Batteries not Charging when Gen. on or plugged in.

JP4Reel · 11-30-2010, 07:55 PM

I have an 06 Toyhauler Sierra Sport. When plugged into an outlet or when the generator is on, the batteries are not charging. They have in the past, so this has just started occurring. New batteries with a full charge were installed. Had light until the batteries died, then the generator died too. Was camping so the immediate fix was to jump start generator from truck, then hook up a battery charger while the generator was going. Any ideas if this is an inverter problem. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

LadyWindrider · 12-01-2010, 12:00 AM

Sounds like a CONVERTER problem. A converter makes 12 volts DC from 120 volts AC while an inverter does the opposite. Sounds like your CONVERTER is not working, but will need a voltmeter to check battery voltage when plugged in. Not much help I know, but you need a meter to do some checking. Could be the master circuit breaker for the 12 volt has tripped also. With the batteries charged, do you have any lights or 12 volts? Some have found a corroded connection on the breaker. Good Luck.

JP4Reel · 12-01-2010, 12:30 AM

Will check again for a corroded connection. Otherwise they did check with a meter, and checked the breakers, etc. Yes we did have lights and 12 volt operation. Just when the battery died, we no longer did. It just makes sense that it is whatever the thing is called that actually recharges the battery when either plugged in or the generator is running. Thanks for your help. Hoping to solve this before the next trip out, and even more so hoping to not have to spend lots of money so close to Christmas.

Baloo · 12-10-2010, 05:16 PM

I''m having the same issue. When plugged into power all 12V lights nice and bright and check batt condition on monitor panel and shows batt fully charged. Converter working. Unplug, switch to batt and all 12V lights dim, batt condition on monitor panel shows low. Checked for power at batt and very low. All fuses and circuit breakers check ok. Slides and elec. jack don't work on batt pwr. Owners manual says theres a fuse, switch within 18" of battery. I can't find it.

kbrown1075 · 12-10-2010, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baloo

I''m having the same issue. When plugged into power all 12V lights nice and bright and check batt condition on monitor panel and shows batt fully charged. Converter working. Unplug, switch to batt and all 12V lights dim, batt condition on monitor panel shows low. Checked for power at batt and very low. All fuses and circuit breakers check ok. Slides and elec. jack don't work on batt pwr. Owners manual says theres a fuse, switch within 18" of battery. I can't find it.

I would place your multi-meter on the battery posts with the shore power connected. You read around 13.5 Volts DC or greater. If you don't, your attention needs to be directed towards the converter and wiring. Now remove the shore power, check your reading. Should be around 12.1 or greater. If the voltage is lower, disconnect the battery and place an automotive charger on the battery. When the charger shows full, remove the charger and read the voltage, should be 12.1 to 12.5. If it is in the 11VDC range, sounds like you may have a bad battery. If it has passed these tests, hook it back up and watch your multi-meter. If you can see the voltage dropping (a tenth every 10 to 20 seconds) I would replace the battery or at least take it to the auto parts store and let them test it. That is my method to troubleshoot that type of problem. Hope it helps. BTW, I am assuming you have checked to ensure that there is proper water level in the batteries. If the water gets low and the plates are exposed your battery will deteriorate quickly. Good luck.

JP4Reel · 12-10-2010, 07:21 PM

Baloo - We have narrowed it down to needing to replace the 12v part of the converter. We currently have the Parallax 555 Model. It is not much more to replace the whole (12v and AC system), which is the direction we are going. I have ordered the part and am awaiting its arrival. Will post back and let you know how it works.

Hipshot · 12-12-2010, 03:31 PM

I had this same problem Sunday before I left for the gulf coast. I trouble shot the system much as kbrown1075 discribed and found it was the 14 month old Interstate battery. I found and should have known the battery monitor in the TT is only showing battery condition when shore power is OFF.

Baloo · 12-16-2010, 03:41 PM

I've charged the battery, read 12VDC. Installed, hooked up cables and the batt dropped to 10VDC. Hooked up shore pwr. and still reads 10VDC. It's been hooked up now several days with no draw on it, still reads 10VDC.

LadyWindrider · 12-16-2010, 04:02 PM

Unhook the battery one more time. Measure voltage. Go away till tomorrow, and read voltage again. If it has dropped more than one tenth of a volt, you have a bad cell, which is what it sounds like. Time for a battery, maybe?

WeBJammin' · 12-16-2010, 04:02 PM

Baloo,

If you charged up the battery and put a small load on it (say turned on a ceiling light) and the battery immediately drops to 10.5 volts you have a shorted cell in the battey and it will need replaced.

WeBJammin' · 12-16-2010, 04:16 PM

To check the trailer's battery charging system disconnect the shore power plug. Then disconnect the battery cables from the battery. Next connect a volt meter to the battery cables and then plug in the shore power plug. The volt meter should read at least 13.5 volts at the battery cables. If so then the charging system should be good.

Baloo · 12-16-2010, 07:05 PM

I agree however, when plugged into shore power and if converter is reading why doesn't it show 13VDC?

kbrown1075 · 12-18-2010, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baloo

I agree however, when plugged into shore power and if converter is reading why doesn't it show 13VDC?

Check the fuse for the battery charger in the converter panel AFTER you replace the battery. With a dead cell in your old battery, the long, full draw on the charging circuit may have blown the fuse. IMO, if it did blow the fuse, that would be good! There was something wrong and the fuse blew to protect the charger/ converter. That's what it is there for.

WeBJammin' · 12-18-2010, 08:31 AM

To find out if the converter is producing d.c. electricity, disconnect the shore power plug and then disconnect the battery cables. then reconnect the shore power plug. Next try to turn on ceiling lights(they use the 12 volts d.c. from the converter). If the lights come on the converter is working and your trouble is in the cables going from the converter to the battery. If the lights do not come on either you PROBABLY have no power going to the converter (possibly a bad circuit breaker, try turning it off and back on again) or a bad converter which will need to be repaired or replaced. I had a converter go bad while camping once and I am pretty sure that it was due to a voltage spike at the camp ground. Luckily I was able to repair it myself. Afterwards I purchased a surge protector and have not had any trouble since.

**Herk7769** · 12-19-2010, 08:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baloo

I've charged the battery, read 12VDC. Installed, hooked up cables and the batt dropped to 10VDC. Hooked up shore pwr. and still reads 10VDC. It's been hooked up now several days with no draw on it, still reads 10VDC.

Reading 12 volts on a charged battery does not mean the battery is "good." With no load, you should be reading over 13 volts when it is fresh off the charger. As SOON as you put a load on it it should start dropping.

However it should never drop lower than 12.8 or 9 until it is used for a while. If it drops quickly to 11 or so you have a bad battery.

Each cell in a 12 volt Lead Acid battery produces approximately 1.5 volts.
One cracked plate will cause the problem you are having (as well as a converter). Plates crack for a lot of reasons including vibrations from road travel and freezing (being discharged will allow the water to freeze since the acid that would have protected the water is plated onto the battery plates as sulfate).

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