Converter/charging problem

[graywolfkayak]

Hi,

I need some help diagnosing a problem with my RV (2004 PW Excel TS on 2003 Ford E350 chassis) not charging my house battery when on shore power. Also, anything on the 12 volt side (lights, roof fan, etc) are also using the house battery when on shore power.

Converter is a Progressive Dynamics 9140A. When I test it outside of the RV, I get 13.5 volts on the DC side. I bought a 9245C just in case and get the same results when tested on the work bench. When I follow the installation instructions, I get 0 volts on the DC side with both units. Checked the 120 volt breakers and all are good - reset them just in case. No blown fuses on the 12 volt side.

The only thing that I can see that seems out of place is the 80 amp chargeline looks tripped and won't reset. I know that the alternator charges the house battery through this line when the engine is running, but does shore power use this line also? Unfortunately, I do not have a wiring diagram for the RV. I'll try to attach a photo of the "tripped" 80 amp chargeline breaker.

[mkguitar]

does that have the reset under the cover, in the center ?


if it won;t reset either you have a dead short on the output and it is tripping right away


or your breaker is bad





when you test your converter ( 13.5 VDC) do you have a load on it ?
it is possible sometimes when we test that we see correct "volts", but that the current is in milliamps.
running a load on it- even a test light along with your meter will be a better indicator


we had friends visiting in their travel trailer and his converter went bad...I think it was a different brand - it was a "WF something something"
when I got it on the bench it had a number of bad solder joints on the underside of the PC board- some showed themselves from carbon arcing
I resoldered and it's been working fine for him


but I don't think that's your issue since you have same result with 2 different dc converters


his symptom parked was that everything DC ran off his house battery until it was dead while on our shore power. everything AC worked normally





mike

[graywolfkayak]

So, is it possible that shore power uses this line to power the DC side, and recharge the house battery?

[mkguitar]

sorry i have a Lexor...


but I think you need to look at your 30 amp breaker



here's from my manual:


"These three breakers have an 80, 30 and 15-amp capacity. The 80-amp breaker controls the charge line from the chassis alternator to your auxiliary battery through the battery isolator. This charge line charges your auxiliary battery while you are driving. The 30-amp breaker controls the power converter and the 15-amp breaker controls the refrigerator when it’s running on 12-Volts. If you have the electric sofa option, you will have an additional 30-amp breaker. This breaker controls the power to your electric sofa."

[mkguitar]

also on the smaller breakers the reset may be a small tab on the right side - my manual says "red"...but mine are black, and they are tiny- the first time they tripped* I missed them a few times until I lay on the floor with a flashlight




* it is common that if the battery gets run down...that the circuit breakers will trip after the voltage has dropped


a 12 volt 10 amp load on a battery which is discharging.... at 6 volts will pull 20 amps and maybe pop a breaker/fuse





we come along and scratch head and say ooops dead battery...charge it up and then find stuff doesn;t work...it can be those breakers


mike

[graywolfkayak]

Yeah, I've checked those breakers and they're okay. Even swapped the converter one with the power sofa one. No luck.

[mkguitar]

you are sure your have 120 VAC going into the converter ?


is the converter hardwired or use an AC plug and outlet ?


if working there should be an indicator it is working maybe the fan


wiring diagram- yes that would help



Mike

[mkguitar]

more from my Lexor manual:


" There are two 30-amp converter output fuses located behind your converter breaker panel. In order to access these two fuses on the TD model, remove the passenger’s side rear seat cushion and remove the cover panel over top of the converter compartment. On the TS or RD models, access these through the rear entrance door by reaching over the rear centre partition. "


mike

[graywolfkayak]

Found my manual, and it says the same thing about two 30 amp fuses behind the converter breaker panel. But, when I look back there, the only 30 amp fuses are the two on the converter itself - and they're both good.

The converter is a plug in model, and the outlet where it plugs in gives me 120 volts when shore power is plugged in.

Started the engine, and the battery started receiving a charge from the alternator, so that rules out the 80 amp breaker.

The manual has a schematic for the converter, Iota Engineering distribution panel and the transfer switch. Going to review that to look for hidden fuses.

[booster]

If you really do have a transfer switch like the manual states and you haven't confirmed for sure the converter is getting 110v to it, that is where I would start.


A failed transfer switch could prevent the converter from working, easily and fairly commonly.


You need to check the 110v at the converter, installed in the van and see what you have. Also check to see if the outlets in the van have 110v power. From that you can determine if the converter is getting power and if not, where to start looking.


Are you checking the 12v output at the converter or after the panel?

[graywolfkayak]

Originally Posted by booster

If you really do have a transfer switch like the manual states and you haven't confirmed for sure the converter is getting 110v to it, that is where I would start.


A failed transfer switch could prevent the converter from working, easily and fairly commonly.


You need to check the 110v at the converter, installed in the van and see what you have. Also check to see if the outlets in the van have 110v power. From that you can determine if the converter is getting power and if not, where to start looking.


Are you checking the 12v output at the converter or after the panel?

Thanks, I've got some work to do and I appreciate your help.

I checked the 12v output at the converter, and will check the 110v at the converter and the outlets.

Will check the transfer switch too.

Done for the day - hope to get to this tomorrow.

Again, thank you very much.

[graywolfkayak]

This morning I opened the ATS box and jiggled the switch a few times.

Then I fired up the generator and here's what I got: battery still not charging, outlets reading 110 volts, light socket reading 12 volts, converter reading 12 volts.

Turned off the generator and connected shore power and got the results as above.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[mkguitar]

battery is charged and the battery disconnect switch to the on" position ?


Mike

[graywolfkayak]

Originally Posted by mkguitar

battery is charged and the battery disconnect switch to the on" position ?


Mike

Yes, battery is charged. I was about to edit that the voltage on the DC side at converter and in the light socket was the same as the battery: 13 volts, not 12. Just went out to recheck, and it's down to 12.9.

[booster]

Did you get a check of of the 110v to the converter, at the converter?

[graywolfkayak]

Originally Posted by booster

Did you get a check of of the 110v to the converter, at the converter?

Yup, 120 volts.

[mkguitar]

Hi Jack,


i saw you were posting elsewhere.


although mine is an 06 Lexor- there should be commonalities


like yours, my converter ( intelliPower PD9245C) is plugged into an AC outlet.


PW uses white for chassis ground and red for +, black for -


there are 2 x 30 amp fuses on my PD9245 right by the DC terminals



I use the same 30 amp breaker, and my power panel has the AC breakers on the left, then automotive type fuses for the 12 volt


I have a devil of a time posting pics here-- if you need I can post them at the FB group


a comment on the converter- my van has always been in AZ. although the PC is warm, almost hot to touch, it's worked fine in the AZ heat ( 109º today) for all these years. That's pretty good engineering ( knocking on wood)


mike

[booster]

Originally Posted by graywolfkayak

Yup, 120 volts.

It sounds like the converter is either bad or there is a connection issue if the converter works on the bench. A PD will normally give output of 13.5v even without a battery in the circuit as far as I know because they are basically a regulated power supply. With 110v on the input to the converter, you should have 13.5v out, I think.

[graywolfkayak]

Originally Posted by booster

It sounds like the converter is either bad or there is a connection issue if the converter works on the bench. A PD will normally give output of 13.5v even without a battery in the circuit as far as I know because they are basically a regulated power supply. With 110v on the input to the converter, you should have 13.5v out, I think.

Yeah, I get 13.5 on the bench. In the RV I get whatever the current voltage of the battery is.

It's been suggested that, although rare, it could be the battery disconnect (red) key. I'm going to check that out next.

[graywolfkayak]

Originally Posted by mkguitar

Hi Jack,


i saw you were posting elsewhere.


although mine is an 06 Lexor- there should be commonalities


like yours, my converter ( intelliPower PD9245C) is plugged into an AC outlet.


PW uses white for chassis ground and red for +, black for -


there are 2 x 30 amp fuses on my PD9245 right by the DC terminals



I use the same 30 amp breaker, and my power panel has the AC breakers on the left, then automotive type fuses for the 12 volt


I have a devil of a time posting pics here-- if you need I can post them at the FB group


a comment on the converter- my van has always been in AZ. although the PC is warm, almost hot to touch, it's worked fine in the AZ heat ( 109º today) for all these years. That's pretty good engineering ( knocking on wood)


mike

Your setup is pretty much just like mine - no pictures necessary.