Why won't dealers listen to you?

[Yosemitebob]

Ok, so here is the thing. Sense day one when I went to pick up the trailer one of the things I asked was, "were the batteries charged completely" answer it's been plugged in all day (I came early afternoon to pick it up, but didn't leave till about 4pm. so, I assumed all day. But....I noticed that the ramp light on the control panel read ½. OK I'll charge it going home (100 miles from the dealer). Well I got home and it was charged, cool. But as the trailer sat at the yard it lost battery power, back to ½ on the panel. I took it back about three weeks later complaining about it not charging and that I thought it to be the converter (one of the things) I picked it up and they said all fixed. I got home - charged - from truck. Took it back to the yard and two weeks later, the batteries were down again to the ½ way light (2 LED's lit). Took it back again and told them still having problems with the batteries, they gave me two new 6 volt batteries. Went home, got ready to go on a 1200 mile trip, but I didn't trust them so I took my charger. Sure enough driving they were fine, but stopped and hooked up to shore power, they start to drain, takes about three days (I was gone for three weeks) so I hooked up my charger to charge the batteries the whole time we were gone. So I start to ask questions, look up testing, etc. Found that if I disconnect the battery cables from the front of the converter and put a meter on those terminals that I should get a reading of 13.7 volts when hooked up to shore power. Well I don't, I only get 6.3 volts. This is what I had been telling the dealer for weeks that the converter is not charging the batteries and they keep saying it's fine. No it is not fine. I'm taking it back on the 20th again and I'm going to do the test in front of them. Hope I'm not sticking my foot in my mouth. Oh, I had to continually charge my batteries with my battery charger all the time we were gone and hooked up to shore power. Whenever we were driving which was going and coming (three days going and three days coming) the truck alternator did indeed charge the batteries.

I understand that this is not really a keystone issue but a manufacture issue for the converter. But being how it is less than 6 months old, I'd go to the dealer first, or (thinking now) should I call the converter manufacture and deal with them?

[JRTJH]

Check the two green fuses inside the converter between the circuit breakers and the DC fuse panel. One or both of them may be blown. If they are good, it does sound like your converter is not charging properly. Remember, when you're parked in the yard (not hooked up to shore power) the parasitic drain on your batteries from the radio, smoke detector, propane detector, etc will deplete your battery (batteries) in a week or two.

[Yosemitebob]

I'm sorry, forgot to say that those were blown the first time I got my trailer home, replaced them with the same 35 amp (hard to find) fuse and are currently good. But I would not even be getting just over 6 volts if they were still blown. Thanks for your suggestion though. I checked in the converter manual WFCO ULTRA III Deckmount converter WF-9800 Series model WF-9855 and it gives the testing procedures and also mentioned that the OEM or dealer has to do the testing and/or replacement with them. So it's off to the dealer on the 20th :(

[JRTJH]

If the fuses were blown when you got the trailer home and the dealer had installed 6volt batteries for you, there's a possibility that they initially hooked them up incorrectly as those fuses (according to the owners manual) only protect against reverse polarity from incorrectly connecting the batteries.

WFCO has options on their warranty page:

• Contact your local RV Dealership or the closest RV Dealership to your present location.
• If the internet is accessible you may seek out the nearest RV service location at www.rvservicelink.com.
• Contact the customer service department of the manufacturer of your RV to locate the manufacturer’s nearest Dealership or Service Center.
• Contact ARTERRA Distribution / WFCO at 1-877-294-8997 and ask for technical support.

If you don't want to wait another 2+ weeks and work through your dealer, you can contact ARTERRA directly tomorrow and their tech support can get you on track to a replacement converter delivered directly to you. Even if you elect to have the dealership replace the converter, discussing the situation with tech support will give you more insight into what is wrong and what the dealership should be doing.

[Yosemitebob]

WFCO has options on their warranty page:


• Contact ARTERRA Distribution / WFCO at 1-877-294-8997 and ask for technical support.

If you don't want to wait another 2+ weeks and work through your dealer, you can contact ARTERRA directly tomorrow and their tech support can get you on track to a replacement converter delivered directly to you. Even if you elect to have the dealership replace the converter, discussing the situation with tech support will give you more insight into what is wrong and what the dealership should be doing.

Now that is a plan. I will start that process this week.
Thank you JRTJH

Bob

[Yosemitebob]

Tried calling them several time today, I have a feeling they are dealing with the cold weather right now, I'll try again tomorrow.

[Yosemitebob]

Ok so I just talked to WFCO, they were both pleasent and helpful in a solution to my issues. They seem to think it is a capicator, so I will send it to them for a testing and replacement if necessary. I'll let you know the outcome.