Strange house battery issue

[Octaneforce]

My rig is a 1993 fleetwood 30ft chevy class a.

So i think i need a little education before i can properly explain whats happening, but I’ll try. When plugged in, all my 12v powered items are struggling as if the house batteries are dead. The furnace blows slowly and doesnt light, the hot water heater doesnt light, the lights in the cieling are dim, etc.

So i guess my question is, why arent the batteries charging? How are the house batteries “tendered”?

If i shut off the house batteries while its plugged in, everything gets even more weak. Its like im not getting enough voltage to my 12v appliances. The 115v outlets are fine. Im not sure where to start.

[toolttime]

Check the ground connection at investor and battery

[Jennifer_Koper]

Used batteries cost about $500 a kilowatt-hour to change to stationary storage systems, about half the cost of batteries fresh off the factory floor. That will provide an opening for solar installers to cheaply add storage space to rooftop systems until new battery expenses come down.

[John_Joey]

Check the water level.

[time2roll]

Your battery will perform far better and last far longer with the 9260.

[Octaneforce]

Hey everyone. I finally figured out this issue. I was getting funky voltage on the ac side of my converter. There was an old surge protector (like the ones you see under a desk) between where the converter plugs in and the original plug. I removed it, plugged the converter directly into the outlet, and my problem was solved!! Thanks for the help. I went ahead and installed a “smart” power inverter that was suggested anyway. Pd9260c.

[AllegroD]

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[ArchHoagland]

What is the voltage at the house battery posts when you measure it?

Have you ever checked the water levels in the batteries?

[mchero]

That converter should be getting 120 volts on the AC side thus charging your batteries. Check for a tripped breaker or blown fuse.

If getting power and charging the batteries you should hear it humming.

[AllegroD]

If it were me, I'd get a 12v/120v multimeter. You can get them fairly cheap, almost anywhere. I would disconnect the pos on the batt(s) and run the converter as normal, and measure the output of the converter. Then I would mesure the charge in the batts. I'd post the results here. You will get better and more focused info/diagnosis by posting the test results.

[pianotuna]

wfco is not a great converter. Consider replacement with something better.

[Octaneforce]

Heres my current converter. It was under the oven/kitchen area as mentioned (thanks!). I dont think its original.

[Sam_Spade]

Octaneforce wrote:

So i guess my question is, why arent the batteries charging? How are the house batteries “tendered”?

When you are not plugged in, the batteries are NOT "tendered"; not charging at all. Batteries left completely discharged will not last long.

One of two things: Batteries have gone bad....OR....the charger has failed. You really should get a digital multi-meter. Around $10 at Harbor Freight.

[down_home]

Check the batteries first. Bad batteries with dead cells will quite often not take any charge. Dead cells will bubble and boil but that is it. One bad battery in series will keep the others from working acting as a wall between it and the others.It or they may have some charge but not enough to function.
If these are flooded batteries, how long since you checked the electrolite level. You may have essentially bone dry batteries.

[ScottG]

You would have a 63XX Magtek converter and it's shot by now. I suggest you get a new PDI9260 converter from Bestconverter.com. They will also have videos on how to change it out. The new one will have multiple stages and work better than the old one ever did!
Unless your battery(s) are fairly new, plan on replacing them too as the discharged condition will have taken its toll on them.