power issues

[ftm]

Hi
I have a 2011 Keystone Raptor and we set up last night and it looks like all the 12 volt light kept diming and then brighten up after about a two-three minute wait. It acted like a power surge at times. This is the first time I have encountered this problem.
I am wondering if the 12 volt battery might be the problem as it is 5 years old. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Tom

[JRTJH]

If you were connected to campground power, then the converter "should have been" powering your lights (and the battery was not being used). So, if the lights dimmed/brightened, it's probably a "situation" with the converter.

If, however, you were on "battery power" (not connected to shore power) then you were powering your lights with the battery and any "dimming/brightening" would have been a result of either a corroded battery (or other wiring) connection, a change in power load (starting a fan, furnace, etc) that caused the dimming or possibly a bad cell in the battery that simply couldn't sustain the load without dropping voltage.

More information about how you were "using" your camper, what was connected to the battery and how your camper was "connected" to external power would help give you a better "best guess" as to what happened.

As a consideration, yes, if your battery is 5 years old, there's a very good chance that it is not performing at its peak, but I wouldn't suggest that it's "got to be bad" just because of age.

[ftm]

Thanks John for the info!

[sourdough]

When I first started having trouble with my lighting (on shore power) I replaced everything with LEDs. Then I had trouble with them because I bought 12v only and not 12-28v so I put in 12-28v. Turns out I had one fried battery and one low on water. Replaced them both and no more light issues. At 5 years old I would replace the battery anyway.

[bobbecky]

Some of the smart converters will cause light dimming when they are switching between charge cycle modes, but not that often. You may have another 12 volt appliance switching on and off, causing the dimming of your lights. The battery or batteries should definitely be checked.