Battery bay pictures please

[William Brosam]

So I have just changed my chassis batteries, changed the house batteries 2 months ago and I've been having inverter issues, it will only last 1-2 hours before draining the batteries.

Put in new chassis batteries and I can see it's better but not perfect.  I think one of the major power wires coming from the coach is connected to the chassis batteries and not the house batteries, like they are supposed to be.

Can someone post some photos of your battery bay?

[Joel Ashley]

Not all coaches are wired the same, but I've posted my battery bay before for folks:

[Gary Wolfer]

1998 Patriot 4 6v house batteries and 2 12v chassis batteries. Hope this helps.

[Gerald Farris]

William,
There are a few issues in your original post that need clarification. You said that you are having inverter issues, but your complaint is that your chassis batteries are going dead. First, the inverter should have nothing to do with the chassis batteries. The inverter is supplied only from the house batteries.

Second, are you sure that your inverter is recharging your house batteries properly, and if so, is your Echo Charger functioning properly. All of this needs to be operating properly to prevent the engine ECM (electronic control module) from discharging the chassis batteries.

Gerald

[Les Brandt]

William,
There are a few issues in your original post that need clarification. You said that you are having inverter issues, but your complaint is that your chassis batteries are going dead. First, the inverter should have nothing to do with the chassis batteries. The inverter is supplied only from the house batteries.

Second, are you sure that your inverter is recharging your house batteries properly, and if so, is your Echo Charger functioning properly. All of this needs to be operating properly to prevent the engine ECM (electronic control module) from discharging the chassis batteries.

Gerald

Gerald, I too am noticing a discharge of my chassis batteries. That's even with the switch off.

How do you check the Echo charger to see if it is functioning properly?
My mechanic says the chassis batteries are wired correctly.

[Edward Buker]

Les,

The Echo Charger can only charge when your charger inverter is charging your house battery bank at around 13V. If the house bank is at 13V or more then there is a green light on the Echo Charger that should be on and not blinking. If that is the case then measure the voltage on the 12V chassis batteries and see if it is 13V also. If the green light is blinking or if the chassis battery voltage is not near 13v then something is not working right.

Even with the chassis battery switch off there is several amps of discharge taking place due to the engine ECU remaining powered with the switch off. That is why the proper operation of the Echo Charger must be maintained.

Later Ed

[Les Brandt]

Les,

The Echo Charger can only charge when your charger inverter is charging your house battery bank at around 13V. If the house bank is at 13V or more then there is a green light on the Echo Charger that should be on and not blinking. If that is the case then measure the voltage on the 12V chassis batteries and see if it is 13V also. If the green light is blinking or if the chassis battery voltage is not near 13v then something is not working right.

Even with the chassis battery switch off there is several amps of discharge taking place due to the engine ECU remaining powered with the switch off. That is why the proper operation of the Echo Charger must be maintained.

Later Ed

Thanks Ed.

[William Brosam]

William,
There are a few issues in your original post that need clarification. You said that you are having inverter issues, but your complaint is that your chassis batteries are going dead. First, the inverter should have nothing to do with the chassis batteries. The inverter is supplied only from the house batteries.

Second, are you sure that your inverter is recharging your house batteries properly, and if so, is your Echo Charger functioning properly. All of this needs to be operating properly to prevent the engine ECM (electronic control module) from discharging the chassis batteries.

Gerald

So ive been chasing issues where both battery banks go down at the same time using the inverter, so if i turn on the inverter it will drain chassis and house. i replaced the House batteries with new trojan t-105s, thought that was the issue. well it wasn't

so i have been having two external 20amp battery chargers one set to each bank, to keep the charge up i turn them on ever other day or so.

i came home from some errands and i had set the chargers to 20amp charge to top of the batteries as the interver didn't have enough power to run.

one of the chassis batteries was smoking out of the ports you put water in, evidently it was low on water.  so i un plugged tht battery switched the cut off for the whole bank off went back inside and tried the inverter. it wouldn't turn on.

go back outside and switch the bank on (single chassis battery) and the inverter power up. lasted about 2 hours before going low voltage and the tv shutting off.

so 2 days ago i put two new chassis batteries in thinkign this would solve the problem after speaking with a inverter repair guy, tells me if the heart remote is showing 12volts, and your inverter works with voltage its fine nothing wrong with it, its your batteries. Fair enough i smoked one decided to change them.

so after changing them i have been monitoring the charge and they are not charging to full light for battery life is always yellow not green.

so my thoughts are right now is A the inveter should work with the chassis batteries disconneted, so this tells me that the large cables conneted to the battery banks are somehow not connected to the proper banks.

Hence me asking for some battery bay pics.

i plan to go buy a a tone generator to trace the battery cables back to the inverter so see which one is back wards.

[William Brosam]

here is what my Heart monitor says
 





ill take some better pics of the battery bay ina few mins

[William Brosam]

battery state never goes green, unless i charge the batteries with external chargers.

both battery banks go up if i hook a charger to one bank  but the charger errors out so i hook one up to each bank to get them charged up.

[Gerald Farris]

William,
Is the coach hooked up to shore power? If so, the inverter should keep the batteries charged.

Gerald

[William Brosam]

William,
Is the coach hooked up to shore power? If so, the inverter should keep the batteries charged.

Gerald

yes 50 amp shore power, this is why i thought the inverter was bad, charging doesn't change much if i turn on the inverter or turn it off stays the same as far as i can see at 12volts.
im starting to think the 12volt light is the current voltage not the current charging voltage.

[Gerald Farris]

William,
If you are your batteries run down when you are on 50 amp shore power, your inverter either has the charging function turned off, or it is defective if the shore power current is getting to the inverter.

When on shore power, the inverter has a pass-through circuit that sends the shore power current through the inverter, and therefore the inverter does not function when on shore power. It simply goes to stand-by mode and waits for the shore power to stop before beginning to invert again. It sounds like the pass-through circuit on your inverter is not functioning also.

With the inverter turned off, you should have 120 volts coming into and out of the inverter. The inverter should also be charging the house batteries when on shore power. It sounds like your inverter has two failure issues. Remove all power from the inverter, both 12 volt and 120 volt, for about a minute. Then reconnect the 12 volt followed by the 120 volt power. If nothing changes, you need a new Magnum inverter. Do not waste your money buying another Xantrex inverter.  

Gerald  

[Steve Huber Co-Admin]

William,
How come the 'AC In" light is not illuminated on the CMP panel? If hooked to shore power, shouldn't it be on?
Steve

[Gerald Farris]

William,
Like I said earlier, You should have 120 volts coming into and out of the inverter. Before you condemn the inverter, be sure to check that you have 120 volts coming into it. If the circuit breaker for the inverter in the rear 120 volt breaker box is tripped or defective, you will get the same conditions.

Gerald