Batter does not charge from shore power

[dkbenner]

Hi

I have 2014 Big Country 3596RE. I am having trouble with my batteries charging when I have my rig parked at home. I did a voltage check and each battery was at 6.5 volts. 6 volt batteries by the way. I then switched the power off to the coach and then plugged in the coach for a week. I unplugged the power cord and checked my batteries and they read 6.25 volts. I decided to start the generator so I switched on the power and started the generator and ran it for about an hour and then shut it off and checked the voltage and they jumped to 6.65 volts.
I took the coach in for service and the service writer stated that since the switch was in the off position that supplies power to the coach that is why the batteries did not charge. Is this correct? Does the switch have to be on to the coach in order to charge the batteries. I know that with the generator powered I had to turn on the switch in order to start the generator and I left it on while it was running and it was charging them.

Thank you
David

 

[jimtoo]

Hi David,

If you have a battery cutoff switch and it is wired correctly, (sounds like it is) it must be in the on position to charge the battery and operate everything normally. The only thing your battery cutoff switch should be used for is when you put unit in storage and do not want any parasitic draw on the battery to run it down, any other time, leave it on.

Jim M

 

[dkbenner]

Thank you Jim

I have read the manuals, pdf files here on the forum and could not find any information regarding the cutoff switch to be in on position in order for the charger to work. Pretty valuable information to have.

Thank you very much

David

 

[wino2]

Check the circuit breakers from the battery cables to coach. Mine was not charging, one of the 50 amp breakers was bad, not letting the batteries charge.

 

[dkbenner]

I will contact the dealer since they have it for other maintenance and I will have them test it.
Thank you for the tip.
David

 

[Jim.Allison]

Its wrong on so many levels.

It makes no sense to have the charger on the output side of the disconnect switch. The only thing that should be on the load side is the DC panel. And here is why.

The output of the charger should be treated the same as the output of the battery. The power from both of those sources of DC should travel to the input side of the main circuit breaker in the battery box. then to the DC cutoff switch. The cutoff switch should be considered a DC cutoff, not a battery cutoff.

To support this, you should look at the charger as an appliance like any other appliance on the rig. Its job is to charge the battery, not power the coach, although it can power the DC systems of the coach. Its job is to charge the battery and the battery's job is to provide DC power.

I wish they would quit calling the the battery charger a converter and start calling it what it is, a charger.

 

[bobca1]

Woken up this AM by refrigerator beeping giving errors about low LP and low DC. It's set to AC but seems to be freaking out when DC is low? Checked DC voltage it's at 10V. Leaving today hopefully can get the Jacks and slides to retract... Have been plugged into shore power past 4 days so not sure when or if the 12v stopped charging, but it's not charging the batteries now. Have been parked under trees so solar not contributing much this weekend. I see suggestion to check breaker from battery... where can I find this on Cyclone. Anything other suggestions how to troubleshoot hoping it's something simple like reset breaker so I don't have to take in for service...

 

[danemayer]

Woken up this AM by refrigerator beeping giving errors about low LP and low DC. It's set to AC but seems to be freaking out when DC is low? Checked DC voltage it's at 10V. Leaving today hopefully can get the Jacks and slides to retract... Have been plugged into shore power past 4 days so not sure when or if the 12v stopped charging, but it's not charging the batteries now. Have been parked under trees so solar not contributing much this weekend. I see suggestion to check breaker from battery... where can I find this on Cyclone. Anything other suggestions how to troubleshoot hoping it's something simple like reset breaker so I don't have to take in for service...

If you've been on shore power but the refrigerator is not getting enough power, you have a problem with the Power Converter. Shore power by way of the Power Converter should supply 12V DC to the interior of the coach even if the battery is removed.

Check the circuit breaker for the Power Converter to make sure it's not tripped. The Power Converter plugs sometimes vibrate out of the outlet. You'll probably have to take down the rear pass-thru storage wall in the basement to get to it. Also check the 3 fuses on the Power Converter. If the battery was recently installed and perhaps connected backwards for a moment, the fuses will blow to protect the Converter.

We also have a 12V Block Diagram and Diagnostic Guide that you may find helpful.

 

[bobca1]

Wow Dan thank you for the quick reply you are awesome!! Removed the passthrough wall to gain access the charger sure enough just like you suggested the plug had worked itself loose. Bent the tabs a little to make it tighter and wrapped it with electrical tape hope that holds it!

 

[danemayer]

That was the very first problem we had on our Landmark and some others provided me with the answer nearly 5 years ago.

 

[jmgratz]

FYI - If your converter ever does fail you can get by temporarily by hooking up a battery charger to the battery. We carry a cheap one just for that reason.

 

[fredwrichardson]

Woken up this AM by refrigerator beeping giving errors about low LP and low DC. It's set to AC but seems to be freaking out when DC is low? Checked DC voltage it's at 10V. Leaving today hopefully can get the Jacks and slides to retract... Have been plugged into shore power past 4 days so not sure when or if the 12v stopped charging, but it's not charging the batteries now. Have been parked under trees so solar not contributing much this weekend. I see suggestion to check breaker from battery... where can I find this on Cyclone. Anything other suggestions how to troubleshoot hoping it's something simple like reset breaker so I don't have to take in for service...

I know this is a late post but we are in the 10th day of a trip to Disneyworld (Orlando) from Santa Fe, NM and back. Our Residential Refrigerator started to act up (lose temperature in cold area but freezer worked fine) when we were towing the trailer but recovered when we were hooked up for 5 days. Started acting up again on the way back. Found out that the batteries were not being charge and by now were dead. Looks like the truck could not give enough power to keep the inverter running full time. The problem is everytime I checked the inverter when we stopped it looked fine. Because the batteries were dead the only power running the inverter was the truck 12 volts and that is not enough to keep it cold. The refrigerator is a Samsung RF197. I reset the small breaker that Dan mentioned and now there are no issues with the refrigerator and the batteries are now charging fine.