- This topic has 0 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 5 years, 9 months ago by
CLOC-Admin.
CLOC-Admin.- Topic
CLOC-AdminAbout 2 years ago our Iota converter died and took two batteries with it. I replaced batteries w/two RV/Marine Deep Cycle NAPA batteries and since we were travelling we bought a WFCO 55 amp converter as it’s what the dealer had. ($210 at dealer, $143 on Amazon)Now our lights are dimming just a touch and they brighten again after seconds. This happens inconsistently. The newish (about 1.5 years) converter fan seems to short cycle, and sounds almost like it’s “breathing” and not a fan running at all. It’s cool, so that may (or may not) be normal.
I’m really uneducated on the whole converter concept other than it changes 120VAC to 12VDC for lights and other.
Any thoughts/suggestions as to what to look for? When we turn off our battery disconnect, the lights remain on. Should they?
Wonder if we have a Poltergeist?
Thanks,
DannyPosted: 8:19 PM – Jan 21, 2013If we are voting, i vote for poltergeist.
I would double check the connections, both on the converter and the batteries with an eye on the ground points.
The lights will stay on with the battery disconnected, they are running off of the converter.Posted: 9:14 PM – Jan 21, 2013And check to see that the plates in every cell are covered with distilled water.Posted: 5:49 AM – Jan 22, 2013Your converter is likely doing what it is designed to do. Most converters are designed to charge the battery at different rates depending on how much the battery is discharged. Once the battery is fully charges, it charges at a trickle rate to keep the battery topped off. Every so often, the charger should increase the charging rate; this is called an equalizing charge. An equalizing charge is designed to drive certain chemicals off the lead battery plates that build up and extends the battery’s life. Equalizing charges require a higher voltage to the battery, and since the battery and lights are connected to the same 12 volt system, the lights also see the higher voltage. The higher voltage causes the lights to be a bit brighter. Once the equalizing charge is complete, the voltage is returned to the trickle rate and the lights dim a little.The fan is likely designed to cycle on temperature of the electronics in the converter, so it will only run intermittently.
You should check your battery water level monthly if they are the type you add water too. If you have to add water, add distilled water from the grocery store. Do not add drinking water or tap water, the dissolved chemicals in the water will ruin your battery.
Posted: 7:11 AM – Jan 22, 2013Thanks so much. I’m comfortable with the maintenance side, but not troubleshooting so it really helps to understand how it’s supposed to function. Seems that checking the connections is a good idea. Any concern about getting my socks knocked off?It also sounds like the fan cycle and dimming may be normal as it’s intermittent. With the Iota failure, fuses were blowing and that’s not the case now.
Since we find we really don’t do any boondocking, do we really need batteries at all? Will all systems run off the converter if we don’t have batteries?
I do check battery water level, but not as often as monthly. Guess I should move that up to a more frequent level.
Posted: 9:29 AM – Jan 22, 2013I’d unplug the converter before starting, the 12 volt won’t knock your socks off. (y)You don’t need batteries unless the power go off.
Posted: 5:48 AM – Jan 23, 2013My advise is to keep the batteries. The converter is capable of supplying the 12 volt system under most conditions, but some of the 12 volt components take quite a bit of current. The largest loads are probably the slide motors. With a battery, the 12 volt motors can draw from both the battery and the converter. The battery also provides a regulating function, keeping the voltage close to 12 volts.Posted: 7:23 AM – Jan 23, 2013Okay. Haven’t even finished my coffee and have learned a new thing as I didn’t know the slides ran off 12 V. Hadn’t even thought that they run w/o shore power. Duh!Thanks Zach!
Since the original post, have seen none of the fluctuations so leaning a bit towards the Poltergeist thing……………
Posted: 11:59 AM – Jan 27, 2013Comeupwithsomething wrote:Okay. Haven’t even finished my coffee and have learned a new thing as I didn’t know the slides ran off 12 V. Hadn’t even thought that they run w/o shore power. Duh!Thanks Zach!
Since the original post, have seen none of the fluctuations so leaning a bit towards the Poltergeist thing……………
The RV leveling system also works off 12 V
Posted: 3:26 PM – Jan 27, 2013Danny,We have had that same issue with our 35sb3 for 3 years. When it first happened we were concerned and checked all the issues mentioned above and found no problems.
We still have it happening at very random times but no issues have become apparent.
Dean
Posted: 8:06 PM – May 04, 2013Just a quick update to let you know our converter is failing. Stopped today at a Camping World and tech put a meter on it by itself, w/ gen. on, and w/ power from the truck.We had very low 12V power today and had to hook up truck to get legs up/hitched and slides in.
The original Iota failed two yrs ago, this is a WFCO and will now try the Progressive Dynamics. Three converters in 5 yrs. Batteries were replaced w/converter at last failure.
Posted: 2:38 PM – May 06, 2013I just had the same poltergeist in my Cameo The problem came from adding two extra batterie hook in paralel. The problem was that the batterie that was on the Cameo (not original) did not had the same amprage capasity of the other two. I found out because of the smell of boiling acid in the first batterie that had a lower amp.
Now I have only two gel cell deep charge batteries and no more poltergeist !!!Posted: 7:53 AM – May 15, 2013Converter #3 is installed and functioning seemingly well. Nice to not have to run the truck 2-3 times a day for 15 minutes or so to recharge the batteries. Also nice to have full lights back up again.Bought the Progressive Dynamics from Amazon, and since I installed this one the cost is less than 1/2 of the installed cost of the WFCO one we just removed.
Thanks to all for their feedback. Will let you know if anything unusual occurs, but hope that one’s off my list for a while.
B.W.Gentry
Owner/Admin
2007 Carri-Lite XTRM5
Breckenridge, TX
The problem came from adding two extra batterie hook in paralel. The problem was that the batterie that was on the Cameo (not original) did not had the same amprage capasity of the other two. I found out because of the smell of boiling acid in the first batterie that had a lower amp.- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.