PD4655 not charging house batteries

[kiellara]

Bay Area Airstream replaced our original converter a year ago with a PD4655 and also put in two new Trojan AGM's. We keep the AS connected to shore power at home as we use it as a guest room/quiet space. Hence the peace of mind from having the PD4655 installed.

We didn't have any cause to be connected to anything other than shore power until last November when we had the trailer at another location and eventually the batteries ran down.

No worries, got it back home, connected it back to shore power, made sure it was still on 'use'. The 'charging wizard' did its thing as confirmed by the different rate of flashing of the green light and seeing the voltage on our SeeLevelII. So we thought nothing more of it.

On our first trip of the year, and we connect to shore power, and forget to flip it on. Went to turn on the lights and they won't come on. Check the battery voltage at the SeeLevel at its 9V. The batteries don't seem to have ever been charged from when they were run down a couple of months ago.

We put the shore power on, and the PD6455 goes through its thing - boost etc so it seems to know that the batteries need charging. But the batteries still aren't charging.

Any idea where we should look first?

We plan to take the batteries out as soon as we get home and put them on a charger to see if this has damaged them badly.

[Al and Missy]

When you hook up to shore power, what does the SeeLevel say the battery voltage is? When in BOOST mode (Charge Wizard Pendant LED on constantly) the voltage should be, or ultimately reach, 14.4 volts. If the voltage never reaches 14.4 volts, either the batteries are bad or the converter is.

If it does reach 14.4 volts, put the trailer in STORE mode. If the voltage of the batteries declines quickly, the batteries are probably bad.

While connected to shore power put the trailer in STORE and measure the output of the converter. Put the Charge Wizard in BOOST mode (LED on constantly) and measure the voltage at the output of the converter. If it is not 14.4 volts, the converter is probably bad.

Al

[kiellara]

Thank you for the info. Super helpful.

When we first hook up to shore power (with the toggle on use), the Seelevel says 14.3V (I don't think I've ever seen it be 14.4) and it is in boost mode according to the green light.

Over time it goes through the phases. However, if we disconnect from shore power at the point it thinks things are charged, then we find we have no charge in the batteries (we just did that this morning, having had it go through the phases over the last couple of days). The seelevel reads 9V. The batteries could barely glimmer the LED's.

As soon as we plugged back into shore power, the converter immediately went into boost mode. So we expect that we're going to see it go through its phases, thinking that its charging, but actually it doesn't!

I had assumed that the converter was getting some sort of feedback from the batteries to know what charging phase to be in, but I'm not sure how that could be.

We don't have a voltmeter with us (we're in an RV park right now), but we will be home tomorrow evening so we can trouble shoot this weekend. And now we know how! Thanks.

[DKB_SATX]

The SeeLevel is convenient, but it's not measuring at the batteries so the results may not be what you think they are. Measure the voltage at your battery terminals while disconnected from shore power, then again while plugged in. It sounds like the way your new converter was installed may not be quite right, and all along you've been using shore power to run the trailer rather than using batteries charged/backed by shore power.

Also, AGMs are tougher than flooded batteries, but they're not indestructible. If the terminal voltage on the batteries is 9V and has been for weeks or months, they may be somewhat damaged. Take them to a Trojan dealer while they're still young and have them tested, you may get warranty replacements out of the deal (especially if you don't give the Trojan dealer too much info about how the batteries got into that state.)

[jftompkins]

Originally Posted by DKB_SATX

The SeeLevel is convenient, but it's not measuring at the batteries so the results may not be what you think they are. Measure the voltage at your battery terminals while disconnected from shore power, then again while plugged in. It sounds like the way your new converter was installed may not be quite right, and all along you've been using shore power to run the trailer rather than using batteries charged/backed by shore power.

Also, AGMs are tougher than flooded batteries, but they're not indestructible. If the terminal voltage on the batteries is 9V and has been for weeks or months, they may be somewhat damaged. Take them to a Trojan dealer while they're still young and have them tested, you may get warranty replacements out of the deal (especially if you don't give the Trojan dealer too much info about how the batteries got into that state.)

Am curious about the use/store switch....latching relay stuck open such that batteries can’t charge? (believe it has a fuse itself - low voltage high current trip. As stated above - good idea to check voltage at battery terminals and converter with switch in use and store.