Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-18-2014, 11:25 AM   #21
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 119
AA,
I have very strong lights when plugged in to shore power. The slides work, as does the fridge. I haven't tried the leveling jacks yet. I'll do that when I go home this afternoon.
I'll also check where my inverter is and see if it is firmly plugged in. I'm hoping I won't have to tear down the bulkhead to get to it.
I'll also check the fuses associated with the convertor (4 of them) and, if I understand Dave correctly, the ones on the inverter.
Wish I didn't have to work today!
I'll let you know of my progress. If you come up with anything, please don't hesitate.
Thanks,
Jack
__________________

2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Longhorn
2014 RW 38RE
USN Retired
RAMN8TER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 12:17 PM   #22
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,856
Just to be clear...
A converter changes AC power to DC power.
An inverter changes DC power to AC power.

An inverter was an option at the time of our purchase. Most of us, I believe, have converters. The converter is what charges the battery. It too has fuses, and a dip switch that allows for use with different type batteries.
__________________
2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff
2013 36FL
Cindy and Tom, Toby and Kasey (our Berner and Newfie)
Oh...I forgot the five kids.
spindrift is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 12:50 PM   #23
Senior Member
 
johnboytoo's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,055
Not sure if this could be a factor, and I'm sure you already did this,
but did you check your battery disconnect switch ?

Is it on or off ?

good luck !
__________________
Ours: '11 Monaco Diplomat 43DFT followed closely by '14 Jeep 4 dr Wrangler.
Hers: '13 Explorer Sport - AWD 365hp twin turbo scooter!
Previous: '13 Ford F350 CC Platinum and '13 38GK
johnboytoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 01:09 PM   #24
Site Team
 
piper guy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 1,986
John - good point. If the disconnect switch is off, there shouldn't be any way to charge the batteries. Although if it is wired as a total disconnect I'm not sure lights would work either. I'll have to try mine next time it's hooked to shore power ( I retired mine two years ago so that everything is off when the switches are off. I also added a second switch so that I could isolate the second battery)
__________________
Vaughan & Tracy 2013 RW 36RL, 2013 F350 DRW CC, 2016 Focus. MorRyde IS, MorRyde pinbox, disc brakes, Comfort Ride Hitch. "Life is to be embraced, Grab it with both arms ! "
piper guy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 01:11 PM   #25
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 119
I double checked the battery disconnect switch. It is definitely in the on position.
I can't wait until I get off this afternoon to continue troubleshooting!
__________________

2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Longhorn
2014 RW 38RE
USN Retired
RAMN8TER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 02:23 PM   #26
Site Team
 
Dave&Ginny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 5,407
I would recommend for everyone buying and carrying with them a good battery charger. There's been a few times where I've had to use mine
__________________
SOB "The RV Wiseguy"
Dave&Ginny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 02:25 PM   #27
Senior Member
 
mhs4771's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 2,807
Another thing to check with regard to the Bat Disconnect Switch. Check the cables attached to it and make sure they're tight. We were having strange battery indications on our recent Alaska trip and traced it to the studs in the switch, nuts used to hold the cable on the studs were about ready to fall off, resulting in very intermittent connections.
__________________
Michelle & Ann
2018 Chevy 3500HD Crew Cab High Country DRW, D/A, 2016 RW39MB, Dual ACs, Auto Level, Auto Sat Dish, Stack W/D, King Sleep #, 17.5" Sailuns w/Disc, MORryde IS & Pin, Comfort Ride Hitch, 5.5 Onan, Res Fridge & Induction Cook Top
mhs4771 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 02:32 PM   #28
Site Team
 
Dave&Ginny's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 5,407
Quote:
Originally Posted by mhs4771 View Post
Another thing to check with regard to the Bat Disconnect Switch. Check the cables attached to it and make sure they're tight. We were having strange battery indications on our recent Alaska trip and traced it to the studs in the switch, nuts used to hold the cable on the studs were about ready to fall off, resulting in very intermittent connections.
That's a great point...Didn't someone on here have a problem with a bad battery connector? and someone else had a problem a while back with the buz bar having loose connectors.
__________________
SOB "The RV Wiseguy"
Dave&Ginny is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 03:34 PM   #29
Site Team
 
hoosierguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,340
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave&Ginny View Post
That's a great point...Didn't someone on here have a problem with a bad battery connector? and someone else had a problem a while back with the buz bar having loose connectors.
A couple of years ago, I checked all of the connections at the buss bars and found that some of the nuts were only finger tight.
__________________
Guy & Phyllis
2012 RW36RL,DualA/C,KodiakDiskBrakes,TrailAir Tri-Glide,GY_G614's,Roadmaster Comfort Ride Slipper Spring Suspension
2011Dodge3500Laramie,CrewCab,4x4,SRW,Michelins, LongBed,6.7LCTD,3.73,PullRiteSuper5th20.5KHitch, BlueOxBedsaver

hoosierguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 03:52 PM   #30
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 119
Guy,
The bus bar you are referring to; is that the one that is attached to the bulkhead right above where the batteries are?
-Jack
__________________

2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Longhorn
2014 RW 38RE
USN Retired
RAMN8TER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 05:28 PM   #31
Junior Member
 
MZWoody's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 22
That's exactly what happened to our 2 month old 2015 36RL. After spending hours on the phone with Magnum Tech trying to figure out why the inverter wouldn't work longer than 10 minutes I was told to check the Batteries. I took the batteries out to find one was completely dry and the other had one dry cell. I filled them up (with distilled H20)and they got hot and had a rotten egg smell. Lazy days told me they were Interstate Batteries and they had a one year replacement warranty and I could return them directly to Interstate. They looked like OEM Interstate battery with no marking's of any kind on them except a date code. I took them to a interstate dealer and was told they were from 2012 and were not Interstate Batteries their 29 Group style batteries are black not white with green top. These were bad so I replaced them and everything works great that was the whole problem. The next problem is trying to get my money back from Lazydays we'll see nothing as of yet.
__________________

Woody & Jana
2015 36RL Residential Fridge, W/D Full Paint
2015 Ford F-350SD Lariat, 6.7L Turbo Diesel, DWD, 4X4
MZWoody is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 09:51 PM   #32
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by trfield58 View Post
Again, I would verify AC power feed to the converter is good first and then if that is good, yes, it would seem the "charging" portion of the converter is bad..???....
Tim,
Ok...dumb question...what is the best way to verify if AC Power is being fed to the converter. I have a multimeter and am ready to go attack!
__________________

2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Longhorn
2014 RW 38RE
USN Retired
RAMN8TER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 09:54 PM   #33
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by atom ant View Post
Jack,

When plugged in, our voltmeter has all lights lit up, regardless of condition of the batteries. It's purely just a voltmeter that will read the charging voltage off the converter. If you aren't charging, it is most likely just a breaker or fuse as others have said. They have both 110VAC supply and then a batch of 12V fuses, breakers. If you have good strong interior lighting when plugged in, the 110VAC side should be working. If they are weak, you probably lost AC to the converter as others have said.
I noticed today that when I had the batteries out of the RW being charged, I had no lights and the fridge was off as well (getting it ready for this weekend). Does that just support even more AA what you said above??
Thanks.
__________________

2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Longhorn
2014 RW 38RE
USN Retired
RAMN8TER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 10:33 PM   #34
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,856
Lightbulb

Quote:
Originally Posted by RAMN8TER View Post
Tim,
Ok...dumb question...what is the best way to verify if AC Power is being fed to the converter. I have a multimeter and am ready to go attack!
The converter will have terminals for AC "in" and DC "out". You'll need a multimeter to check for 120VAC and around 13.25-13.5VDC. Check the fuses on the converter while you're in there. Just to be safe, check the breaker in the panel to make sure it's in the closed, or "on", position.
__________________
2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff
2013 36FL
Cindy and Tom, Toby and Kasey (our Berner and Newfie)
Oh...I forgot the five kids.
spindrift is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 10:42 PM   #35
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 119
Quote:
Originally Posted by spindrift View Post
The converter will have terminals for AC "in" and DC "out". You'll need a multimeter to check for 120VAC and around 13.25-13.5VDC. Check the fuses on the converter while you're in there. Just to be safe, check the breaker in the panel to make sure it's in the closed, or "on", position.
Got it. Now for the fun part...taking down the bulkhead to get to the converter...

Thanks!
__________________

2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Longhorn
2014 RW 38RE
USN Retired
RAMN8TER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 10:49 PM   #36
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,856
They use, at least on ours, Robertson screws...a real pain in the next if you don't have the right tool. If you don't have Robertson tools, get the darn things out and replace with regular screws of the same size. It will save you time when you need to get in there when something else breaks.
__________________
2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff
2013 36FL
Cindy and Tom, Toby and Kasey (our Berner and Newfie)
Oh...I forgot the five kids.
spindrift is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 10:51 PM   #37
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 119
I'm so looking forward to this...in 28 degree weather!
__________________

2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Longhorn
2014 RW 38RE
USN Retired
RAMN8TER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 10:53 PM   #38
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 1,856
Don't worry...it's a small space. Your body heat will keep it warm.
__________________
2012 F350 KR CC DRW w/ some stuff
2013 36FL
Cindy and Tom, Toby and Kasey (our Berner and Newfie)
Oh...I forgot the five kids.
spindrift is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-18-2014, 11:02 PM   #39
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 119
That's what my wife said as well!
__________________

2016 Ram 3500 DRW Laramie Longhorn
2014 RW 38RE
USN Retired
RAMN8TER is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-19-2014, 12:58 AM   #40
Site Team
 
hoosierguy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,340
Quote:
Originally Posted by RAMN8TER View Post
Guy,
The bus bar you are referring to; is that the one that is attached to the bulkhead right above where the batteries are?
-Jack

Yes. On my 2012 36RL there is a two sectioned bus bar, above and to the right of the battery location, with several 6 GA. wires connect to one side and individual circuit leads coming off the other side. Be sure to check the nuts on the bus bar studs. There seem to be two nuts on each stud and in some cases you may have to take off the top nut, remove the leads and tighten the bottom nut, then reconnect the leads and put the top nut back on.
__________________
Guy & Phyllis
2012 RW36RL,DualA/C,KodiakDiskBrakes,TrailAir Tri-Glide,GY_G614's,Roadmaster Comfort Ride Slipper Spring Suspension
2011Dodge3500Laramie,CrewCab,4x4,SRW,Michelins, LongBed,6.7LCTD,3.73,PullRiteSuper5th20.5KHitch, BlueOxBedsaver

hoosierguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Redwood RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 02:05 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
×