2012 GWV Legend EX, All four house batteries dead!

[CleanLivin]

The service tech that will do the diagnosis and repairs has said he'll deal with that issue for me. His real speciality in RV's is the Electrical. He has a 5 star rating, which is so rare for anyone in the RV service business.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by avanti

Just for completeness:
You appear to have not ruled out the possibility that the converter needs to see a battery before it will produce current. That is why I suggested you get the coach power working--it would help diagnose the converter.

I don't personally subscribe to that theory, but I wanted to point out that it is still possible.

Looking at this page from the PD site LINK it looks like you can check the output of the converter with having a battery connected.

[booster]

Originally Posted by eric1514

Looking at this page from the PD site LINK it looks like you can check the output of the converter with having a battery connected.

Yep, that is because they are power supply style unit. The big question is what happens when the make it a "smart" charger by putting the Charge Wizard on it. All four of the smart chargers we have had would not start without a good battery in the circuit.

Tripp-lite
Blue Sea
Ctek
Magnum

It would be interesting to see if the PD does activate, as that can be a big deal if you wind up with dead batteries and can't get battery reference to start the charger. We can connect to the van alternator circuit, but those with standalone engine generators can't do that unless they have an added connection, like Avanti does I think. The Balmar regulator on the engine generators also needs to see a battery to start.

[eric1514]

Originally Posted by booster

Yep, that is because they are power supply style unit. The big question is what happens when the make it a "smart" charger by putting the Charge Wizard on it. All four of the smart chargers we have had would not start without a good battery in the circuit.

Tripp-lite
Blue Sea
Ctek
Magnum

It would be interesting to see if the PD does activate, as that can be a big deal if you wind up with dead batteries and can't get battery reference to start the charger. We can connect to the van alternator circuit, but those with standalone engine generators can't do that unless they have an added connection, like Avanti does I think. The Balmar regulator on the engine generators also needs to see a battery to start.

The 9200 series are smart chargers with the Charge Wizard circuitry built in but in the example on the page I linked, the converter is a 9100 series as they are telling us to unplug the Charge Wizard enabling pendant before testing, so yeah, the question remains unanswered and as it's 13 degrees outside my house right now, I'm not volunteering to run out to my van and experiment.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by CleanLivin

He has a 5 star rating, which is so rare for anyone in the RV service business.

A flying pig!

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by avanti

Just for completeness:
You appear to have not ruled out the possibility that the converter needs to see a battery before it will produce current. That is why I suggested you get the coach power working--it would help diagnose the converter.

I don't personally subscribe to that theory, but I wanted to point out that it is still possible.

I know that earlier converters needed the presence of batteries because they were part of converter regulation but I think that the PD units will provide converter output even with the batteries disconnected.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by booster

That's interesting about the lights because the PD manual online says there will be a button to change stage and and indicator that flashes code as to what stage it is running in through the internal Charge Wizard.

That button is on the Charge Wizard or the Pendant.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by booster

Wouldn't that be the other way around? Power from transfer switch goes to panel, then a breaker, then to outlet, then to PD that is plugged into the outlet or wired directly into a box.

I don't think we're in disagreement. Either way works but the important thing is that the breaker should be checked. Randy told me that Progressive supplies all of their PD91/92 converters with a standard 120V plug at the end of the input line. They do that to ensure that the input voltage will be 120VAC. In fact, if you return a defective unit to them, they will not warranty it if the installation involved cutting off the plug and hard wiring the unit. Nevertheless, while I certainly haven't seen them all, the PD installations I have seen involve cutting off the plug and hard wiring the input leads to a breaker in the panel and not plugging it into an outlet.

I don't know their current policy, but the last time I talked with Progressive Dynamics they indicated that they would replace any of their converters not covered under warranty for a flat hundred bucks.

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by CleanLivin

What a pilgrimage this has been, and all the help assisted in finding a conclusion.
Thank you!

...

Again, thanks to all!

Yes this group is great... especially those with OCD and pet peeves.



or should I say despite the OCD and pet peeves.

[cruising7388]

Originally Posted by CleanLivin

What a pilgrimage this has been, and all the help assisted in finding a conclusion.
Thank you!

1. The Progressive Dynamics PD9245 is dead. Confirmed it has incoming power but zero DC going to the batteries!

2. Learned: In the Great West Vans, 2012 Legend EX the PD9245 is located behind the electrical control panel, just behind the drivers side seat above the "closet". To actually get access to for checking the input/output you need to remove all of the instrument gauges/controls and you'll see it stuffed back against the side wall of the van.

We could find NO manuals or documentation from the factory package that such a unit was even in the van!

Extended warranty should cover the replacement and then we hope that the "Desulfation" Cycle of the Charge Wizard will bring back to life the 4 Power Surge 6 volt batteries.

Again, thanks to all!

Where was the incoming voltage to the converter measured?

What extended warranty covers this? If you're replacing the converter, I would get a PD9260 or a PD9270. The cost increase is nominal and the dimensions for the 9245 up to the 9270 are identical.

These units come with a cooling fan that needs ventilation in the space its installed but from how you describe its location, is it actually in a sealed space?

Re the desulfation cycle - this mode is designed to strip lead sulfate from the plates while it is in a recently formed pasty state. Once it had hardened into a hard crystal state it resists conversion. There are some devices that address this with high voltage pulses that presumably break down hardened crystal sulfate but there isn't any consensus about how well they work.

[Saldar]

Originally Posted by cruising7388

Nevertheless, while I certainly haven't seen them all, the PD installations I have seen involve cutting off the plug and hard wiring the input leads....

Our 2017.5 Travato has an outlet box under the bed and the PD is plugged in there. You've explained the mystery of why the outlet was added.

Under the other bed a GFI outlet powers the Truma. It has popped out twice, confounding us the first time. (Truma says, confusingly, "no 220 power"-- at least it's not in German.) We have a PI surge protector so I think we're OK.