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09-21-2021, 10:41 AM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 3
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Blew something and now my 12volt batteries won't charge
I'm newly registered to the forum although I've looked at it several times.
I have a 2015 Forest River 2503s bought in 2017 to experience the great outdoors. In the last four years have gone on many short trips but recently went for 21 days.
I bought a 50 amp adapter plug not realizing my system is designed for 30 amps. We had virtually every plug in use with all sorts of conveniences when we heard a loud pop in the fuse panel / power center. Since then the 12 volt batteries go dead at the site and I have to plug into my truck. What blew? Inverter,converter? What do I need to fix it?
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09-21-2021, 10:47 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Posts: 597
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Sounds like you blew your convertor, by the way, you can use a 50 amp to 30 amp plug adaptor on your 30 amp camper, it only uses one side of the 50 amp plug. Until you get it fixed go buy a battery charger and extension cord from Walmart and charge your batteries that way.
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09-21-2021, 10:49 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 362
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When you are connected to shore power what is the voltage across the battery?
Probably convertor went.
Using a 50A adapter to plug in a 30A load shouldn't cause a problem.
I assume you don't have an EMS?
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Tow vehicle 2021 F-250
TT Apex 256BHS
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09-21-2021, 11:29 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 3
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Thanks for the input on the converter.
Can I just replace that(silver box?)or the whole panel that it is attached to. We looked on Amazon and you can buy everything for less than 200.00 then either swap out just the converter and save the rest or replace it all..
Which would you recommend?
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09-21-2021, 11:33 AM
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#5
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Always Learning
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Four Corners, FL
Posts: 21,888
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Typically you can just replace just the silver box. They're often very easy to do- usually getting to it sucks, but the actual replacement isn't hard.
Do you have the make & model of your current one?
__________________
Officially a SOB with a 2022 Jayco Precept 36C
Checkout my site for RVing tips, tricks, and info | Was a Fulltime Family for 5 years, now we're part-timing on long trips
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09-21-2021, 11:33 AM
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#6
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Part-Time Campground Host
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,179
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If it is the converter (and I'm guessing it is) get a good one. These Progressive Dynamics are probably the best. They come in different sizes (amps), so get one the same or a little bigger than what you have now.
https://www.progressivedyn.com/power-converters-2/
You only have to replace the "metal box" unless you melted some wires or plugs on the fuse panel. These things are really plug and play, easy job.
https://www.amazon.com/Progressive-D...%2C253&sr=8-20
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Craig & Cath
2018 2902WS Rockwood Ultra Lite (with tons of Mods)
2022 F250 Lariat Super Cab, 7.3 gas w/10 Spd Xmsn
Equalizer Hitch w/4-Point Sway Control
Days camped since 2015(retirement): 1651
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09-21-2021, 11:35 AM
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#7
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Part-Time Campground Host
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,179
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ependydad
Typically you can just replace just the silver box. They're often very easy to do- usually getting to it sucks, but the actual replacement isn't hard.
Do you have the make & model of your current one?
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LOL....you beat me by seconds...
__________________
Craig & Cath
2018 2902WS Rockwood Ultra Lite (with tons of Mods)
2022 F250 Lariat Super Cab, 7.3 gas w/10 Spd Xmsn
Equalizer Hitch w/4-Point Sway Control
Days camped since 2015(retirement): 1651
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09-21-2021, 01:42 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Ontario, California
Posts: 2,144
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willsdad
Thanks for the input on the converter.
Can I just replace that(silver box?)or the whole panel that it is attached to. We looked on Amazon and you can buy everything for less than 200.00 then either swap out just the converter and save the rest or replace it all..
Which would you recommend?
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Be sure to check the two big fuses normally 40 amp sitting side by side next to the rest of the 12-volt fuses in the panel. Those are the reverse polarity fuses for the converter charger and can blow both from reverse polarity as well as from large surges.
I blew mine from a surge one day and because I charged with solar normally didn't even realize it until months later. The guy we sold the trailer to called me 2 weeks after he bought it and he had blown them. He also blew the circuit breaker under the A-frame tongue. Found Usually between the battery the house it's a protective fuse or circuit breaker and it is normally hidden along the
A frame rails or behind the crossmember in the front of the coach. That shouldn't affect whether or not the converter produces power but it is a breaker that will blow sometimes with power surges and prevent power from going to the batteries or coming from them.
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09-21-2021, 01:49 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,846
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I would check the voltage directly out of the converter where it goes into the DC fuse panel before you replace the converter.
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09-21-2021, 03:40 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Sep 2021
Posts: 3
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Thanks. A retired electrician at the campsite came over and tested and isolated the converter box . 12. Something coming in, 0 going out..
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09-21-2021, 03:46 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 672
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What about the fuses on the converter? Usually have two. Just a thought before you spend all that cash.
__________________
Retired Auto body teacher
2021 Arctic Wolf 3550 Suite
2019 F-250 Lariat Super Crew 6.2
Having lots of Fun traveling with my wife
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09-21-2021, 04:26 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Ogdensburg NY
Posts: 91
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Just replaced the converter on mine four screws and five wires. 15 minutes tops. Ordered it through Amazon. Saved $100 off the quoted price from the dealer.
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09-21-2021, 04:27 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Ogdensburg NY
Posts: 91
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Should be 13.6 going out.
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09-21-2021, 06:31 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 222
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I don't have plans to go to LI batteries anytime soon, but if I had to replace my converter I'd be asking y'all if there was any harm in upgrading the converter to one that's LI capable while I was at it.
Something for the OP to consider if that happens to be a good idea.
__________________
2015 Wildcat Maxx 28' pushing a 2020 F350 6.7L
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09-21-2021, 06:47 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: North of Seattle, WA
Posts: 17,263
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RStormC
Should be 13.6 going out.
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If the R/P fuses aren't blown.
These need to be CHECKED before any plans are made to replace.
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"A wise man can change his mind. A fool never will." (Japanese Proverb)
"You only grow old when you run out of new things to do"
2018 Flagstaff Micro Lite 25BDS
2023 f-150 SCREW XLT 3.5 Ecoboost (The result of a $68,000 oil change )
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09-21-2021, 10:55 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 9,097
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A 'pop' usually means that a fuse has blown. Finding it might be a challenge though. A 50 to 30 amp adapter wouldn't cause this problem. If you don't have a surge protector on the power cord, a reverse polarity in the power pole could have caused this problem and blown a fuse to protect the rig. The cheap short term solution would be to do as suggested and buy a battery charger that you could probably plug into the 110 outlet on the post.. using an extension cord.
I'm curious, since only certain things run off the battery, do the appliances work when you plug into the campground electric?
__________________
2015 Dynamax REV 24TB class C
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09-21-2021, 11:18 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,846
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird
A 'pop' usually means that a fuse has blown.
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Well....a pop that is not accompanied by smoke and acrid metal burning smell is usually blown fuse.....smoke and acrid odor would mean more than a fuse.
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09-21-2021, 11:52 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: TEXAS
Posts: 9,097
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NavyLCDR
Well....a pop that is not accompanied by smoke and acrid metal burning smell is usually blown fuse.....smoke and acrid odor would mean more than a fuse.
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True, but I don't think he said.
I'm still wondering if the whole rig is dead or just things that operate on the battery.
__________________
2015 Dynamax REV 24TB class C
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09-22-2021, 04:11 AM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 60
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Reverse_snowbird
A 'pop' usually means that a fuse has blown. Finding it might be a challenge though. A 50 to 30 amp adapter wouldn't cause this problem. If you don't have a surge protector on the power cord, a reverse polarity in the power pole could have caused this problem and blown a fuse to protect the rig. The cheap short term solution would be to do as suggested and buy a battery charger that you could probably plug into the 110 outlet on the post.. using an extension cord.
I'm curious, since only certain things run off the battery, do the appliances work when you plug into the campground electric?
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Just curious, what does reverse polarity mean with respect to alternating current?
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2011 Georgetown 378TS
CQ de K4GVO
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09-22-2021, 05:11 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 318
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We just finished helping a relative repair his converter. It blew the fuse and two capacitors on his wfco 8955pec. It also blew the GFCI outlet, the refrigerator 5A ac fuse and heating element. All this due to campground maint mis-wiring the pedestal so he got 240vac to his camper.
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2020 Rockwood UltraLite 2608BS
2017 F250
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