Generator Not Charging Battery :-(

SweetlyHome

PXLated,

When not connected to the TV and when plugged into shore power (power post or generator) what does the voltage show at one of the indoor 12 VDC outlets.  Does it rise to over 13 VDC?  I would also suggest disconnecting the wires from the battery and checking the voltage there if you have an appropriate meter and are comfortable with this.  

If the voltage rises indoors and not at the battery the inline fuse at the battery may be blown or have a poor connection.  We had problems with battery voltage indoors but the battery itself measured ok.  Found the inline fuse holder at the battery was all corroded.  Cleaning this fixed the problem.  Note that just because it rises at the battery leads does not necessarily mean there is no corrosion, check for it anyway.  A poor connection, for any reason including corrosion can limit the amps flowing to the battery.

If the voltage does not rise indoors the converter is not working properly.  I don't know the type of converter you have perhaps it has a 120 volt input breaker or fuse that is blown.

Nomad

SweatlyHome - Nothing changes on the inside 12v with either generator or shore power. It does when I have my solar connected or when I have the generator connected directly to the battery or if I have the TV hooked up. Battery connection is nice and clean.
Nothing gets to the battery if connected to the outside (shorepower) AC plug.

mash2

Wow, no battery charger.  When I went for a couple of three month trips, the charger and battery cables turned out to be the most essential  tools.  Not used much, but great when I needed them.  I leave mine under the front seat in the TV (with an extension cord) at this point.  I don't leave home without it.

Nomad

mash2 - Can only carry so much so have the generator to charge - Just have to monitor. When doing this full-time you've got some stuff that a weekender/vacationer/part-timer just wouldn't take along. Choices - Just don't carry stuff that I "might" need but probably won't.

mash2

I certainly understand.  The demands for full time would force me to rethink everything.  I'm lucky... I own a house on the redwood coast so can get away without having to think about full time.  As it stands now, I think I'll always find myself missing the coast and returning no matter the length of the trip.  Back home to recharge at the ocean with lots of really tall trees to hide in.  May up the trip length in the next few years, but can't see cutting the cord on the permanent place.  Spring and fall elsewhere but run back to the coast to avoid the extremes of winters and summers in the t@b.  

I'm envious at times, since I have spent up to two years on the road before and the adventure was great, but I'm getting lazy in my old age.  We'll see what happens when I retire from teaching at the university.

Nomad

I wouldn't escape the redwoods either - Escaping MN winters was easy. Don't know where I'll end up eventually but I know it has to be a place of moderate temps year around.

Nomad

Just sent an email off to Ed about this issue and my erratic fridge temps/settings. Have my fingers crossed that he sees it - Last time it took someone with connects to alert him - Mike/Verna, cough, cough ;-)

SweetlyHome

Sounds like the converter to me.  Since you have no 120 AC complaints in your notes it sounds like the master circuit breaker is okay.  On my WFCO converter that 30 am breaker is the only protection to the input of the converter.  The installation / wiring documentation for the WFCO converter is so incomplete it hard to discern anything else from it.  It's the converter that is the heart of the wiring system on the T@B.  If this manufacturer included even a typical wiring setup drawing we would all understand so much more.

A battery charger is surely the best back up for the converter.

Nomad

A battery charger may be but no room unless they make a really, really small one. Will replace the converter if I have to. Will see what Ed says. Since the docs are slim, they may know something we don't.
If I have solar, I'm golden. So it's not as inconvenient as it sounds. Solar charges the battery, generator charges the computer. So wouldn't use the battery charger much, only on rainy days or in a heavily wooded camp site.

Nomad

Ok, found a small battery charger...

Nomad

Have a new converter on the way - Since I'm not anywhere close to a dealer I'll be looking at installing it myself - That should be fun ;-)

Nomad

Ya, I do that with everything - Learned my lesson on a VCR once, had the little parts left over and not a clue :-(

Photomom

@PXLated when you are traveling full time, how do you arrange for delivery of things like the converter?

SweetlyHome

Sorry it worked out that you needed a new converter. Installing a new one might be quite a project.  Installed my own surge protector, working so low was not fun.  Good luck.

Nomad

Photomom - For this, I'm going to be at one of my brothers places for a week so having it shipped there but otherwise you have stuff shipped to general delivery at a post office and just stop in and pick it up. Or if FedEx/UPS it could be to their local outlet. I have seen FedEx deliver to campgrounds also.

ChanW

I'd recommend this Battery Tender 5A charger even though their shipping is so sloppy... http://www.batterytender.com/Chargers/Battery-TenderR-5A-Power-Tender-Series-High-Efficiency.html

jkjenn

Bummer... I guess you get additional wear and tear when you FT it. Do you use a surge protector.

Nomad

Jenn - surge protector... No, haven't hooked up to campground power for at least 5 months. Only power since was at my brothers 2 months before it got flaky. Will probably get one for just in case that changes though.

Bill_in_Tulsa

Did you by chance check the VOLTAGE OUTPUT of generator? Could it be low?

Nomad

No, didn't but have since plugged into power at my brothers again and no battery charging. I do have a new converter but haven't yet tackled the install since I'm back on the road running on solar. Doesn't look like a difficult switch but don't want to start until I'm somewhat close to a dealer that can bail me out if I screw the pooch.

Nomad

Quick question - There's an inline fuse by the battery in my TV that I think was installed with the brake controller - is probably inline with the charging wire would be my wild guess. What amp should that fuse be. Seem a 30 since that's what the T@B inline is.

Verna

PXLated, I would keep it the same as the T@B battery. On one hand, it might be too large, but you are protecting a 30 amp volt from entering your T@B.  Someone else may have a better answer than me--I'm going by my gut response. 

Nomad

Verna - Seems like I've heard that same, match the T@B. Mine's a 20 and it blew for some reason yesterday.

Verna

If it holds when you replace it....then it was a fluke or just "one of those things".  You would have had to have seen something happen to know what happened if the new fuse holds.   Magic, purely magic ;-)

Bill_in_Tulsa

30 amp fuse on TV battery connection would be correct. I would however look to make sure there is no bare spot rubbing on the wire run from that battery fuse to the 7 way connector at the back of TV.... just a thought.

Nomad

Bill - ya, once I get to a spot where I can crawl around (and warmer, little nippy this am) I'm gonna see if I can trace back.

Nomad

Managed to crawl around under the Jeep and discovered the installer (U-Haul) routed the charge wire right next to the exhaust manifold and it finally burnt thru the insulation and shorted out. Stopped at an automotive electronics shop in Laramie, WY and he rewired it. Works great again. BUT, he seems to have screwed up my brake controller :-(

Bill_in_Tulsa

Glad you found the problem, sound about right. Sorry your brake controller is not working...

Nomad

The brake controller isn't that critical - rarely have it set above minimum - the Jeep is heavy enough and a straight stick so I'm always engine braking anyway. In 4th on a 6 degree grade I get a nice steady 55-60 without braking. On something steeper (like 9 degrees), I'll need it.

Bill_in_Tulsa

Be safe...