New to motorhome problems

[dstone]

On a trip this past winter, we plugged into shore power at a campground. After 3 days, lights, fridge, furnace all stopped working. I checked house battery and found it to be dead. Replaced the battery and that worked for a few days before everything died again. Returned battery thinking that was the problem, it wasn't because it happened again. Recharged the battery, then headed home taking 6 days with no more problems. Since starting camping this past spring, have had to keep charger on battery to keep everything going. I checked the fuses and they are okay. This is a Jayco 2001 Class C. The furnace in our travel trailer never did this when the battery was dead as long as we were plugged into shore power. Anyone have any idea of what to do next?

[dstone]

tenbear wrote:
13.2 v should charge the battery, however it will take a long time, think days.

I read in another forum that the Todd Engineering PC45A is a piece of junk and should be replaced. I have no idea how valid this statement is.

With the converter running, connected to shore power, it should be able to supply power to the RV and charge the battery, up to 45A. Maybe it can't supply the current you are using so the voltage drops and the battery doesn't get charged. If you check the voltage while using a lot of 12v current that should show if that is the case.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

Thanks so much for all your time and trouble. Will try all your suggestions.

[tenbear]

13.2 v should charge the battery, however it will take a long time, think days.

I read in another forum that the Todd Engineering PC45A is a piece of junk and should be replaced. I have no idea how valid this statement is.

With the converter running, connected to shore power, it should be able to supply power to the RV and charge the battery, up to 45A. Maybe it can't supply the current you are using so the voltage drops and the battery doesn't get charged. If you check the voltage while using a lot of 12v current that should show if that is the case.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

I am serious about this question so dang it DON'T THROW SAND!

Has someone made a million dollars yet and published an "Idiot's Guide to RV'ing?" These books have an insulting title but I have to admit so far I have purchased several "No Sand I Said!" I hate computers and they hate me back.

A basic flow chart troubleshooting guide to how to go about finding the source of problems (how to fix them is the color of a different horse).

[dstone]

tenbear wrote:
Did you check the voltage on the battery posts? You said you had 13.2v at the battery, that should charge the battery, but very slowly. If you checked the voltage between the positive battery post and a ground, maybe the negative battery connector is bad.

Can you tell us what the make and model of your converter is? From what I have read so far, I think buying a new converter would not solve your problem.

Sorry, ten ear, bUt it's Todd instead of Tod. This is a 2001 motorhome.

[dstone]

tenbear wrote:
Did you check the voltage on the battery posts? You said you had 13.2v at the battery, that should charge the battery, but very slowly. If you checked the voltage between the positive battery post and a ground, maybe the negative battery connector is bad.

Can you tell us what the make and model of your converter is? From what I have read so far, I think buying a new converter would not solve your problem.

When I checked the battery, I checked it post to post. The converter is a Tod Engineering Sales, Inc. PC45A 45 amp.

[tenbear]

Did you check the voltage on the battery posts? You said you had 13.2v at the battery, that should charge the battery, but very slowly. If you checked the voltage between the positive battery post and a ground, maybe the negative battery connector is bad.

Can you tell us what the make and model of your converter is? From what I have read so far, I think buying a new converter would not solve your problem.

[dstone]

Thanks for all your suggestions. I checked the voltage at the battery and they were 13.2V. I checked the voltage at the converter and that was 13.2V. The green light is lit up on the converter. After I checked everthing. Including circuit breakers and small fuses, put it all back together, it is still discharging. The manual that came with my motorhome says "the green LED signifies that 120V power is present and that the input fuse is intact. The converter should be operating normal." Could not find the input fuse. Not sure what accsys meant by " If it is, you have a bad connection between it and the battery. If it isn't, you need to make sure it is getting 120V AC. If not research why - it could be a circuit breaker or bad". Does that mean since I have 13.2V at the converter that its a bad connection? Shouldn't that mean a good connection. My neighbor, who is an electrician, helped me and he did all the testing. I guess I'll just have to buy a new converter. It's a 45 amp converter, but I dont know the model number. Once I get this problem straight, I want to sell it and, eventually purchase a larger unit still sticking with the class c.

[accsys]

You could have an inverter/charger on your unit. If you have an inverter, you need to tell us what model. For instance the oft-used Xantrex Freedom 458 is a 2000W modified sine wave inverter/charger. It supplies 120VAC from 12VDC when there is no shore or generator power and supplies 12VDC from 120VAC to charge the batteries when you do have shore or generator power. Units that have this inverter have no converter.

[Johnworth914]

dstone wrote:
Are you sure it's not a inverter instead of converter? I don't know the difference.

No, it's a converter. . Your converter takes 120v AC and turns it to 12v dc. Most also contain chargers to charge the battery. An inverter takes 12v dc and turns it to 120v AC.

[dstone]

Are you sure it's not a inverter instead of converter? I don't know the difference.

[olygene]

I also think it's the converter...after all, your converter is 12 years old now. I had the same problem last year, replaced the converter and it's worked fine since. My only suggestion would be to install a "good" converter (which means it costs more money) instead of a cheap one. I went from a WFCO to a PD because of all the positive comments on RVnet and no problems yet. Hopefully you'll get 12 more years out of it. Good Luck.

[accsys]

It sounds like a converter problem. With a voltmeter, check the voltage at your batteries. It should be 13.2V or higher. If it isn't you are not getting power from the converter to charge your batteries from shore power. This can be from a bad connection, bad converter or the converters 120V breaker. If you can find your converter, check the voltage across the red and black terminals. Again it should be 13.2V or more. If it is, you have a bad connection between it and the battery. If it isn't, you need to make sure it is getting 120V AC. If not research why - it could be a circuit breaker or bad connection.

[Old-Biscuit]

Doesn't sound like converter is charging battery when connected to shore power.

Check battery isolation switch in ON position
Check reverse polarity fuses on converter....may be blown. Two Large Amp fuses 30A-40A)
Check for AC power to converter when on shore power (outlet OR AC circuit breaker)
Check converter DC Output when on shore power..should be 13.6V DC

[mena661]

Sounds like your converter isn't functioning or the fuse between it and the battery is blown. Do you have a meter? Cause you're gonna need one to do some testing.