Is my alternator going?

[kilboar]

I have a 2017 Coleman 30' TT that I keep parked at a camping ground where we have power at. It sit for 4-6 weeks then it gets used for 3-4 days and repeat.

I had to replaced the battery in a few months back, I forgot those things needed water:-/ and put in a gel battery and now I'm hearing the small cooling fan running at variable speed most of the time. I assume it's cooling the alternator. It's back behind the fuses in the bottom of the TV consul Anybody familiar with this. I've owned the TT for a few years and never heard it run like this before.

I have photos on my phone but not sure how to post from the computer.

Any help is greatly appreciated

[Jacksons]

op said "Yes I do unplug the battery when I leave because we have heavy trucks and side by sides running over the cord a lot. We're burying the power line now so I could leave it plugged in the future just wasn't sure that was a good idea. It's in a lot of woods 4 hours drive north of me" he is unplugging shore power, not the battery the battery is probably shot. he needs to take a cable off the battery itself not unplug from shore power. battery will be dead in just a few days from parasitic draws

[time2roll]

The 12 Volt Side of Life

[MFL]

^I agree the PGI is a better choice than the WF, but unless the WF is toasted, it isn't really the issue. The OP just needs to stay plugged in all the time, or disconnect a battery cable for the month+, that he is away from the trailer.

The WF converters will normally cause quicker battery fluid loss, than a smarter converter, such as the Progressive models.

Most late model RV converters will be compatible with the gel type battery.

Jerry

[BarabooBob]

I believe that the photo show a WFCO converter. Those are well known for failing in many ways. Some of them boil the batteries dry by not regulating the power properly and they also frequently will not go into the bulk charging mode to speed up a very low battery.

I would replace it with a higher quality converter such as Progressive Industries.

[kilboar]

[kilboar]

[kilboar]

time2roll wrote:
Drag your photos into this link:

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It will give a link coding to paste into your message.

Thank you.


Click For Full-Size Image.

[time2roll]

Drag your photos into this link:

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It will give a link coding to paste into your message.

[time2roll]

GEL? or AGM? Either way check the voltage right on the battery terminals while plugged in and the fan is running.

Post the results.

The fan running is probably normal. Although after a few hours it should stop when lights go off for sleep. Doubt there is an issue with the new battery but in a longshot it is possible.

May as well post the converter model number also.

[kilboar]

enblethen wrote:
If the battery has an internal short, the converter will continue to try to charge it. It will never get the battery fully charged.

I'll have my buddy plug it in a couple of week before I go back up and see what happens.

Thank you

[enblethen]

If the battery has an internal short, the converter will continue to try to charge it. It will never get the battery fully charged.

[kilboar]

valhalla360 wrote:
If the converter is running properly, just leave it plugged in. It will stop charging once full. If you unplug when you leave, there likely are small loads dragging the battery down during the week and then on the weekend, it needs to do a big charge which can take hours to get all the way to 100%.

At 5yr old, not surprising if the battery needed replacement, so hard to say if there was a problem or it was just old.

Do a little online research to find out if your converter is suitable for a Gel battery. They have a different charging regime and the wrong can quickly damage it. Assuming you are typically plugged into a pedestal, just get a basic flooded lead-acid battery, no point in getting fancy.

Yes, the cooling fan will run when charging the battery or when there are other significant 12v loads. When running 12v devices, it will cause the system to go into charging mode. Something small like the air/con thermostat by itself doesn't draw enough to trigger this, so if the battery is fully charged, the lights are off and no other 12v devices are in operation, you shouldn't hear the fan running (it might kick on once in a while for a short period but shouldn't be running a lot)

Thank you much.

I'll look into the Battery compatibility .

[kilboar]

theoldwizard1 wrote:

kilboar wrote:

My understanding is the Coleman TT needs a 12v battery for the AC to run, which it runs a lot in the summer.

Highly UNLIKELY ! I have never heard of a AC requiring 12VDC.

It may have not been the AC but something else. Do these TT come with owners manuals?

[theoldwizard1]

kilboar wrote:

My understanding is the Coleman TT needs a 12v battery for the AC to run, which it runs a lot in the summer.

Highly UNLIKELY ! I have never heard of a AC requiring 12VDC.

[valhalla360]

If the converter is running properly, just leave it plugged in. It will stop charging once full. If you unplug when you leave, there likely are small loads dragging the battery down during the week and then on the weekend, it needs to do a big charge which can take hours to get all the way to 100%.

At 5yr old, not surprising if the battery needed replacement, so hard to say if there was a problem or it was just old.

Do a little online research to find out if your converter is suitable for a Gel battery. They have a different charging regime and the wrong can quickly damage it. Assuming you are typically plugged into a pedestal, just get a basic flooded lead-acid battery, no point in getting fancy.

Yes, the cooling fan will run when charging the battery or when there are other significant 12v loads. When running 12v devices, it will cause the system to go into charging mode. Something small like the air/con thermostat by itself doesn't draw enough to trigger this, so if the battery is fully charged, the lights are off and no other 12v devices are in operation, you shouldn't hear the fan running (it might kick on once in a while for a short period but shouldn't be running a lot)