(SOLVED) Class C batteries going dead plugged in to 30amp

[dcheatwood]

Update. Rv tech confirmed converter (progressive 4000 series) is faulty. It sometimes charges at 12.2v but no higher. Usually much lower. Should be at 13.6v. so we have one ordered.

[Wes Tausend]

Thanks, dc.

Wes

[dcheatwood]

Man I have been dreading this update.
As it turns out, We (tech and I) found a positive cable laying in the bottom of the battery box, not connected. It had a auto reset breaker on it. Somehow I missed putting it back on when I replaced the bad batteries. There are several positive cables connected and I just missed this one. Long story short, tech said to watch and monitor the charge for a few days and see what happens. He ordered a converter just in case.
I immediately heard the converter fan kick on. It hadn't been running. And over night the batteries were charged up and reading 13.2 with converter on. They haven't run down any more so I'm convinced that my stupid error with the cable was the problem. I am so sorry for all the time you guys put in to helping me troubleshoot this. But at least now I know I wasn't crazy with all the odd readings I was getting.
So, I called the tech and told him to cancel converter. He agreed, after I told him the battery charge, that it wasn't needed. I feel like a 63 year old dummy, but a dummy with a lot of forum friends here. Thanks again. BTW, if any of you ever need help working on your electrical/charging system, I'll be glad to help. ;-)

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

Man I have been dreading this update.
As it turns out, We (tech and I) found a positive cable laying in the bottom of the battery box, not connected. It had a auto reset breaker on it. Somehow I missed putting it back on when I replaced the bad batteries. There are several positive cables connected and I just missed this one. Long story short, tech said to watch and monitor the charge for a few days and see what happens. He ordered a converter just in case.
I immediately heard the converter fan kick on. It hadn't been running. And over night the batteries were charged up and reading 13.2 with converter on. They haven't run down any more so I'm convinced that my stupid error with the cable was the problem. I am so sorry for all the time you guys put in to helping me troubleshoot this. But at least now I know I wasn't crazy with all the odd readings I was getting.
So, I called the tech and told him to cancel converter. He agreed, after I told him the battery charge, that it wasn't needed. I feel like a 63 year old dummy, but a dummy with a lot of forum friends here. Thanks again. BTW, if any of you ever need help working on your electrical/charging system, I'll be glad to help. ;-)

Good to hear it was all solved, Dave. Hope you won't mind, but I am going to take the hindsight opportunity to state again that is a good practice to take photos (with your cellphone if you have one with a camera) before removing any wiring. This always helps when reinstalling things like batteries, etc.


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ts-157524.html


Again, so glad to hear you got it fixed.

[dcheatwood]

Yeah. I did that. Had two great pictures. Just didn't use them to verify my hookup after the fact. Did I mention I was feeling stupid about this? [emoji2957]

Originally Posted by wmtire

Good to hear it was all solved, Dave. Hope you won't mind, but I am going to take the hindsight opportunity to state again that is a good practice to take photos (with your cellphone if you have one with a camera) before removing any wiring. This always helps when reinstalling things like batteries, etc.


https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ts-157524.html


Again, so glad to hear you got it fixed.

[PDFOR3]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

Yeah. I did that. Had two great pictures. Just didn't use them to verify my hookup after the fact. Did I mention I was feeling stupid about this? [emoji2957]

From one Louisiana guy to another, don't beat yourself up. Glad you solved it!

[camaraderie]

It happens! None of us are laughing.....






:roflb lack:

[rk06382]

[Celticrider]

Probably not all that uncommon, happened to me this year after a few boats and motorhomes with multiple batteries, and never an issue, I forgot a cable this year to one battery. After multiple attempts to find why I had no 12v power without being plugged in or using the generator, using my volt meter, and pulling the disconnect out and apart, I found the cable that I forgot to hook up. However after I hooked it up , still no 12v.
I was at that point getting baffled and frustrated.
I then found a post on a trailer that had a similar issue, it ended up being a little cirquit breaker with a reset button tripped by the batteries.
Hard to find, even harder to find the little button.
Not sure if it tripped while the cable was off? No problems since.

[KyDan]

We love a happy ending!

[Wes Tausend]

...

Thanks for the update.

Don't feel too bad, Dave. Almost all of my problems have been due to something I did, or didn't do... and I'll certainly do it at least a few times again before my demise. To err is human.

I admire your having the courage to offer this detailed perspective because that is the core of what makes it so worthwhile to read of the trials and tribulations of those that have gone before us.

In other words did "this darn thing" happen to anyone before?
YES
Been there, done that.

Cheers,
Wes

[NXR]

I was taught these Rules of Troubleshooting very early in my career and they have served me very well for half a century, regardless of the industry I was working in.

1. You can't fix it if it's not broke.

That means that if all of your testing shows the thing is OK, believe in yourself. Look elsewhere.

2. If you mess with it long enough, you will break it.

Kind of self-explanatory.

3. If it's broke, go find who messed with it last.

Sound familiar? Yeah, it's usually this one...

4. Unless you have overwhelming evidence to the contrary, NEVER assume that more that one defect exists.

As soon as you start down the "Well, if this was this way and that was that way then..." you are hopelessly lost.

An example of overwhelming evidence would be a lightning strike that toasted a bunch of stuff.

Ray

[dcheatwood]

Love this.

Originally Posted by NXR

I was taught these Rules of Troubleshooting very early in my career and they have served me very well for half a century, regardless of the industry I was working in.

1. You can't fix it if it's not broke.

That means that if all of your testing shows the thing is OK, believe in yourself. Look elsewhere.

2. If you mess with it long enough, you will break it.

Kind of self-explanatory.

3. If it's broke, go find who messed with it last.

Sound familiar? Yeah, it's usually this one...

4. Unless you have overwhelming evidence to the contrary, NEVER assume that more that one defect exists.

As soon as you start down the "Well, if this was this way and that was that way then..." you are hopelessly lost.

An example of overwhelming evidence would be a lightning strike that toasted a bunch of stuff.

Ray

[PhilFromMaine]

Even experts make stupid mistakes. The hard part is owning up to them. Thanks for the feed back. You get an A+ for honesty.

[NXR]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

Love this.

How I learned those:

I was working for a two-way radio shop in the 1970's and a customer complained that one vehicle had significantly less range to their base station than all other vehicles.

The radio and the installation in the vehicle checked out perfectly but I continued to test and prod because the customer was insistent it was that vehicle only.

The Company's Chief Engineer wandered over and asked what was going on. I told him. He looked a few things over and taught me those rules.

He then called the customer and explained that, once again, we found nothing wrong and he thought we should check their base station. The customer was adamant that it had to be that vehicle because all others were OK. Our Chief Engineer said we would send a tech out to give his base station a checkup and if nothing was found wrong there was no charge and the customer got a free checkup. The customer was fine with that.

The base station tech arrives and finds that the antenna SWR, an indication of the health of the antenna and the antenna cable, was very, very high. The tower guy came out and found the tower and antenna had taken a lightning strike and fried the cable but the lightning arrestor saved the radio.

The cable and antenna were replaced at the customer's expense and voila, that one vehicle now had its normal range again.

So why did this just affect that one vehicle? It turned out that fellow lived out in the country and thus handled all outlying customers of the business, the ones much further from the base station than everyone else.

So all vehicles in fact were affected but they always were located much closer to the base station so the reduced range did not affect their performance.

Lesson Learned.

Ray

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

We (tech and I) found a positive cable laying in the bottom of the battery box, not connected. It had a auto reset breaker on it. Somehow I missed putting it back on when I replaced the bad batteries. There are several positive cables connected and I just missed this one.

First off, glad you found the issue. Don't feel bad as you have lots of company in this kind of problem. There are two kinds of people, those that have made this mistake and those that will make it sometime in the future.


I hate to make multiple connections to batteries whenever possible. I've installed "Bus Bar's" for both Positive and Negative connections that would be normally connected to battery posts. Then only ONE large wire connecting the batteries to the Bus Bar's.

When time to remove batteries either for storage or replacement that means only one connection to disconnect/connect at the batteries (plus any extra cables connecting batteries in parallel or series as required.

Not only simplifies things, it also cuts down on the "spaghetti bowl" or wires that sometimes exists near the wires.

These are the ones I use:


If course some room will be required for their installation. If not in the battery area, perhaps in a compartment next to the batteries. Each situation will be different.

[dcheatwood]

Great idea. That'll be part of next battery replacement. Thanks.

Originally Posted by TitanMike

First off, glad you found the issue. Don't feel bad as you have lots of company in this kind of problem. There are two kinds of people, those that have made this mistake and those that will make it sometime in the future.


I hate to make multiple connections to batteries whenever possible. I've installed "Bus Bar's" for both Positive and Negative connections that would be normally connected to battery posts. Then only ONE large wire connecting the batteries to the Bus Bar's.

When time to remove batteries either for storage or replacement that means only one connection to disconnect/connect at the batteries (plus any extra cables connecting batteries in parallel or series as required.

Not only simplifies things, it also cuts down on the "spaghetti bowl" or wires that sometimes exists near the wires.

These are the ones I use:


If course some room will be required for their installation. If not in the battery area, perhaps in a compartment next to the batteries. Each situation will be different.