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domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Yahoo Message Number: 113723
I'm here in Mexico, and a friend here has a 1998 Magna 40' with a
electrical problem.
They just had the domestic batteries and terminals replaced a week ago,
I'm not sure of the reason for that. But based on their issue now, I
think the RV place just assumed bad batteries, and there is likely some
other issue.

Currently,
The 12v domestic power is off, and the domestic 12v batteries were
reading 4.65v (ouch)
When the fuse on the large domestic power connect relay is removed, and
re-inserted, it does activate the relay momentarily, then it shuts off
again (this is while batteries are low).

They have been connected to shore power for several days now. The shore
power is very high, 133v. In my 2000 Allure, my power switch cuts off at
132v, but it does not seem like their power switch is unhappy as they do
have A/C inside, and the inverter panel shows they are connected to A/C.

On my inverter, when the house batteries are low, this is indicated on
the inverter (low/normal/full) lights.
On their inverter panel, it shows full, even though the domestic
batteries are 4.65v. The engine batteries are 12.7v, so I'm assuming
their inverter is reading the engine batteries and not the domestic(?).
So, my thought is that there is some device/breaker between the
inverter/charger and the domestic batteries which is broken or disabled?

Getting any history on the RV and this problem is difficult, the owner
Dan passed away this past year (I met him here last year) and his wife
is here in the RV alone now, and she had a stroke a few years ago which
leaves her minus quite a bit on understanding and conveying what she
does know. Her son drove the RV here a few days ago with her, and has
flown back to the Oregon. They have been coming here for like 20+ years.

We do currently have a 12v battery charger connected to the domestic
batteries, and 12v power is now working inside the RV. My guess is that
this is a short term fix as I'm betting once the external charger is
removed, the batteries will again be fully discharged.

Any thoughts/ideas on what the issue might be would be appreciated.

Wes
2000 CC Allure 36' #40443 (not the vehicle with the problem)
Currently in Mexico
Wes Owens
2000 CC Allure 36' #30443
Full time, western US summer, Mexico 6 months over winter.

Re: domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 113725
Wes,
Are you in San Miguel De Allende by any chance?
Michael Title
05 Inspire 51381

Re: domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 113728
Nope, in Kino Bay, Sonora.
Wes Owens
2000 CC Allure 36' #30443
Full time, western US summer, Mexico 6 months over winter.

Re: domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 113729
If this occurred right after the batteries were replaced I would be suspicious that someone wired something wrong. The only other thing I can think of without having hands on is the surge protector is preventing power from going to the inverter charger since the voltage is too high.

Rich 2002 Magna

Re: domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 113730
I would make sure that all cables were reinstalled. Had friend that had batteries replaced and one cable dropped behind the battery bank and did not get hooked up and it caused the same symptoms as you relate.

With the high voltage at the pedestal, try using a electrical heater plugged into the ped to lower the voltage. Kino is noted for high voltage.

Don
'02 Intrigue 11427
'02 Intrigue #11427

Re: domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 113731
Check the inline fuses for the coaches battery chargers one for house one for the chassis. Once the batteries seem charged up check each battery and each cell. New batteries can go bad too. One bad battery can cause a lot of problems. Make sure they wired the batteries right.
Make sure external power coming into the coach is good. Hope it's something simple.

Alex Ritchey 2000 CC Affinity B&B 42'.

Re: domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Reply #6 –
Yahoo Message Number: 113733
First: I"m no great electrical expert.... but..... The batteries are probably so depleted that the circuit breaker won't connect. If you can charge the batteries above 11VDC or so, the breaker may hold. See what the amps are across the breaker when its pressed in, could it be the breaker itself shorting out? The 12v and 120v systems are independent. the only connection is via the charger. To troubleshoot. Put an electrical tester on the battery leads and see if there is a discharge with all switches including the salesman switch off (salesman switch is the one just inside the front door) That will tell you if there is a short or drain somewhere. Hopefully the batteries aren't too depleted to hold a charge. For some reason the charger isn't working - it could be because the power is too high at 133vac or because it died.

I would work the problem by process of elimination. Isolate the 12v system, shut it completely off/down, try and charge the batteries, test batteries for discharge/draw with system shut down, if there's a discharge, try and isolate where its coming from. You may need to disconnect the batteries from the coach, charge them and then don't use them until you find the source of the discharge.

I will keep my opinion about a son dropping his mom off in Mexico and then flying back to OR to myself, other than to say that when my parents were aging it was always a goal to manage expectations so that a small crisis didn't immediately turn into a large disaster.

Jim and Jona Seifert

2007 Country Coach Intrigue Ovation 530 42'
Coach #12150
525 Cat C13 Allison 6spd
Toads: 2014 Ford F150 / 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser w/ REMCO DS Disconnect.
Airforce 1 Brake system
Blue Ox Aventa II Towbar

Jim and Jona Seifert
2007 Intrigue 530

Re: domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Reply #7 –
Yahoo Message Number: 113734
Good point on the extreme low state of the batteries. You may need to use an external charger to bring the batteries up to normal state before anything further can be done. Exception would be physical checks including cabling and the big DC fuse.

Ray

Sent via the Samsung GALAXY S® 5, an AT&T 4G LTE smartphone

Re: domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Reply #8 –
Yahoo Message Number: 113751
I would first verify that all cables are connected properly then fully charge the batteries with an external charger the using a tester to check the charge of each cell. If that tests good and the batteries discharge at a normal rate after normal load is put on the batteries and are not recharged by shore power then charging system should be checked. Check the voltage reading across the input to the batteries to see if you are getting charging voltage. Has the charge solenoid been checked? Good luck and one additional comment, that mother is so lucky to have a son who will drive her there to be with her friends! We should all be so lucky in our old age!

Ray
2000 Intrigue 11040

Re: domestic batteries not charging while on shore power

Reply #9 –
Yahoo Message Number: 113755
Another Country Coach that was in a campground I was in had what sounds like a similar problem. Not charging the house batteries when on shore power. Turned out there was a breaker or switch on the actual inverter (can't remember whether it was a push button or flip-switch) that just needed to be reset. I think it was an 2005-ish Inspire with a Zantrex inverter / charger but not certain about that since it was not my coach. I was just the technician.

Orlan

2007 Magna 6736