Recommendations for Best RV Voltage Converter Battery Charger AND 6VDC Batteries

[DavidC]

When my batteries went out there were 12vdc items that did not work also. I do not remember the specifics but the batteries needed to be operational.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

After charging more than 16 hours, performed specific gravity test on all cells and they ALL registered bad. Googled local area venders of golf cart batteries and found Duracel with 5 star rating by over 1200 verified customers. AND, checking water added to monthly checklist.

EDIT: Interesting to find converter AND Inverter/Battery Charger both connected to 12VDC System, including batteries. Basically two 12VDC sources AND batteries tied together. Something I'm going to check, I believe Inverter/charger always connected to shore power AND not tied into RV breaker panel like the converter is. As per the Magnum Inverter/charger manual addressing storage, plug into shore power AND open 12VDC battery cutoff to ensure no 12VDC drains. I'm now more educated than I started.

Anyhoo, thanks to everyone for your comments AND recommendations. Becoming a TDR IS one of the smartest things I've done.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,
I was the cause of my own problems with my batteries. I turned off the refrigerator breaker at the breaker panel before turning into the dealer so they wouldn't inadvertently turn on the refrigerator. I DID NOT KNOW the refrigerator breaker also turned off 120VAC to the Inverter/Battery Charger AND the power feed for the REFRIGERATOR runs through the INVERTER/CHARGER. So, when i turned the breaker off, the batteries didn't charge. I also didn't know the battery disconnect on the RV DOES NOT turn battery off to the Level-Up system. Now I'm going to add "Inverter/Charger on the Refrig Breaker.

So, now I'm $350 lighter in the pocket for new batteries, around 20Hours checking circuits, and about to turn RV into dealer again for no 120VAC to inverter.

OK, so later this week I will bring my MiFi into the RV and the Wi-Fi Thermometer for testing and report the results.

Thanks for the patience as I've worked my way through all this.

Cheers, Ron

 

[dieselshadow]

Dang Ron. Hopefully they get you squared away quickly and most cheaply for your wallet’s sake.

I don’t mind paying for my education when I need or deserve to, but I hate paying for it on someone else’s account.

 

[Wiredawg]

P.S. The only positive with this aside from me learning how my STUFF WORKS is that I figured it out ALL BY MYSELF. Its not inherently obvious the Inverter is also the battery charger and the Converter DOESN'T charge the batteries.

Now, I'm ready to help solve WORLD problems.

Cheers, Ron

 

[DavidC]

Did you pull the CB panel cover and see how many wires are under each CB ?. You could be amazed, and some of these people call themselves electricians.

 

[Wiredawg]

Did you pull the CB panel cover and see how many wires are under each CB ?. You could be amazed, and some of these people call themselves electricians.

Dave,
Yes I have. I ran a third AC unit last year... what a rats nest. No way to clean it up without determinating all the wiring. I tightened each lug last year at least 1/4 turn as well. Glad to be done with it.

Cheers, Ron

 

[jhenderson]

P.S. The only positive with this aside from me learning how my STUFF WORKS is that I figured it out ALL BY MYSELF. Its not inherently obvious the Inverter is also the battery charger and the Converter DOESN'T charge the batteries.

Now, I'm ready to help solve WORLD problems.

Cheers, Ron

Old lady experience is a hard teacher. 1st comes the test, next comes the lesson.
Glad you figured it out.

 

[Tuesdak]

Good idea to simply cycle each breaker and see what is on each one. Check every plug .

The 12V fuse is a nightmare no matter what. One single 10A fuse controls all the 12v lighter power sockets and the radio on mine.

P.S. The only positive with this aside from me learning how my STUFF WORKS is that I figured it out ALL BY MYSELF. Its not inherently obvious the Inverter is also the battery charger and the Converter DOESN'T charge the batteries.

Now, I'm ready to help solve WORLD problems.

Cheers, Ron

Don't look at the 12v fuses then. I tend to blow the radio fuse on mine. Radio alone is rated at 10A and the same 10A fuse also has all (3) of the 12V cig lighter style outlets on it. I am going to run a dedicated 12v outlet for the other higher load device... At least there are some open fuse spaces in the power center left.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

My curiosity has just gotten the best of me: The DRV manual mentions the 120VAC Converter to 12VDC charges the batteries. I have a Converter and Inverter/Charger, both connected to the batteries. Is it possible BOTH charge the batteries? Or is it possible there is a diode in line with the batteries that prevents charging? Just trying to understand TWO 12VDC sources connected to the batteries AND how they interact. Thanks to anyone who understands this configuration and can explain it.

Thanks, Ron

 

[AH64ID]

They could both charge, or only 1 might charge. Inverter/Chargers can be set to only invert.

The inverter/charger has to be connected to the batteries so it can draw 12VDC power to invert to 120VAC.

Let the batteries drain a little and then plug the trailer in with all the 120V breakers off. Turn them on 1 at a time and see when/if the converter and inverter/charger power up and if they charge the batteries.

 

[Wiredawg]

They could both charge, or only 1 might charge. Inverter/Chargers can be set to only invert.

The inverter/charger has to be connected to the batteries so it can draw 12VDC power to invert to 120VAC.

Let the batteries drain a little and then plug the trailer in with all the 120V breakers off. Turn them on 1 at a time and see when/if the converter and inverter/charger power up and if they charge the batteries.

Thanks, you spurred a thought. I know the Inverter/Charger is wired to the Refrig breaker AND the Converter IS marked on it's own breaker. I set my multimeter on the batteries, check VDC with both breakers on, then alternatively each off, then both off. If the Converter also charges, I should see it with the Inverter/Charger off, and verify it with both off.

Again, thanks for the help.

I'll report results Fri. Got a standing burger date on Thursdays AND got some new golf cart batteries being delivered Thursday afternoon. I'm certainly a busy CRIP.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

I'm actually surprised to be posting here again, but here I am. After all the above, RV sat in its storage bay inside the mancave until this last Thu, where we pulled her out to take a trip. Had the fridge running on shore power, so as part of departure process, disconnect the shore power and use powered reel to roll up power cord, but no power to it. You can imagine I'm PO'd at 0315 in the morning dealing with this. I reconnected power to the cord and operated the reel. We departed with a power problem.

We arrived in Fort Worth TX a few hours later and had this on my mind the whole time. So, I got the old multi-meter out and started testing. I have 12VDC while plugged into shore power, but none with it disconnected, except as I had previously found, Lippert Level-Up System always connected to batteries AND it worked. Power on the Level Up System showed 13.6VDC and the same reading on multi-meter. I'm confounded. We go to the Texas State Fair and this still on my mind. I keep thinking where is the common point where battery power is provided to RV 12VDC systems. The ANSWER: the battery cutoff switch. I opened the RV control panel to inspect the backside of the battery cutoff switch. Both lugs are loose. The internal contacts are welded together from the high current flow and the RV side terminal is bent from heat. So, this damaged switch appears to me to be the CAUSE of my 12VDC problems in this whole thread.

Today, I'm going to remove the switch and bolt the two connectors together and wrap well with electrical tape to eliminate the current heat flow and allow the RV to have 12VDC systems function when I remove shore power. There is current protection, a 40amp auto resetting breaker feeding it, but the current causing the problem could be less than 40AMPs, or it just kept building current, resetting, building current, and resetting. Then I'm going to leave it alone until we return home where I can replace the switch and properly install it.

Thanks and Happy Trails ALL.

Ron

 

[RVTRKN]

When I first started reading this I was going to recommend AGM batteries. The wet cell type tend to dry out and if you have to add distilled water, its almost always ends in death a short time after. I have 3 of the same AGM batteries, one for the boat and two for the 5ver. That way I can trade batteries with the boat, to give a full charge before taking it out. I had a set dry out on me in Arizona, that were new, when I got to phoenix with it the batteries were cooked from being dry. I had to dry camp with the truck batteries connected to 5ver to get my 12VDC. After that, my batteries stay in a charged state for quite awhile. I have a disconnect that will turn off the 5ver 12VDC, but allow the jacks to have power on demand.

 

[TFucili]

I may have missed it above, but is the disconnect a paddle switch, or a remote solenoid? Mine has the solenoid type, and evey now and then it will get cantankerous.

 

[Wiredawg]

I may have missed it above, but is the disconnect a paddle switch, or a remote solenoid? Mine has the solenoid type, and evey now and then it will get cantankerous.

It's the paddle switch kind...nothing wrong with the design, the lugs just have to be PROPERLY tightened at the factory when installed.

Cheers, Ron

 

[Ozymandias]

Go Lithium now, stop throwing money on an outdated setup.

 

[Wiredawg]

Friends,

I replaced batteries earlier in this thread... This is after I had done all my troubleshooting. I just never followed up with verification testing, which I would have likely found the welded battery cutoff switch. AGMs when these lead acid die.

Thanks, Ron

 

[Ozymandias]

Ah, sorry, see that now.

 

[DavidC]

Does Lithium require a different converter/charger ?