Battery not charging

[Bgreen]

I'm a new owner to a 1978 airstream 31 ft land yacht, this is my first rv. I plan on parking it on my farm for a weekend home and it will connected to ac power. Right now I'm remodeling it and keeping it plugged in, the battery goes dead after a few days of using the the 12 volt lights. Isn't the battery suppose to stay charged if the camper is plugged into ac. How do I check to see if the charger is working, if it has one? Thanks

[TG Twinkie]

You need to locate the Converter. If it is original you will probably hear it humming. When you locate it make sure the battery cable connections are clean and both fuses are good. There will probably be a fuse on both the positive and negative wires from the battery. The negative or common/ground fuse may be located in a fuse holder mounted on the skin of the trailer.

[Bgreen]

Thanks, I found the univolt and it humming. Also checked the fuses and they were good. It doesn't seem to be putting out anything by my test light. I called airstream and they said they don't repair, just replace. Anybody know how to repair or is that possible. Thanks

[azflycaster]

Univolts of that era were notorious fgor overcharging and damaging batteries. I would not consider repairing it, but would replace it with a modern 3 stage convertor.

I replaced mine several years ago with a PD-9245 and have been very satisfied with the new unit.

[TG Twinkie]

I would recommend that you upgrade your converter. The Progressive Dynamic 9245 is what I installed and it works great. You can find them on eBay for less than $150.00. I would also recommend a new fuse block with enough capacity for all of your needs. You will need fuse holders capable of carrying 50 amps for protection of the battery cables and the output from the converter and the TV charge line.

[Bgreen]

Thanks, is it easy to install? Does it hurt to leave it plugged in all the time?

[TG Twinkie]

Look for a thread by Lucymcdog. She wired her trailer for everything with little experience. With guidance from members here she was successful. Be prepared for a long read.
Yes you can leave the trailer plugged in all the time. As a matter of fact with a new converter you do not need to install a battery as long as you are plugged in you will have more than ample 12 volt power.
You will need to install a battery when you travel. The law requires a battery in the trailer for the break away switch in case the trailer becomes detached from the TV.

[Friday]

Originally Posted by Bgreen

Thanks, is it easy to install? Does it hurt to leave it plugged in all the time?

New converters have the smarts to adjust the charge going to the battery... another good reason to update. Your standard lead-acid battery actually does better if it is constantly charged. Deep-cycle batteries (boat or RV batteries) are designed to handle discharge better. Your typical car battery will loose a lot of it's capacity if it is allowed to completely drain, especially for long periods.

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Bgreen

I'm a new owner to a 1978 airstream 31 ft land yacht, this is my first rv. I plan on parking it on my farm for a weekend home and it will connected to ac power. Right now I'm remodeling it and keeping it plugged in, the battery goes dead after a few days of using the the 12 volt lights. Isn't the battery suppose to stay charged if the camper is plugged into ac. How do I check to see if the charger is working, if it has one? Thanks

Bgreen,

Give Randy a call at Best Converter, great customer service.

Bob