Battery drained and not recharging?

[kookyinutah]

Originally Posted by herk7769

No but it could be bad or have a corroded connection.
Remove the wires and lightly sand the terminals and wire brush the threads of the current limiter.

Be sure there is no bump on the sides to press. It may be an auto reset type.

Hook up the side going from the converter to the fuse. DO NOT hook up the battery yet.

See if you have 13 volts or higher at the terminal.
If you don't you have a converter problem.

See if you have 13 volts on the other terminal without the battery wire on it. If not you have a bad fuse.

If you have 13 volts on the battery side; hook up the battery wire.

Check the voltage on that terminal again. If the voltage drops to a lot less than 13 volts then you have a bad battery.

Even though "new" a dead battery WILL freeze; cracking the lead wafer plates that make up the cells.

So here it is...

Cleaned up the fuse box as it was a bit rusty - tried to test on the side from converter but didn't know where to touch the black -ve stick of my volt meter to close the circuit (embarrassing, yes!) - so didn't get a reading.

But then read this article, see paragraph 3: Repairing Magnatek RV Power Converter

On the fuse box I tested the positive red cable (on right) with the negative white cable (on right). See the pic called side fuse box. NO READING! So I think it is dead...



There were reading but a negative ones of -13V if I went from RED to BLUE (top centre of pic) or WHITE to BLUE. Not sure what that means?

I have also attached a pic of the whole fuse box and converter. It was quite hot in the convertor space at the bottom and the fan was not running.



If I do need to replace, what would the cost be and best place to go...all I know of is Good Sam's?

[Herk7769]

On the fuse box I tested the positive red cable (on right) with the negative white cable (on right). See the pic called side fuse box. NO READING! So I think it is dead...

Just so I am clear. Your battery was disconnected (removed) when you did this and the shore power was plugged in right?

I did mention a dead battery will SHUTDOWN the converter...

There were reading but a negative ones of -13V if I went from RED to BLUE (top centre of pic) or WHITE to BLUE. Not sure what that means?

Your probes are reversed. or your battery is hooked up backwards.
If your battery is hooked up backwards you have (at a minimum) blown the 2 40 amp orange fuse that attempt to protect the converter from a reversed connection.

I have also attached a pic of the whole fuse box and converter. It was quite hot in the converter space at the bottom and the fan was not running.

A bad fan can overheat the converter and cause it to shut down. REMOVE the battery (I think I mentioned that somewhere) and the shore power. Let the converter cool down and check for voltage at the red and white wires. Red should go to your meter's positive red lead and white to your meter's black negative lead. Make sure you are on the correct DC range (25 volts normally). If you get 13 volts or more after it cools down you may need to get a new fan or have your converter repaired or replaced).

[kookyinutah]

The battery was disconnected when I checked the inside and outside. The inside was the RED & WHITE wires on the board in the picture I posted - no volts with meter at DC 20V.

The outside, the little fuse box...didn't know where to put the black lead, so no reading. Battery was disconnected on that fuse.

Battery is definitely not connected backwards.

Reverse reading was obtained by putting red lead on the RED (battery +ve) or WHITE (battery -ve) wire and the black lead on the BLUE wire (top centre in the picture)

Just tested on the inside again when the converter is cool & battery still disconnected.

Same results...

Red lead on RED wire & black lead on WHITE wire = 0 volts (DV 20v)

Red lead on BLUE wire & black lead on RED or WHITE wire = +13v (DV 20v)

[TURBS]

if you defiantly deem it bad consider a progressive dynamics .
also you can replace "just" the converter and not the whole panel .

[Herk7769]

Before the converter output voltage can be checked, it is necessary to disconnect both DC output wires from the converter.

Use a 5/16 hex driver to disconnect the wires. Cover each wire with electrical tape to prevent shorts. Plug the converter into a 120 VAC source.

Using a voltmeter, check the converter output voltage.

Place the Positive + (red) probe in the POS + output (red) and place the Negative- (black) test probe into the NEG- (black) output terminal of converter.

Be sure you have good connections at the terminals. If the voltage reads 13.6 Vdc (+/- 0.2 volts), the converter is functioning properly.

If the converter output voltage reads in the 13.6 Vdc range and the battery is not charging, check for:

- an open inline fuse in the battery wire (if provided)

- an open wire between the converter and the RV battery

- loose ground

- improper torques

If the converter fuses and AC voltage are good, but the converter output still reads zero volts, the converter is not functioning properly.

Contact Cheng USA, Inc. Tech Support at 1 (877) 294-8997.

You need to call them. The Blue wire is the output from the voltage converter and should be providing current to the charger circuits.

Did you meter BOTH orange 40 amp fuses? They may be hard to check visually. Remove them and using the Ohms setting make sure they are both good.

The Blue wire in your photo is the output wire from the converter and it is "good" so the problem is on the fuse board.

Can you check to see if there is 13 volts at the blue fuses?

[kookyinutah]

Ok, some crucial information - this is my convertor --> Magnetek 6300a model 6345.

It does not have a nice casing and plug into a socket, in this picture it is the whole bottom area. Looks like a hobbyist built it.



So I just searched some progressive dynamics converter and they looks like a nice plug & play device! Time for an upgrade, just need to find one that will work...

[Herk7769]

Here is the manual for your converter. Still reading it.

I suspect the converter is OK because the output on the converter (the blue wire) has the proper voltage on it.

[Herk7769]

OK, I think I have my head around this. First off that is a GREAT manual.

That white "block looking thing" I believe is a relay and there should be an inline fuse between the charging circuits and the fuse board.

The manual also has test points for your meter.

It seems to indicate the relay is the problem.

[kookyinutah]

I did the test of the C to D (0v) and blue to D (13.2v), so looks to be the relay. To be sure it was not a dead battery, I have charged the battery back to full strength and the test does not equal each other. So no good...

Looking at the age of the converter I think the time has come to replace it...so going to look for a suitable replacement to enable a quick charge of my marine battery. Looking out for the recommended progressive dynamics!

Tks for all the help, especially herk7769!