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Batteries Not Charging

HavingProblems7
Explorer
Explorer
House batteries not charging when on shore power,generator running,vechicle running
Monitor panel indicate 12.2 Unable to charge
Checked output at converter 13.7
Recently new batteries
All connections solid all cables good shape
Checked each side of 50 amp breaker bottom of battery box
Each side 12.2
Shouldn't the voltage reading at this breaker read the same as output at converter?????13.7??????
does this indicate faulty circuit breaker since I did not get a reading of 13.7????
Or does the battery disconnect solenoid have anything to do with the 12.2 reading I got at the breaker
Not sure based on above if I should replace breaker or ?????
Please help
if you know based on above
thanks
Ted
28 REPLIES 28

pnichols
Explorer II
Explorer II
Ted,

Outstanding that you found the problem!! A simple no-cost solution, too.

I have a couple of meters mounted right on the cab's dash that will show me when this is happening while driving down the road or camped.
2005 E450 Itasca 24V Class C

HavingProblems7
Explorer
Explorer
Problem solved
It was suggested here that my negative cable from the battery to my MH frame may be corroded
Sure was,just removed bolt ,wire brushed everything & now everything works as designed
Greatly appeciate everyone for your suggestions & help
Thanks Again
Ted

HavingProblems7
Explorer
Explorer
Great Site
Thanks everyone
Plan on checking corrosion both at solenoid & connection of negative cable to frame
I suspect & hope its one of the above
Take Care
Ted

Bordercollie
Explorer
Explorer
I have a 2004 Tioga 26Q, may have a bad rocker type auxiliary battery switch in the monitor panel or solenoid. I think that the solenoid is buried under wiring in left side of battery box. Suspect that it is stuck or not getting high enough voltage to actuate. When I cycle the switch, I don't hear the usual clunk. I'm going to disconnect the battery and check resistance at solenoid as suggested above. Will check all connections for corrosion, etc.

pnichols
Explorer II
Explorer II
Yes, corrosion anywhere along the input path (from the converter) could cause what you're seeing. A point of corrosion in that 5 foot input path all the way from the converter's terminals to the lug on the input side of the solenoid could be the cause. If so, it's a corrosion point outside of the solenoid, so a new solenoid is not required.

Also - it may not be corrosion in the 5 foot positive input path between the converter and the battery(ies) ... it very likely could be corrosion in the negative battery path ... maybe where the negative cable from the battery(ies) connects to the frame of the RV.
2005 E450 Itasca 24V Class C

HavingProblems7
Explorer
Explorer
Hi Phil
I feel selenoid may be my problem as you suggested
Even though I get the same reading on both sides of selenoid would corrosion on incoming side reduce my reading to in this case 12.2 V & therefore this same reading would appear on other side????
Thanks
Ted

HavingProblems7
Explorer
Explorer
Hi Phil
I really appreciate your comments & will check my selenoid contacts this morning
I did put a voltmeter on both sides of the selenoid & got the same reading on both sides:12.2 I understand from others if the reading on both sides is the same then devise is good I understand reading at selenoid should be same as converter output which is 13.7 Don't know where I'm losing the 1.5 difference????
Only 5 feet between converter & battery selenoid
Plan on crawling under MH to try & locate cable to see if damaged in any way
Does the engine power boast switch come into play here???
Not to smart when to comes to electricty but if conact on selenoid appear corroded if I turn off or disconnect all power sources including chassis battery can I safely work on selenoid????
Thanks
Ted

pnichols
Explorer II
Explorer II
Ted,

Your problem seems related to one I'v had twice in over ten years of owning our Class C motorhome.

Your coach batteries are connected to your coach's 12 volt system with a solenoid (eletrically activated switch). These solenoids can develop a frustrating failure mode in which they are opening and closing all right whenever you operate the coach battery on/off switch on the wall (mine is by the coach entrance stairwell) ... such that the contacts of the solenoid have too much resistance between them when they're closed. What this can do is cause 13.7-13.8 volts to be read on the side of the solenoid coming from the convert and something less to be read on the other side that's connected to the coach batteries -> whatever voltage the coach batteries are resting at. The coach batteries can be kept charged partially by the converter but not all the way and whenever you check, on one side of the solenoid shows full converter voltage but on the other side you see the lower battery voltage.

In my two solenoid failures in the past, it was the other solenoid that connects the coach batteries to the engine alternator whenever the starting key was ON (the engine running). The alternator would be delivering, say, 14.2 volts to the engine battery but the coach batteries would show less voltage on them - say 12.7 volts .... as if the alternator voltage wasn't getting applied to the coach battery terminals through the solenoid contacts. What was wrong was corroded solenoid contacts such that they would still convey current, but through too much resistance due to the corrosion on the solenoid contact surfaces. The solution was a new solenoid - which I had to install two different times over the years. A good solenoid is supposed to have zero resistance across it's contacts .... a solenoid with aged contacts will have a resistance reading (in ohms) across it's contacts. Your batteries can still supply power or be charged through the solenoid's corroded contacts, but not very well.

Maybe I've misread something about your problem - but be warned - 12 volt battery system solenoids are not always doing just the simple function they're supposed to be doing.
2005 E450 Itasca 24V Class C

HavingProblems7
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks Drew
Ted

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
I suspect your converter is a WFCO converter, rather than a WAFO. If you want to throw money at it, there are better converters available, but I haven't seen anything you've written that suggests it's not working properly nor adequate for typical uses.

Wiring loss of 1.5V is not normal. If you have 13.7V at the converter output but only 12.2V at the batteries at the same time, there is a poor (high-resistance) or open connection between the two somewhere. The two places should be at about the same voltage, certainly within a few tenths of a volt.

The experiment with running the engine for awhile to charge the batteries shows that they were indeed being charged from the alternator. 20 minutes is not enough time to charge them fully, or even close to fully, if they're anything more than slightly discharged, so there's not much to guess at their condition based on that. I don't think they were behaving as though there was a shorted cell or other similar problem that would make them completely useless, but they may well be not in great shape still. Regardless, even if they are worn, that is not your only problem.

I would trace the wiring between the converter and the battery and measure voltages to find where the voltage drop is happening, and fix whatever is wrong when found. It's not always a the easiest task as the wires are rarely easily accessible, but I don't know of a better way to find the problem. It's almost certainly at some connection between parts or wires, rather than in the middle of a wire, unless possibly there's some obvious damage to a wire.

HavingProblems7
Explorer
Explorer
Hi Drew
Thanks for all your help & patience
Just to confirm;getting a reading of 13.7 V at output on converter"WAFO 8845"
all other items I tested"battery breaker,solinoid,& battery posts all read 12.2 both sides of all devices You mentioned a loss of 1.5 V would be understandable
13.7-1.5=12.2 Ran vechicle for 20 minutes & reading on monitor went to 13.7 but after awhile dropped down to 12.5 Now 30 minutes later & reading at 12.3
I,m leaning toward believing my batteries are the problem Whats your opinion??? It seems to me at some point batteries based on their condition may either not accept a charge or not be able to maintain a full charge???
Plan on taking batteries to a BatteryPlus store where they told me a Hydrometer test is the only way to know condition of batteries They also said they would connect my batteries in series & test over a 2 day period

Not sure if I'm headed in right direction or not but from what I observed the batteries seem to be my problem
Any comments based on above would be WELCOME
Thanks
Ted

older_fossil
Explorer
Explorer
HavingProblems78 wrote:

With batteries connected in MH I tested voltage with a voltmeter & got a reading of 12.2 All test points I tested I got a reading of 12. 2 except on output side of converter I got a reading of 13.6 I pulled battery & had it tested & was told it was good Not sure what good entails Returned home 7 put a charger on battery was 3 hours & then checked voltage & got a reading of 6.42 but waited a few minutes & then voltage went down to 6.18 I'm told this is good but as I understand 12.6 is a fully charged battery when 2 6 volt are connected in series With the battery I pulled & charged & got a reading of 6.18 how do I get to 12.6 when I only get 6.18 x 2 or 12.36 I'm told batteries determinate over time & I can understand that but I'm trying to determine why my batteries when hooked up in my MH are not charging Maybe its just my batteries???? Plan on taking battery back to Napa Auto & they are going to load test it
Any comments


I assume that you hooked a charger directly to you battery bank. For most chargers, 3 hours isn't likely near long enough to recharge them very much. I'd leave the charger on overnight and see what happens. And don't test the voltage immediately after removing the charger. There will be a "surface charge" that reads higher until the battery chemistry reaches equilibrium. But as has been pointed out, if the converter output is higher that what is seen at the batteries you have an issue somewhere between them. In our previous coach, there was a well hidden circuit breaker in the middle of the wire between the batteries and the converter.
Art & Barbara
2016 Tiffin AB 37AP
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

HavingProblems7
Explorer
Explorer
Thank Drew
Take care
Ted

DrewE
Explorer
Explorer
What make and model of converter do you have?

Any modern or somewhat modern converter won't have separate charge and general power outputs, but rather just a single output that is connected to everything. Some old converters did have separate outputs (and a relay or switch to use battery piwer when the shore piwer was absent), and if you do have pne of those it would be very much to your benefit to replace it. Most likely you do not have separate outputs.