Have to move tomorrow, I'll have to see what I can find over the holidays.
Yes, I can see the dimming with the 1 volt drop.
Thanks again for all the help, suggestions and ideas, Dan

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Bobbo if you've seen a cheese grater battery load tester you'd remenber it. They are rectangular punched full of round holes with a pair of cables and clamps. Great for lawn and garden tractor batteies, with a 100 amp test load but utterly useless for anything bigger. An impedance battery tester looks like a multimeter but has cables and clamps. A vendor that uses a cheese grater is to be avoided. As a matter of fact a battery vendor who does not utilize an adjustable carbon pile tester (like yours) and a Freas hydrometer should be avoided. People who get paid real money but deliver Amateur Hour service are a real pitfall.

[IAMICHABOD]

How about E Bay
$141 and $9.90 shipping,much cheaper.

[wa8yxm]

You said: I have a WFCO 55 amp charger, that goes from 14.3 to 13.2, on a 1 minute cycle.

Are your lights dimming on a 1 minute cycle as well?

one volt is what around 7.3 percent (Based on the average) You should be able to see that.

[AllegroD]

PD9260 @ Best Converter (.com) $177 is best price I could find. Did not match shipping costs.

[CJW8]

Sounds like your WFCO is going flaky. I suggest a 35-45 amp Progressive Dynamics. Smaller than what you have but you don't need 55+ for 2 batteries and seldom boondocking. WFCO has probably seriously degraded your batteries. The may recover somewhat but would need some TLC to do so. (check water levels, apply a good charge, check SG and then equalize at near 16 volts while monitoring closely). Do not get another WFCO! Any RV dealer should have PD's in stock.

[Bemota]

hi,again, OK got the wall down and the converter out and disconected, 13.7 volts with no load for 20 mins. good. Reconnected turn on same lights as last night, w/o batteries, and it goes form 12.7 to 14.8, back and forth, hard to read DVM so fast, and the converter is clicking like mad. Since WFCO is not the best, should I replace with the same, 90 percent of the time we have shore power when we park. Seeing we are on the road, in so. ca. right now, any suggestions for where to get a converter arround here. Thanks, Dan

[Bobbo]

Without batteries, you should be getting 13.2 or 13.8 or 14.4 or something like that, depending on your converter/charger. Definitely you should be getting 13+ volts.

[Bemota]

I just checked the voltage same lights on now, goes from 9.3 to 10.7 volts without batteries. Dan

[Bemota]

Hi, last night I turned my battery switch off, so running on converter, 3 #1076 bulbs (ceiling lights) flickered like turn signal lights and were dim, turned ading light on (double 921's) everything got brighter and quit flickering, guess a new converter is needed, I didn't find a place to load test batteries yet, Thanks again, Dan

[Bobbo]

MEXICOWANDERER wrote:
Bobbo your HF carbon pile is better than a La Z Boy cheese grater tinker toy tester. An impedance handheld tester would suffice.

I have absolutely no idea what this means.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Bobbo your HF carbon pile is better than a La Z Boy cheese grater tinker toy tester. An impedance handheld tester would suffice.

Shut off yhe breaker for the WhiffCo. If the lights remain constant the converter needs to go to China. Big converter chargers are for boondocking. 55 is plenty for power pedestal use.