Quote:
Originally Posted by Wa6cp
I did confirm the fuses with a meter.
I have 14vdc when I remove the positive lead from the converter side of the terminal. But when I reconnect, I’m down to 1 volt, and the converter starts to get a little warm.
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Using the WFCO Troubleshooting Guide, the FIRST step in checking the converter/charger output is to "disconnect the battery terminals". There are shortcuts, but for a novice, I would recommend following the WFCO guide "EXACTLY as printed"... That way, there is no confusion about the short cuts altering the results.....
Here are the instructions as printed by WFCO:
Before checking the converter output voltage,
it is necessary to
disconnect the battery cables at the battery . Make sure
the converter is plugged into AC source (105-132 Volts). Check the
converter output voltage at the battery with a voltmeter.
Place the
probes on the disconnected battery cables; place the Positive (red) meter
probe on the + positive red battery wire and place the Negative (black)
meter probe on the -Negative black wire on the battery cable. Be sure you
have good connections at the cables.
If the voltage reads 13.6 Vdc (+/-.2)
with no load, the converter is functioning properly
The three bolded statements are the "key" to properly measuring the converter/charger output. If the battery is still connected to the converter/charger, it will "shut off the voltage monitor circuit in the converter/charger" and alter the voltage output.
So, following the troubleshooting steps:
1. COMPLETELY disconnect the battery
2. Verify the input voltage (120VAC) to the converter/charger
3. Verify the reverse polarity fuses are good.
4. Place the red voltmeter lead on the + battery cable and the black lead on the - battery cable
(at the battery box not at the converter) and measure the voltage output from the converter/charger.
5. If the output voltage on the meter is 13.6 VDC, then the converter/charger is functioning correctly.
It sounds like, in your post, that you measured 14.0VDC (too high), but that measurement wasn't "at the battery cables"....
From your first post, it sounds like you are using a Flooded Lead Acid (FLA) battery. Having bought a new converter/charger, and reading 14.0VDC on the output terminals, I'd suspect the converter/charger is set to Lithium battery choice, not FLA battery choice. If you're "eyeballing the voltage" then you need to reverify the reading on a meter scale that will give you a more accurate reading (13.6 +/- 0.2VDC).
So, if you do have the converter/charger set to "Li" you need to change that setting (assuming the new converter is the upgraded model). If there is no FLA/Li switch, you need to confirm whether the new converter/charger is "the same as your old one" or whether it is one of the new "automatic selector models" (no FLA/Li switch) or the new "manual model" with a FLA/Li switch.
Charging FLA batteries on the Lithium profile will damage/destroy the battery and may be why you can't get battery charging current to properly charge your battery.
All that said, if you follow the WFCO troubleshooting steps and do have 13.6 VDC
AT THE BATTERY CABLE TERMINALS then your converter/charger is operating properly and, IMO, the problem is that your battery has either a shorted cell, has sulfated plates and needs to be replaced or was "boiled dry" and needs to be replaced.
Your statement: "But when I reconnect, I’m down to 1 volt, and the converter starts to get a little warm." tells me that your battery is the cause of the problem. When disconnected you get 14VDC and when you connect it, it's down to 1VDC is evidence that the battery is the problem.. That said, you still MUST verify the converter/charger switch setting and correct voltage output AT THE BATTERY CABLE TERMINALS, not at the converter terminals.
I hope this helps fix (or at least verify) your problem and fix.....
Linear Mode
