univolt and battery hot

[mstblove]

Ok so we pulled off the pan under the back of the trailer and removed the old mice carcasses, mice nest, including bathrooms and the 10 to 15 pounds of (I have to assume stolen) rice. Yuk! Yuk! and Yuk!
Now my problem is my univolt and battery both get very hot and omit an odor kind of like a sewer smell. The battery is new and I have replaced one of the 40 amp fuses with a 30 amp circuit breaker. The battery is staying charged but the heat and the smell has me a little concerned.
Once again any advise would be appreicated.

Thank you

Debra

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by mstblove

Ok so we pulled off the pan under the back of the trailer and removed the old mice carcasses, mice nest, including bathrooms and the 10 to 15 pounds of (I have to assume stolen) rice. Yuk! Yuk! and Yuk!
Now my problem is my univolt and battery both get very hot and omit an odor kind of like a sewer smell. The battery is new and I have replaced one of the 40 amp fuses with a 30 amp circuit breaker. The battery is staying charged but the heat and the smell has me a little concerned.
Once again any advise would be appreicated.

Thank you

Debra

Debra
The Univolt may be overcharging. The only way to tell is to check the charging voltage, giving enough time for the battery to be charged.

The Univolt should charge and then back off. If it's not backing off, then it will over charge the battery causing that smell.

Additionally, it's not impossible to purchase a new battery, that really has a bad cell, which will also cause the Univolt to misbehave.

Unfortunately, the older Univolts, such as you have, at this point in their life, do have a high rate of failure.

If the Univolt is bad, replacements are available.

Andy

[RickDavis]

Assuming the battery is good, and if new it should be. You need to check the battery terminal voltage with the univolt on. It should be around 13.2 to 13.8volts. If significantly higher, say around 15 volts your univolt is bad.
The univolts used in the early 70's ( I also have a 70 globetrotter) were very prone to failure from power line surges and lightning strikes. They can usually be repaired by having a technical type pull the circuit board and replace all 3 transistors on the board, don't even worry about which one may be bad. You would be better off to replace the univolt with a newer more modern unit. If you do fix the old one it is a good idea to put a cord on it and plug it into a surge suppressor instead of the present hard wired set up.
I do have a rough schematic and other info on the unit from a posting on the wbcci RV radio net from the early 70's but it will take me a while to find it.

Rick Davis 1602
PP VAC

[azflycaster]

I would dump the univolt and get a new converter. I have an Intelipower 9245 in my TW and I am very happy with it. It maintains the battery and does not over charge it. It is also quiet.

You will need to keep the fuse panel from the univolt and reuse it with what ever you decide to use.

[wmarsha]

rotten egg/sulphur odor coming from a battery is bad, bad, bad. The electrolyte has most likely been boiled out by the univolt overcharging the battery. if the batty is a "sealed" unit AGM, then there is very little water to begin with-although touted as maintenence free, "sealed" battys are more maint. proof. The hydrogen gas is supposed to recombine with the Oxygen to keep the batty cool and with sufficient water to "do" its chemical electrical creation. If you are smelling an odor from the batty, it is hot, and can go into thermal runaway, which can cause the battery to explode. if you are not confident in what you are doing-disonnect the charger (univolt) and get a battery guy to look at it. As the prev. AS'r said, measure the voltage output of the univolt. If the batty is NOT a AGM sealed unit but a flooded cell-one that you can add water to, then you MAY be able to save the batty. But, my experience says the batty should not be used-once you have heated it into gassing and smelling like rotten eggs, the batty is damaged. BE CAREFUL.
good luck.
ol bill

[mstblove]

well i disconnected the battery from the univoltand wrapped tape arround the termanals---smell is gone. Now last night I had 2 battery operated lights and a fan on, when I went outside I touched the side of the trailer and got shocked (I was hooked up to shore power at the time) Is this still a problem with the univolt, or do I have bigger problems ?

Thank you in advance;

Debra

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by mstblove

well i disconnected the battery from the univoltand wrapped tape arround the termanals---smell is gone. Now last night I had 2 battery operated lights and a fan on, when I went outside I touched the side of the trailer and got shocked (I was hooked up to shore power at the time) Is this still a problem with the univolt, or do I have bigger problems ?

Thank you in advance;

Debra

Debra.

Your trailer is being fed "reverse polarity" power.

If your using an extension cord, that could be the cause.

Or, the outlet that the trailer cable is plugged into, is mis-wired.

There is a "reverse polarity" light, on the left side of the trailer, near the water heater. That should be near the water heater.

Andy

[richinny]

you may have a bigger problem!

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f45/...hock-8472.html

[rangebowdrie]

Getting shocked from trailer, you don't "may" have a problem.
You most certainly "do" have a problem.
Electricity is finding a way to energize the aluminum shell.
Be carefull