Univolt question

[viners]

How do you know if the univolt is working? I can hear it hum when plugged into 110v but my 12v lights began to dim last night while plugged in. Should the battery charge while plugged in to 110v. if the univolt is working?

Thanks
Lloyd

[68 Overlander]

Bottom line up front…yes, your batteries should charge when hooked up to 110 if your converter/charger (Univolt) is working properly.
If your lights began to dim, several things could cause it… faulty Univolt, bad battery, etc. Most older converters provide unfiltered DC power and need a “good” battery in-line to stabilize the current, so to speak, before it goes on to the DC appliances like radios, lights, water pump, etc. Some of the modern appliances are very sensitive to it. I know the radio in my 94 Excella would sound like crap on DC power when I disconnected the battery, although it would work (Magnetek 50 Amp unit). When I installed a solid state filtered converter, it worked fine with or without a battery. I don’t know what is wrong with yours. Run a test on it or have your local RV tech look at it. My guess is you have an issue with the charger section of your converter. Output should be around 13.8 volts. Could be a simple as a bad battery too.

[viners]

68 Overlander

I just put a new marine Interstate battery in it last july. Are there any fuses that could need to be replaced? Are there any swithes that control anything on it? By the way it is in a 65 globetrotter.
thanks
Lloyd

[68 Overlander]

Originally Posted by viners

68 Overlander

I just put a new marine Interstate battery in it last july. Are there any fuses that could need to be replaced? Are there any swithes that control anything on it? By the way it is in a 65 globetrotter.
thanks
Lloyd

Sorry but I have know idea what converter came in your 65 Globetrotter. Somebody reading might know. I think that was about the time they started adding them but who knows what is in there now. A new battery only takes a few days to run down if it's not being charged properly so I would have the system checked, or at least crawl around and see what you have hiddin back there.

[Anon]

When in dount, replace it. When it comes to electricity I like to play it safe.
I had the usual "hum" coming from my old Triad converter. I found an Intelipower online for $179. I just put it in last night. It was the easiest part of the installation. Ripping out the whole front interior was the work.
That "hum" got very loud. I yanked it. For less than two hundred bucks I know I will NEVER have to replace it again.

[05ModPod]

We went through a lot of steps to figure out what was up with ours - and a lot of great input from here on how to test this and that and the other thing - but when punch came to punch - we yanked it out and took it somewhere (that does that sort of stuff/testing for a living!!!!)

good thing as we were about to order the capacitors (which you can get right here in Canada for $15 each the actual same ones as they are Made be GE.)

It turns out that our Blue Box became the Blue Angel as the Transformer was toast! - there was no readings from anything - deader than a door knob.

So we are now 65# lighter with a ton of room in the trunk for a dual battery system - and a brand new Inteli-power 40amp (all we will ever need and the fact that the coach was set up for 30 to begin with todays 40 is it's comparable replacement).

We sprung for the charge wizard with it and the system works fantastic - really easy to replace (especially if you have the old ones that have the fuse panel separate.) Peter popped the old one out and the new one in about an hour. Tight space working in the back and it was raining in Virginia at the time.

We would have loved to put the old one up for adoption but there was garbage collection going right buy and we did not feel like hauling that anchor around for the next 4 weeks - besides it smelled really bad and would either continue to stink up the coach or our car.

However it was a lot of fun going through all the instructions on how to figure out how it worked - what it was suppose to do and if it was actually doing what is was suppose to do - three drained batteries later we figured something was not right!

Now no worries - very good investment - so make a blue box and pop it inside - to keep it pure - just pretend it is one of the old Univolts

[Tin Tortuga]

Are you serious ,those things weigh that much ? I was toying with pulling it out the other day but only slid it forward a little . I suspect it is not working and singed on tonight to feel out wether to repair or replace . Found your post interesting.

[05ModPod]

Originally Posted by sardine

Are you serious ,those things weigh that much ? I was toying with pulling it out the other day but only slid it forward a little . I suspect it is not working and singed on tonight to feel out wether to repair or replace . Found your post interesting.

NAAAA really about 30# but I did read somewhere that any weight in the back acts like double it's weight - ad in 4#'s of vulkem they used to stick it down and bout another 1# of dust and that's what we hauled out.

If we could have repaired ours we would have probably kept it to keep the coach as original as possible -but it does not make sense to go out of our way to buy a used one rather than a new one - as we did get a new toilet and water heater - so she aint pure anymore...

[Anon]

Originally Posted by GT6921

NAAAA really about 30# but I did read somewhere that any weight in the back acts like double it's weight - ad in 4#'s of vulkem they used to stick it down and bout another 1# of dust and that's what we hauled out.

If we could have repaired ours we would have probably kept it to keep the coach as original as possible -but it does not make sense to go out of our way to buy a used one rather than a new one - as we did get a new toilet and water heater - so she aint pure anymore...

The way I look at it, there is no reason to keep things original when it comes to things like the converter.
If it does not work, put in better technology for less money. If I were buying another used trailer I would be more inclined to buy one that had a new water heater, furnace, RV style fridge, converter.
Now I am pretty strict about the interior remaining intact in a vintage unit:
Update the upholstery? Yes.
Update the drapes? Yes.
Rip out the interior because you want to put in unoriginal stuff just because it does not suit your fancy? Not my cup of tea.

[wkerfoot]

Leo,

I don't know where you have looked for the 40 amp fuse, but I found a two pack for about $3.00 at Anglers Marine in Anaheim, CA (home of the Los Angeles Angels). I would suggest a boating supply, they have a good selection of 12V stuff.

Bill Kerfoot
1973 Dodge W200 PowerWagon
1977 Lincoln Continental
1979 23' Safari
and soon a 1954 Double Door Liner
Orange, CA