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04-28-2006, 05:39 AM
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#1
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Islay - 63 O.
1963 26' Overlander
Montreal
, -
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 581
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Problem with univolt ?
Hi,
there is my problem.
I did plug my AS on the 120, without the battery, as I wanted to run the 12v lights and the furnace, but nothing happened, and I thought that I could do it that way.
So I did plug the battery, and then I was abble to run the lights and the furnace, for few minutes.
The battery went low pretty fast.
So I thought I have to let it charge...
After a complete day and night the battery is still lowm and if run one light it goes down.
How can I make sure that the univolt is working well...
Is the problem is just because of the battery...
My AS is a Overlander 1975, with the original univolt, and I don't have the manual, and on my other AS (overlander 1972) the univolt is brand new, and the manual of that could help me, but the fact is that manual is in my 1972 AS, and the 1972 AS is not home.
Thank you for your help,
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04-28-2006, 06:31 AM
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#2
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Site Team
2002 25' Safari
Dewey
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,606
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Sounds like the univolt is not working. Do you have shore power to the outlet that the univolt plugs into? Is the polarity correct? You should be able to hear the Hummmmmm of a working univolt. My 75 has an indicator on the exterior rear of the trailer that indicates if the polarity is incorrect.
__________________
Richard
Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
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04-28-2006, 06:43 AM
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#3
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Islay - 63 O.
1963 26' Overlander
Montreal
, -
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 581
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actually I've just tried to check the outletm and being that close I heard the hummm, quite soft.
I checked all the fuses, I don't have any 12v from the univolt, I'm running with the residual charge of the battery...
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04-28-2006, 07:11 AM
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#4
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Moderator Emeritus
1972 31' Sovereign
High Springs
, Florida
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 2,311
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If I had a dollar for every sentence I've read with the words "Univolt" and "problem" on this website........................
__________________
ARS WA8ZYT
2003 GMC 2500HD 4X4 D/A Ext. Cab
Propane Powered Honda EU2000i
Lots of Hot Sauce!
Air # 283
WBCCI 1350
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04-28-2006, 07:11 AM
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#5
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Rivet Master
1966 22' Safari
1979 30' Argosy
Armada
, Michigan
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 950
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Just because the Univolt hums, doesn't mean it is working.
Put a voltmeter across the output wires of the Univolt and you should have ~13.8 volts. The transformer could be receiving electricity (that's the hum) but the diodes or capacitor could be shot. You could have it fixed at a motor shop, but I recommend replacing with either an Iota or WFCO converter.
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04-28-2006, 07:20 AM
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#6
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Moderator Emeritus
1972 31' Sovereign
High Springs
, Florida
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 2,311
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Mine is getting replaced with an Intellicharger this weekend. I am reading 29 volts AC, at the battery terminals, with the battery connected!
__________________
ARS WA8ZYT
2003 GMC 2500HD 4X4 D/A Ext. Cab
Propane Powered Honda EU2000i
Lots of Hot Sauce!
Air # 283
WBCCI 1350
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04-28-2006, 07:24 AM
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#7
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Site Team
2002 25' Safari
Dewey
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,606
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pick
Mine is getting replaced with an Intellicharger this weekend. I am reading 29 volts AC, at the battery terminals, with the battery connected!
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Are you getting the 91xx or 92xx series?
__________________
Richard
Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
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04-28-2006, 07:32 AM
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#8
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Rivet Master
1972 27' Overlander
Longmont
, Colorado
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 951
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get rid of it
hi- I agree, get rid of the 30+ year-old dinosaur and go for a new intellicharger or similar unit.I too was fooled by the HUM (and the PO, who, giving his sales pitch to me, said "sure it works- hear it humming?") and wasted time trying to make it work. Into the dumpster with the 40-lb. anchor, into the coach with a feather-weight, quiet new converter! -tim
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04-28-2006, 11:36 AM
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#9
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Islay - 63 O.
1963 26' Overlander
Montreal
, -
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 581
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thank you,
I know what I have to do now...
So if I want to change for a new one, should I purchase a 30 amp or more...
thank you again
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04-28-2006, 01:20 PM
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#10
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Moderator Emeritus
1972 31' Sovereign
High Springs
, Florida
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 2,311
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AZ, got a 40 amp 9100 series. Have not got the Charge Wizard, yet.
__________________
ARS WA8ZYT
2003 GMC 2500HD 4X4 D/A Ext. Cab
Propane Powered Honda EU2000i
Lots of Hot Sauce!
Air # 283
WBCCI 1350
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04-28-2006, 03:38 PM
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#11
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2 Rivet Member
1983 31' Excella
Caldwell
, Texas
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 21
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boat anchor
I just got my 9260 this morning , will be connecting it tonite , even though my boat anchor , battery cooker still works
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04-28-2006, 07:31 PM
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#12
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3 Rivet Member
1972 29' Ambassador
1968 22' Safari
Tyler
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 116
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My Intelipower 9160 with Charge Wizard is sweet! The installation was swift and the operation is noiseless (especially important, since the unit sits under the bed).
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04-28-2006, 07:53 PM
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#13
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4 Rivet Member
2013 31' Classic
Crossville
, Tennessee
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 461
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One last thought for you, and some may think it is silly, yet it is so simple it can be overlooked. Many people in the past, realizing the univolt cooks batteries, put on/off switches behind the couch to keep that from happening, yet allowing the shore power to stay plugged up to allow use of 110 volt appliances. When the batteries went low, they would turn on the switch, and the univolt would charge the batteries. Does yours, by chance, have one of those switches?
__________________
steelbird312 WBCCI #6673 jerry Hodge
2013 31" Classic limited
Have no intention of arriving at the grave safely, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, throttle in the other, totally worn out and screaming
"WOO HOO, WHAT A RIDE!"
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04-28-2006, 09:25 PM
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#14
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
New Borockton
, Alabama
Join Date: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,593
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That's a great point steelbird. Actually the idea originated from the humming noise at night from the old Univolts transformer but I'm sure there were people even back then realizing it might be overcharging their battery too. I read in one of the owner manuals that the option was to reduce the noise while sleeping.
__________________
Randy...Converters, Inverters, Trimetric, Surge Protectors, Zamp, Smartplug, AGM Batts
888-828-1893
Bestconverter.com
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04-29-2006, 07:10 AM
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#15
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3 Rivet Member
1972 29' Ambassador
1968 22' Safari
Tyler
, Texas
Join Date: Nov 2005
Posts: 116
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So THAT'S what that switch was for!
Quote:
Originally Posted by steelbird312
One last thought for you, and some may think it is silly, yet it is so simple it can be overlooked. Many people in the past, realizing the univolt cooks batteries, put on/off switches behind the couch to keep that from happening, yet allowing the shore power to stay plugged up to allow use of 110 volt appliances. When the batteries went low, they would turn on the switch, and the univolt would charge the batteries. Does yours, by chance, have one of those switches?
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You just solved a major "headscratcher" for me! My old Univolt was wired directly into the 110V line with wires going up to something I couldn't see, rather than being plugged into the "patio" socket like my Intelipower unit is. They must have been going to that (now functionless) switch installed by the PO! I had never used the Univolt and had never bothered to trace out the wiring. When I got the trailer, the first thing I got rid of was the Univolt since I had heard so many complaints about them. Thanks!
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04-29-2006, 07:35 AM
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#16
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Rivet Master
1966 22' Safari
1979 30' Argosy
Armada
, Michigan
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 950
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vince Brach
You just solved a major "headscratcher" for me! My old Univolt was wired directly into the 110V line with wires going up to something I couldn't see, rather than being plugged into the "patio" socket like my Intelipower unit is. They must have been going to that (now functionless) switch installed by the PO! I had never used the Univolt and had never bothered to trace out the wiring. When I got the trailer, the first thing I got rid of was the Univolt since I had heard so many complaints about them. Thanks!
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Whoa. Can you explain what the that second sentance means "Rather than being plugged into the "patio" socket like my Intelipower unit is"? I'm not sure I understand what this means. Do you mean that there is a new outlet put inline with the patio outlet (the one that's on the outside of the trailer, that you plug your patio lights into)? and the Intellipower is plugged into that new outlet?
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04-29-2006, 09:01 AM
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#17
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Site Team
2002 25' Safari
Dewey
, Arizona
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 15,606
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On my 75 the power convertor is plugged into the same circut as the patio outlet. The PO had a story about that when I bought the unit. He had someone plut their trailer into his patio outlet when camped one time. When the PO went to bed he turned off the breaker to stop the hummmm. When he saw the person next door he had a rather ugly gash on his head. The neighbor explained that last night the power had gone out and smashed his head into a window when he was looking for the problem. Ouch!
__________________
Richard
Wally Byam Airstream Club 7513
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04-29-2006, 01:14 PM
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#18
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Rivet Master
1966 22' Safari
1979 30' Argosy
Armada
, Michigan
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 950
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Ah ha. Got it.
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04-29-2006, 03:02 PM
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#19
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Rivet Master
1956 22' Flying Cloud
1953 32' Liner
1955 22' Safari
Valley View
, Texas
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,971
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9200 series Intellicharger
I'd check on the reliability stats of the 9200 series converter/charger before I did anything. Poor reliability of this series led me to the WFCO. Compare at Bestconverter.
I hope this does not come back to bite me. I will be changing it out as I replace the axel.
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04-29-2006, 07:26 PM
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#20
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Rivet Master
Commercial Member
Vintage Kin Owner
Naples
, Florida
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,508
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After a little research, I changed out the Parallax converter that came from A/S in my 19CCD with a new WFCO. Great little unit and from what I've read......very reliable! The old (actually new) OEM unit was working fine, I just wanted 3 stage charging in one complete unit.
__________________
lewster
Solar Tech Energy Systems, Inc.
Victron Solar Components and Inverters, Zamp Solar Panels, LiFeBlue and Battle Born Lithium Batteries, Lifeline AGM Batteries
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