Is it my power converter/inverter or the battery? Please help.

I own a 2007 Bighorn 5th wheel. I live in it full time and I am connected to shore power. I have to use the power converter/inverter and the battery to run my a.c. unit and the refrigerator from what I was told... well, I have a battery charger connected to my battery and it just isnt charging much... my refrigerator was slowly cooling but when I would open the door the light would dim. I turned off the refrigerator. My a.c. unit would not turn on either.

Is it possible that either my battery (which is a deep cell battery) could be bad or the power inverter? Also, is it hard to replace a power converter? Could I do it myself or do I need an electrician to install it for me? what kind of a power inverter should I purchase? Will any kind do? I'm new to the rv world.

Any advice to this newbie who likes to do things herself is helpful.

Thank you in advance,
Jennifer D

If your not charging you battery and your AC is not working while plugged into shore power it sounds like your problem could be with the shore power.
Cycle the breakers at the pedestal off then on again. Do the same for the breakers in your coach. Don't rely on a visual, cycle them.
Having a multimeter is almost a must for diagnosing electrical problems. Do you have one?

Peace
Dave

I did check the fuses and the breaker box and all that is good. I am connected to shore power and can run a lamp and a fan. I do not know how to cycle the breakers at the pedestal... I'm confused about that.

cookie said:

If your not charging you battery and your AC is not working while plugged into shore power it sounds like your problem could be with the shore power.
Cycle the breakers at the pedestal off then on again. Do the same for the breakers in your coach. Don't rely on a visual, cycle them.
Having a multimeter is almost a must for diagnosing electrical problems. Do you have one?

Peace
Dave

Click to expand...

Hello, How do I cycle the breakers at the pedestal?
Thank you

JenniferD said:

Hello, How do I cycle the breakers at the pedestal?
Thank you

Click to expand...

Turn the breakers off then back on again.

Peace
Dave

To cycle the breakers you need to actually turn each breaker off and then back on. If you still have a problem and no way to measure voltage, it might be a good idea to contact the park maintenance guy and ask them to make sure you have full voltage to the pedestal.

Jim M

JenniferD said:

..........I have to use the power converter/inverter and the battery to run my a.c. unit and the refrigerator from what I was told...

Click to expand...

That is not true. Your AC unit will run directly from the shore power. In fact, the converter (converts AC power to DC) is after the distribution panel (where the electricity is routed to run your air conditioner). Your "inverter" will create 110v off of battery power, which is typically used to power models with a residential refrigerator (meaning only runs on 110v....no option to use propane)

Do you own a volt meter? What is the voltage of your battery (batteries??).

While on shore power, you'll need to test if the converter is working, by measuring incoming voltage to the battery. I highly suggest you spend some time on YouTube and watching video's on this topic. Seeing someone do this is a LOT better than trying to read about it. If you're in a campground, perhaps you can make friends with some campers and see if they can lean a hand. Don't be ashamed you don't know this....we were all new to this at one point.

While on shore power -

1. Battery doesn't charge correctly even with a battery charger
2. Air conditioner won't run.
3. Refrigerator doesn't run correctly.

All of those suggest your 12V DC system is not functioning correctly. You need 12V DC for the thermostat and relays that operate the air conditioning, and the refrigerator needs 12V DC for its circuit boards and lights.

Check your tank monitors, where one of the indicators is for battery/12V DC voltage. When on shore power, it should read 4 lights. If down to 1 or 2 lights, that might explain the Air Conditioner and Refrigerator symptoms. And it's probably an indication that the Power Converter is not working. The battery may also need to be replaced. You can have it tested by taking it to many auto parts stores or Walmarts that have auto bays. Trailers need deep-cycle batteries, not the standard auto battery.

It's also worth rechecking the monitor with the battery disconnect switch OFF. If the battery has an internal problem that's affecting the converter output, the monitor panel will jump up to 4 lights with the battery disconnected.

The Power Converter is usually located behind the rear wall of the pass through basement storage. It it powered from a dedicated circuit breaker in your main panel, which goes to a dedicated outlet near the Converter. Locate the breaker and flip it OFF and back ON. Recheck the monitor to see if you now have 4 lights. If not, open the basement and check the 3 on-board blade-type fuses located on the Power Converter. If the battery was installed with reverse polarity, or if the charger was connected with reverse polarity, those fuses will blow.

If you need to replace the Power Converter, on most Bighorns, it's a Progressive Dynamics PD9280. It's typically mounted with 4 screws that need a square #2 bit. The power connections are simple and require an allen wrench of the correct size - sorry, I don't remember the size. There's also a ground wire connection that I think is another square #2 screw. You may find the ground wire connection takes a lot of force to loosen. Just make sure you get the power and ground wires back the same way and there's no need for an electrician. The tough part of the job is usually just squeezing into a small space and loosening screws. Be careful to avoid dropping the screws. Before working on the wiring, unplug the Converter's power cord and over by the battery, turn the battery disconnect switch to OFF. That will both turn off the Converter, and the 12V DC on the wires.

You may find our owner-written user guides and troubleshooting guides helpful. There's an Electrical user guide in this folder, and a 12V DC Block Diagram and Diagnostic guide in this folder.

With a 2007 BH, it’s not likely there’s a battery disconnect switch unless you installed it yourself. When resetting breakers, you need to flip them all the way off, not just push them back on. When they trip, they go to a “middle” position, but need to be turned fully off then back on to function.

It’s also not likely that you would have a residential fridge in that model unless you special ordered it or had it put in.

Do you have a surge suppressor for your rig? Again, that’s something you would add.


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