Breadfan
09-23-2008, 08:29 PM
Folks have an RV, and due to some things haven't taken it out this year. It was winterized, but didn't see much action through the summer this year. I'm helping get it going so it can possibly make a trip this fall and then be full winterized.
Anyway...
Last weekend I moved it for them, got it gassed up, washed it, and working on getting it ready for inspection which is coming due.
It does have one issue though. I found even though it was plugged into their house AC, the batteries were dead. I charged the car battery for the engine, and got it started without any issues. I did NOT charge the deep cycle marine batteries that are setup in parallel.
Also, I didn't check them for water level. I think they may have boild off water while being plugged in causing them to discharge over time.
They have regained some charge since all this, but are definitely still low.
Anyway...
Sunday night I was closing up some things and since I moved it, I got it plugged back in.
When I did,. thsi is where my issue came up.
The 12v DC interior lighting is flickering - but not flickering "off", it's surging in a rythmic pattern. In other words, it's like this:
Not plugged in: Lights light steadily but are kinda dim - low batteries
Plugged in: Lights are dim by every 1/2 a second they surge bright, this rythym continues.
If I start the engine, the ligths get brighter and still flicker slightly.
I think what's happening is due to hte low coach batteries. The converter is trying to send a charge to them, possibly even pulse voltage to get them to come up. The only thing is, I hadn't noticed this before, but I will admit I did things during the day when I may not have noticed.
So....
From what I understand, house AC power goes into the converter, which appears to be a dual converter, meaning it sends power to the 12v items inthe coach as well as a low amp charge to the batteries. There is no "switch" or solenoid that switches between battery and converter, they are wired together. (There is however an isolator that splits the coach and car battery from the alternator charging circuit, as both sets of bateries receive charge form the alternator, but only the car battery starts the motor...)
So, I'm tying to understand what the pulsing is. I'm guessing with the low batteries I should fix those first, and assume that's causing this. I don't think the converter is bad, but I suppose I can test the 12v output to be sure.
Anyway...
Just figured I'd vet this out here and see if anyone has much experience maintianing RV systems and can just let me know I'm on the right path.
Anyway...
Last weekend I moved it for them, got it gassed up, washed it, and working on getting it ready for inspection which is coming due.
It does have one issue though. I found even though it was plugged into their house AC, the batteries were dead. I charged the car battery for the engine, and got it started without any issues. I did NOT charge the deep cycle marine batteries that are setup in parallel.
Also, I didn't check them for water level. I think they may have boild off water while being plugged in causing them to discharge over time.
They have regained some charge since all this, but are definitely still low.
Anyway...
Sunday night I was closing up some things and since I moved it, I got it plugged back in.
When I did,. thsi is where my issue came up.
The 12v DC interior lighting is flickering - but not flickering "off", it's surging in a rythmic pattern. In other words, it's like this:
Not plugged in: Lights light steadily but are kinda dim - low batteries
Plugged in: Lights are dim by every 1/2 a second they surge bright, this rythym continues.
If I start the engine, the ligths get brighter and still flicker slightly.
I think what's happening is due to hte low coach batteries. The converter is trying to send a charge to them, possibly even pulse voltage to get them to come up. The only thing is, I hadn't noticed this before, but I will admit I did things during the day when I may not have noticed.
So....
From what I understand, house AC power goes into the converter, which appears to be a dual converter, meaning it sends power to the 12v items inthe coach as well as a low amp charge to the batteries. There is no "switch" or solenoid that switches between battery and converter, they are wired together. (There is however an isolator that splits the coach and car battery from the alternator charging circuit, as both sets of bateries receive charge form the alternator, but only the car battery starts the motor...)
So, I'm tying to understand what the pulsing is. I'm guessing with the low batteries I should fix those first, and assume that's causing this. I don't think the converter is bad, but I suppose I can test the 12v output to be sure.
Anyway...
Just figured I'd vet this out here and see if anyone has much experience maintianing RV systems and can just let me know I'm on the right path.