RESOLVED: ATF: North Trail - Charging Battery
- Thread starter Albertg
- Start date
Re: ATF: North Trail - Charging Battery
Thanks for the input, I've checked with the mft. and the unit won't charge the deep cell battery. Looking at a new unit 3,100 with 30 amp service Wen 3100 Inverter generator @ 57 db, any thoughts?
Thanks for the input, I've checked with the mft. and the unit won't charge the deep cell battery. Looking at a new unit 3,100 with 30 amp service Wen 3100 Inverter generator @ 57 db, any thoughts?
Re: ATF: North Trail - Charging Battery
Have an issue with my, WFCO distribution center
When on shore power 30 or 20 amp service my WFCO works fine, my level shows full charge and it charges the battery. When I connect to my 3100 wat WIN generator the fan on the WFCO does not run and the level returns to what ever the charge is at and I don't believe it is charging the battery.
For the first time the generator was pulsating the lights were flickering and the fan was also pulsating but with the fan running the level lights show a full charge. Once the pulsating of the generator stopped the level light returned to the charge level and the WFCO fan stopped working again.
Chicken or Egg, is the generator doing something to the WFCO or vise versa. Note that when on shore power this does not happen.
I'm getting 123 volts out of my generator is that to much?
Have an issue with my, WFCO distribution center
When on shore power 30 or 20 amp service my WFCO works fine, my level shows full charge and it charges the battery. When I connect to my 3100 wat WIN generator the fan on the WFCO does not run and the level returns to what ever the charge is at and I don't believe it is charging the battery.
For the first time the generator was pulsating the lights were flickering and the fan was also pulsating but with the fan running the level lights show a full charge. Once the pulsating of the generator stopped the level light returned to the charge level and the WFCO fan stopped working again.
Chicken or Egg, is the generator doing something to the WFCO or vise versa. Note that when on shore power this does not happen.
I'm getting 123 volts out of my generator is that to much?
ATF: North Trail - Charging Battery
I have a strange situation with my distribution center and charging my battery. When on shore power, (plugged into my home socket) I notice that the fan on the distribution center comes on and my level indicator goes to fully charged. After some time when I disconnect the shore power my battery indicator shows that the battery has indeed been charging.
When I plug into my generator that is delivering 123 volts with 4 amps same as my home plug two things are different. #1 the fan on the distribution center does not come on and #2 the level indicator does not show fully charged. After some time the battery level has not changed and the battery does not seem to be charging. Everything in the trailer works with the power from the generator, AC, Microwave, just not the charger for the battery.
On my last trip I noticed once that the generator was pulsing and I heard the fan on the distribution center coming on and off. I switched off the econo mode (runs generator at full rpm,) on the generator and the fan on the dist. cntr. stopped. I've resorted to using an alternate battery charger plugged into the generator and this charges the battery but this is a pain in the butt.
Again the power from the generator is almost identical to that of my house supply 123 volts @ 4 amp.
Any help?
I have a strange situation with my distribution center and charging my battery. When on shore power, (plugged into my home socket) I notice that the fan on the distribution center comes on and my level indicator goes to fully charged. After some time when I disconnect the shore power my battery indicator shows that the battery has indeed been charging.
When I plug into my generator that is delivering 123 volts with 4 amps same as my home plug two things are different. #1 the fan on the distribution center does not come on and #2 the level indicator does not show fully charged. After some time the battery level has not changed and the battery does not seem to be charging. Everything in the trailer works with the power from the generator, AC, Microwave, just not the charger for the battery.
On my last trip I noticed once that the generator was pulsing and I heard the fan on the distribution center coming on and off. I switched off the econo mode (runs generator at full rpm,) on the generator and the fan on the dist. cntr. stopped. I've resorted to using an alternate battery charger plugged into the generator and this charges the battery but this is a pain in the butt.
Again the power from the generator is almost identical to that of my house supply 123 volts @ 4 amp.
Any help?
danemayer
Well-known member
Re: ATF: North Trail - Charging Battery
Hi Albertg,
If your generator only delivers 4 amps, or around 480 watts at 120V AC, that's probably not be enough to run the Power Converter. My Power Converter needs a dedicated 20 amp outlet to handle peaks. Most of the time it's using less than 10 amps. Your Power Converter probably doesn't need quite that much power, but 480 watts probably won't do it.
Your household outlet is likely capable of at least 15 amps. Never heard of a 4 amp household circuit.
Hi Albertg,
If your generator only delivers 4 amps, or around 480 watts at 120V AC, that's probably not be enough to run the Power Converter. My Power Converter needs a dedicated 20 amp outlet to handle peaks. Most of the time it's using less than 10 amps. Your Power Converter probably doesn't need quite that much power, but 480 watts probably won't do it.
Your household outlet is likely capable of at least 15 amps. Never heard of a 4 amp household circuit.
danemayer
Well-known member
Re: ATF: North Trail - Charging Battery
This may be a problem with floating neutral in the generator, and you may need to bond the neutral and ground at the generator to get things working. Take a look at this article for more detail.
Btw, I've combined your earlier thread with this one so the entire discussion is in one place.
This may be a problem with floating neutral in the generator, and you may need to bond the neutral and ground at the generator to get things working. Take a look at this article for more detail.
Btw, I've combined your earlier thread with this one so the entire discussion is in one place.
Re: ATF: North Trail - Charging Battery
Thanks I knew it had to be something like this. I tried grounding the generator with a rod driven into the ground but that didn't change anything. I'm going to run this past WEN generator engineer or at least let him know what the fix is for future reference.
Thanks again.
Al Gillespie
Thanks I knew it had to be something like this. I tried grounding the generator with a rod driven into the ground but that didn't change anything. I'm going to run this past WEN generator engineer or at least let him know what the fix is for future reference.
Thanks again.
Al Gillespie
wdk450
Well-known member
Re: ATF: North Trail - Charging Battery
For troubleshooting, you may want to rent or borrow another (bigger) generator to test your rig. Also, I have heard of some cheaper generators delivering a distorted power waveform that can cause strange problems with solid state IC electronics in the charger.
For troubleshooting, you may want to rent or borrow another (bigger) generator to test your rig. Also, I have heard of some cheaper generators delivering a distorted power waveform that can cause strange problems with solid state IC electronics in the charger.
Re: ATF: North Trail - Charging Battery
Thanks for the help, problem solved, it was a floating neutral on the generator. The fix was jumping the neutral to ground (silver screw to green screw) in a plug (bonding the neutral) and putting it into one of the 120v 20 amp sockets. This allows me to remove the plug when running something not sensitive to the floating neutral issue.
Thanks again,
Al
Thanks for the help, problem solved, it was a floating neutral on the generator. The fix was jumping the neutral to ground (silver screw to green screw) in a plug (bonding the neutral) and putting it into one of the 120v 20 amp sockets. This allows me to remove the plug when running something not sensitive to the floating neutral issue.
Thanks again,
Al
