Battery or charger?

[Atsushi]

Hi, I’m hoping someone could direct me in the right direction.

We use two 6 volt batteriesn serial. We charge them with Progressive Dynamics PD4655V Inteli-Power 4600 Series Converter/Charger.

I first noticed the front jack wasn’t working. Then I also realized none of electricity wasn’t working. I plug the shore power back on, and the electricty came back to the inside of the trailer. But the jack still didn’t. I checked the voltage at the batteries, and it reads 4V. But the voltage reading on the trailer says 13.5V. I also checked it at the charger, and it reads 13.5V.

Even if the batteries are dead, if they are getting 13.5V charging input, shouldn’t it reads 13.5V? If it’s the problem with charger, why would it read 13.5V?

Should I replace the batteries and see what happens?

Recommendation/advice is much appreciated.

[Al and Missy]

Originally Posted by Atsushi

Hi, I’m hoping someone could direct me in the right direction.

We use two 6 volt batteriesn serial. We charge them with Progressive Dynamics PD4655V Inteli-Power 4600 Series Converter/Charger.

I first noticed the front jack wasn’t working. Then I also realized none of electricity wasn’t working. I plug the shore power back on, and the electricty came back to the inside of the trailer. But the jack still didn’t. I checked the voltage at the batteries, and it reads 4V. But the voltage reading on the trailer says 13.5V. I also checked it at the charger, and it reads 13.5V.

Even if the batteries are dead, if they are getting 13.5V charging input, shouldn’t it reads 13.5V? If it’s the problem with charger, why would it read 13.5V?

Should I replace the batteries and see what happens?

Recommendation/advice is much appreciated.

If the voltage at the converter and the batteries is different, either the USE/STORE switch is in STORE mode, a cable is loose or disconnected, or there is a blown fuse/circuit breaker in the battery line.


Check your USE/STORE switch. For most trailers it must be in the USE position to charge the batteries. I have read of cases where when the batteries get too low, the USE/STORE switch will not actuate. People have had to use a small charger direct on the batteries to get the voltage high enough to actuate the USE/STORE switch.


That said, if your batteries are at 4 volts, they are probably toast

[Atsushi]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

If the voltage at the converter and the batteries is different, either the USE/STORE switch is in STORE mode, a cable is loose or disconnected, or there is a blown fuse/circuit breaker in the battery line.


Check your USE/STORE switch. For most trailers it must be in the USE position to charge the batteries. I have read of cases where when the batteries get too low, the USE/STORE switch will not actuate. People have had to use a small charger direct on the batteries to get the voltage high enough to actuate the USE/STORE switch.


That said, if your batteries are at 4 volts, they are probably toast

Thanks. It did fix it. We had our trailer serviced at Colonial Airstream, and when we brought it back home, I didn’t bother to check if it is is Store or Use mode. I just saw the charging voltage on the trailer voltage meeter and assumed the batteries were being charged. So for note to myself, next time I bring it back from the service, I should check with voltage meeter at the batteries.

Anyway, I didn’t realize that Store/Use button was so critical. Batteries discharged to 4V, there were other things didn’t work such as fridge propane ignition, proopane leak detectorand and front jack.

After confirming 13.5V at the batteries, everything started to work again. So at this point, I believe the only thing I need is new batteries.

Thanks again for your advice.

[Al and Missy]

There have been wide variations of how battery disconnects and USE/STORE switches are wired. My battery voltmeter is in the stove hood and is on the trailer side of the disconnect switch. With the old rotary disconnect switch, some trailers disconnected the load and left the converter connected to the batteries My 25 Safari disconnected the batteries and left the converter connected to the trailer. It was an exercise to figure out what was connected and when.


When I replaced my sofa with recliners I had to move the battery power center from the left center of the sofa to the far end. I rewired everything so the battery disconnect switch disconnects all loads from the batteries, including the propane detector and the tongue jack. I figure if I'm using the trailer the disconnect switch is on, so everything will be powered up.


Glad you got to the bottom of it.

[Atsushi]

Originally Posted by Al and Missy

There have been wide variations of how battery disconnects and USE/STORE switches are wired. My battery voltmeter is in the stove hood and is on the trailer side of the disconnect switch. With the old rotary disconnect switch, some trailers disconnected the load and left the converter connected to the batteries My 25 Safari disconnected the batteries and left the converter connected to the trailer. It was an exercise to figure out what was connected and when.


When I replaced my sofa with recliners I had to move the battery power center from the left center of the sofa to the far end. I rewired everything so the battery disconnect switch disconnects all loads from the batteries, including the propane detector and the tongue jack. I figure if I'm using the trailer the disconnect switch is on, so everything will be powered up.


Glad you got to the bottom of it.

Oue (2016FC23D) has the switch next to the entrance. I had learned when we got the trailer but since then forgot that it has to be Use to charge the batteries. I sort of understand why certain things are directly wired from the batteries. For example, fridge ignition should directly be powered from the batteries because it is likely used when there is no shore power, and it is.