battery control center - sdc-107a

qccltd · 03-28-2011, 03:32 PM

We have a 2007 georgetown 350dsse, last week I installed two six volt batteries because the last two 12 volt kept going dead, after installation everything worked great, three days later we were going to go camping and the batteries were dead. I pluged into shore power (15)amp nothing. I started the motorhome they began charging. Got to the campground pluged into 50amp also began charging, during the night, the solonoid began clicking off and on. when we got home I checked the voltage 12.9 in two minutes it drained to 5.9. The next morning 3.2 when I disconnected the teminals it was 7.66. Forest River says it's the battery control center $349.00, just hate to spend that if it's not the problem. Any suggestions?

mbtelguy · 03-28-2011, 05:32 PM

The following BCC attachment was posted some time ago. Maybe it will help you.

qccltd · 03-28-2011, 08:21 PM

Thanks MBTELGUY, I recieved that one plus a schematic, also someone said just the board may be replaced but I don't know if Forest River sells them or the whole box.

jimh · 03-28-2011, 09:01 PM

what would happen if u charged the battery and disconnected the converter/charger from the bat? meaning disconnect the dc wires from the converter. would the batteries drain?
i would try and prove that there isn't something else dragging the bat down.

i'm toying with the idea that the converter could have an internal problem.

qccltd · 03-29-2011, 08:10 AM

jimh, I charged the batteries yesterday and disconnected them, I have to go out of town this morning when I get back I'll try that. Thanks for the input

jimh · 03-29-2011, 09:37 AM

u said the reason u went to two 6 volt bat was because the bat wouldn't last very long. did all work ok before u changed them (would charge ok and not drain when not in use)?
i generally tend to look at the last thing i did very carefully. see if clearances are ok with the new bat. if there is a dimension change, something may be touching that shouldn't be when it is all back together.

i'm not going to pretend that i know abt ur electrical system. from looking at the block diagram that mbtelguy posted, it appears the controller is there to keep the viehicle electrical system from being dragged down. it may be doing what it is designed to do.

qccltd · 03-29-2011, 12:22 PM

jimh , I switched to 2 six volts because motorhome magizine says it's much better than 1 12v. the 12v that originally came with the unit looked used last year my son gave me a good? 12v deep cycle and after sitting a mounth or two they needed charged. this problem of discharging in two minutes only began with the 6v. forest river recommended taking the 2 6v out? & put 1 12v back in (after paying for 2 6v I think not) I'm even wondering if the batteries were wired right the first time. red-pos/black-neg 2 fused 14ga-pos and 1 14ga green-neg. also can't find where to purchase circuit board seperatly. thanks again

jimh · 03-29-2011, 05:19 PM

another thought. try charging the two 6v bats then disconnecting them from the trailer. one of them could be bad and dragging them both down. sense they are in series, u shouldn't have to disconnect between them.
the fact that it worked for 3 days points to something other the bat to me.
that controller may have problems but sense it doesn't actually charge the bat, i'm leaning away form it.
my truck behaves like that when one of the batteries goes bad.

mbtelguy · 03-29-2011, 07:26 PM

Hi ! I'm sorry but I forgot I had this attached schematic, which may help you
localize the problem. If you have already determined where the trouble is
ingnore the following suggestions.

First is the battery connect light on when your Motorhome is not connected to shore power ?
If it is not, the battery will not receive a charge from the converter.
After charging the battery operate the disconnect switch and disconnect from shore power confirm that the battery light goes out and see what happens to battery charge.

Second, you seem to indicate that the battery is discharging to a rather low voltage in a matter of minutes, True ?
If true maybe disconnect the hydraulic pump and step battery feeds. See circle/arrows I added to the attached schematic

The last thing you may want to try is to charge batteries and then disconnect the converter see the other circle/arrow I added to scematic.

mbtelguy · 03-29-2011, 07:31 PM

Sorry I should have included LP detector in my suggestions.

I wish you the best.

Gary

qccltd · 03-31-2011, 03:20 PM

Gentlemen, I would like to thank you all for your help, after talking with so many people and loseing sleep over this problem I took three steps back and thought about what jimh said, I really didn't have this problem till I changed the batteries. Turns out after charging them twice they read 12.7 volts but when under a load they died found this out when I tried to put the slides out. They're Energizers from Sams club I put the same brand in my 5500 gmc & they work great, I guess you can always get some bad ones. Once again thank you all.

King Racing · 04-07-2011, 10:10 AM

Hi Guys

I seem to be having the same issue on my 2006 Georgetown. I just spend big buck on a new Intellapower but did not solve the issue. Now I am trying to diagnose the SDC-107A. I currently have no power at F-1 ~ F-5.
Any advice would be great.

King Racing · 04-07-2011, 10:17 AM

After further review I see that those come from the Chassis system and I am not having problems there.
What is also does that it didn't before, it will not run the 12v lights with the battery disconnect off.
I don't think the voltage from the converter is reaching the batteries and I cannot find a fusable link anywhere

King Racing · 04-07-2011, 12:37 PM

One last update that might make since to someone. For some reason while I was checking voltage with battery's off and battery's one all of a sudden something in the battery disconnect reset. Everything is working fine now.

BoiseMike · 04-11-2011, 12:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mbtelguy

Hi ! I'm sorry but I forgot I had this attached schematic, which may help you
localize the problem. If you have already determined where the trouble is
ingnore the following suggestions.

I have a slightly different problem... but this diagram was exactly what I needed. Thank you!!!!

I am replacing my two dead 12 volt "car" batteries that supplied the coach, with two true deep cycle 6 volt batteries. Having a background in electronics, I figured simple DC setup, and I pulled all the cables off(some where in bad shape). Funny thing is... I have one more red cable then should be there!?!?!?! Worse part is, I didn't draw or take a picture before disconnecting everything!

All I can figure... there was a doubled up connection from Lug 3 to the Coach batteries. Will try tomorrow night and see if everything still works.

starburst2 · 04-12-2011, 08:10 PM

It is very difficult for forum members to guess what might be the problem but from what I read it sounds as though there is either a charging problem or a short that is draining the batteries. There should be two cables in the battery storage bay, one connecting to the chassis ground, normally black, and one cable connecting to the battery control center, normally red. First I would disconnect both these cables from the battery bank. Next I would take a separate automotive battery charger, a "smart" charger is best, then connect the charger to the battery bank. Charge the batteries until your smart charger indicates the batteries are 100% full. This should take many hours especially if they are "dead". Now leave the batteries disconnected from the coach and from the charger for a day. With a digital multimeter check to see if the voltage is still 12.6 DC Volts. If so then the batteries are probably okay and the problem is some load draining them when they are hooked to the coach. I don,t want to sound condescending but the two 6 volt batteries should be hooked as follows. With adequate cable connect the positive(+) post of one 6 volt battery to the negative (-) post of the other 6 volt battery. By hooking these two batteries in series you now realistically have one large 12 volt battery. This leaves one pos (+) post that will be available to be connected to the BCC after you have finished the testing process and the remaining unused neg(-) post that will ultimately be connected to the chassis ground. Once you are satisfied that the problem is not the batteries themselves you can reconnect them to the coach and regularily check the voltage readings with your multimeter. It should take several days not minutes to drain a 220 Amp Hour battery bank with the normal parasitic loads. If it only takes a few hours to drain the batteries it is likely there is a huge phantom load draining the battery bank
By now you will have determined whether the problem is one of inadequate charging capability or, batteries that are disfunctional and need replacing or whether there is a short somewhere draining the batteries.
Under normal circumstances you should not get readings of less than 10.5 VDC on 12 volt batteries. a reading of 10.5VDC usullay indicates the batteries are completely discharged.
There are lots of good ideas put forward by the other posters as well. I would not rush out to buy a new BCC before I had determined that these other possible issues were not to blame.
Just my opinion.
There is some great information on the "net" regardiing RV electrical systems. Google Phred's Poop Sheets and you will find much valuable information for tracking down your problem.
Lloyd

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