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Presitla99 · 09-08-2019, 05:13 AM

Voltage is down to 10.29 volts. Have been on 30 amp shore power for 36 hrs. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

lsbrodsky · 09-08-2019, 05:37 AM

For one thing, when you find out why you are not chargin, you need to replace your batteries. Voltage that low means they are dead, dead, dead.
Larry

Bumpy · 09-08-2019, 06:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Presitla99

Voltage is down to 10.29 volts. Have been on 30 amp shore power for 36 hrs. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

Some thoughts regarding batteries:

1. Are they lead acid? (my guess is yes)
2. How old are they? (my guess 3+ years)
3. Have you taken them to Advance Auto (or equal) to be diagnosed? (they will do it for free).
4. Have you checked the specific gravity w/ an hydrometer? (few people know what one is. Available at auto parts stores, cheap.)
5. Have you checked the water level in the cells? (never allow it to fall below the top of the plates).
6. If you have done #5 did you fill w/ distilled water only?

As lsbrodsky suggested they are likely, and as we said in the Navy, FUBAR.

rwnash · 09-08-2019, 07:16 AM

Are you sure that you are on shorepower? Check the circuit breakers at the power post and inside the trailer. (I let my batteries run down on several occasions thinking I had shorepower. Now I make it a habit to check every system, including battery voltage, every morning and note the results in my log book.) The new GFCI(?) circuit breakers can be very sensitive.

If your voltmeter will measure AC as well as 12 volt DC you can check the AC supply going to the converter and work your way upstream to find the problem. If you have AC going into the converter then check to converter's DC fuse. (After being taught a lesson, I now carry spare fuses for critical systems.) While it may not seem logical, I have had fuses fail with no circuit problems. However, if a new fuse fails very quickly you may have a short.

I use a simple "AC checker" - a device that looks like a plug but with small indicator lamps. You compare the lamp pattern with the guide on the device to disclose any problems with the electrical supply - open ground etc. It is small and not expensive, $5 -10 at a hardware store.

A logical step by step process will get you there; report back with your results if you need further help.

Good luck,

Whit Nash

CruizinDux · 09-08-2019, 09:30 AM

I keep the tester plugged in to first conform sp, but also loss of power. If you dont have any 110vac devices in play like a tv, it isn't obvious that power was lost...like the other night in MT when the park lost lower.

I presume the use switch is on, toggle the switch and don't go by the light.
B

lesnlearned · 09-08-2019, 09:48 AM

Was just at an event and experienced the same thing. We spent hours trying to figure out why we couldn't get shorepower to energize the trailer. Turns out my converter wasn't plugged in! We had a shower installed and all electronic equip moved to accommodate it. The installers buried the old outlet (w the shower) and never plugged it back in. Sometimes it's a simple fix.

mkcurtiss · 09-08-2019, 09:52 AM

So you have been using 120 v appliances? YOu are certain that there is shore power?

Sounds like a breaker has tripped or your converter has shut down for some reason.....

Have you tried starting your tv with the 7 way connected to see if the vehicle will charge the batteries ?

Rich W · 09-08-2019, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Presitla99

Voltage is down to 10.29 volts. Have been on 30 amp shore power for 36 hrs. Any ideas? Thanks in advance.

You have a 2019 AS so I'm guessing the batteries were bad when you took delivery. Some dealers are bad about not keeping batteries charged. Another possibility is that the converter is bad, not putting out any voltage to charge the batteries.

Do you know if the batteries were fully charged when you arrived at the campground? Since you know what the current voltage is I'm assuming you have a multimeter. When you are taking a reading, is that with the converter on? If so, the converter is not putting out any voltage.

Do you have AC power elsewhere in the AS? You may have forgotten to flip the breaker switch on the power pole. It's not as uncommon as you might think. I don't think it makes a difference for the Use/Store switch position on a 2019, but for grins, make sure the switch is set to Use.

If all else fails, you can buy a small stand alone charger for about $40 and charge them up. 10.9 volts is pretty low, a deep cycle, but you should be able to get them up enough to finish the trip.

rucos · 09-08-2019, 10:01 AM

I had a similar problem last year and it turned out my converter was shot

uncle_bob · 09-08-2019, 10:06 AM

Hi

You have a Classic so you have a microwave. If the timer is illuminated on the microwave, you do have shore power. If not, look into that.

What position is your use/store switch in? To be sure you get charging, put it in use (though even that is not 100% sure).

Since it's a 2019, you have a battery disconnect switch. Is it in the "connect" position?

As mentioned above, check the breaker going into the converter / charger. Next check the output voltage with a DVM, it should change when you hook to shore power / toggle the breaker. If it goes to zero with the breaker off, there is a wiring issue / blown fuse. If it sticks at 10.2V all the time, the converter is likely toast (or the output fuses are blown).

You have factory solar, so that gets you AGM batteries. There is no fluid to check in that case.

Best guess is a dead converter / charger.

Bob

Projet2907 · 09-08-2019, 10:29 AM

Few times I plug into shore power if I have demand already in the trailer, I blow up the 30amp fuse that is linked to charging the batterie

banderabob · 09-08-2019, 11:52 AM

Make sure your battery switch is in the “use” position. Many a time I had forgotten to activate power at the pedistal, so I now routinely check to make sure the clock is blinking on the microwave.

Presitla99 · 09-08-2019, 01:13 PM

I just drove 300 miles and the combination of charging from the 7 pin connector and solar panels has the battery up to 12.5 volts. Shore power definitely is on. Does this point to a bad converter!? Thanks.

uncle_bob · 09-08-2019, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Presitla99

I just drove 300 miles and the combination of charging from the 7 pin connector and solar panels has the battery up to 12.5 volts. Shore power definitely is on. Does this point to a bad converter!? Thanks.

Hi

The 7 pin and solar *normally* (its Airstream ... who knows

) go directly to the DC bus / breaker setup in the front of the trailer. They are not part of all the switching and wiring that gets back to the converter / charger. Being at 12.5 suggests the batteries do not have a shorted cell. Past that all the other possibilities are still on the table. ( = AC to the converter / charger, fuses / breakers, and use/store switch are all still worth checking).

Bob

Presitla99 · 09-09-2019, 05:00 AM

I have checked the breakers and fuses at the power center benearh the wardrobe and all are fine. The wiring diagram indicates the converter is "direct wired" so I presume there is an inline fuse. Does anyone know where it may be. I don't know where the converter is our what it looks like! Thanks to all.

Al and Missy · 09-09-2019, 07:01 AM

In the newer trailers I have seen, the converter is part of the power center. There should be three heavy gauge wires (black, white, and green or solid) entering and connected to terminals if I remember correctly. There should be shore power (120 volts AC) between black and white. The other end of those wires may have a plug on them and be plugged into an outlet. In my 25, the plug had fallen out of the outlet because the outlet had gotten loose due to a broken contact. You may be able to see all of this by removing the floor of the wardrobe.

One power center I looked at recently had two higher current fuses above the row of smaller fuses. One was for the batteries and the other was for the converter. If the converter fuse is bad you may have to pull it to test it as there will be 12v from the batteries on one end and 12v from the converter on the other. If the fuse is blown they will be different voltages, but you have to look closely at the meter to see the difference.

Al

rwnash · 09-09-2019, 07:06 AM

Sounds like you are making progress and have narrowed it down to the converter. I don't know where the converter is located in your unit, others may be able to help with that question. However, in both AS that I have owned the converter was located very near the battery compartment; this saves on heavy wiring and voltage drop. So, unless you get better advice start looking near the batteries. My battery compartments are at the front of the body behind the propane tanks; the converter is under the front sofa. I had to remove the drawer under the sofa to get access.

Once you locate the converter you can check voltage at the converter's output terminals. It should be 13 to 14 volts +/-. If it is significantly different than what you read at the battery you know that the problem is between the two. If the voltage is less than 13 (same as the battery) then it indicates a blown fuse on the converter or lack of AC to the converter. I'd check AC with the "checker" I described in #3, but you can use any 120 volt device.

If you have, or can download, the manual for your converter you will have information on the converter fuse(s). (Perhaps someone with a newer unit can chime in.) I vaguely recall that AS made some changes in the converter's installed over the past few years and gradually switched to "smart 4 stage" converter's. I looked at an "Intellipower(?)" converter that I replaced. It uses two "flat, two prong, stab type" automotive fuses. (I am not sure what the proper term is. But if you go to an auto store they will have quite a variety.) Yours may be different. The fuses are color coded which makes it easier to get the correct rating.

You are almost there! Kindly report back with results. It is sort of ironic that my grandson stopped by last evening; his 15 year old car is now in my shop with some sort of electrical problem - we think it is the alternator. Who knows - one step at a time will hopefully yield an answer.

Good luck,

Whit Nash

BoatNutG2 · 09-15-2019, 07:14 PM

Had a similar problem even after replacing the lead acid batteries. The Converter was dead. Easy 15 minute replacement. Ordered on Amazon had it shipped to next city. Bing bang boom up and running. If you have 50 Amp service on the AS be sure you have both legs being provided power from the 30 amp service.

Presitla99 · 09-16-2019, 12:22 AM

The converter seems the culprit as does an "electrical gremlin" since the inverter is also dead and the sub-woofer does not work nor does one of the stabilizer jacks. Appointment at the dealer next week and I'll report the results to all for future consideration.
We went to Michigan for a week recently and I was able to operate normally by using a battery charger in combination with the solar.
Thanks to all for the responses.

Presitla99 · 10-04-2019, 01:57 PM

Follow up on my post that the batteries were not charging on 30 amp shore power. I just picked it up from AS service. Converter, inverter and rear stabilizer motor were all bad. So was the subwoofer. If I did no religiously connect a surge protector I would have thought it was a lightening strike. Even then they all failed at different times. All covered under warranty, no questions asked.
Thanks to all for your advice.