power converter

[sww]

I'm wondering if there's an easy way to discover if my power converter is going bad. My only issue is that my battery burned up. I discovered an aweful smell on the outside and was concerned that it was my propane tanks leaking. As it turned out, there was tremendous heat coming from the battery box. I opened it and my battery was smoking. I pulled it out and added a half gallon of distilled water....Friends have suggested it could be the pc over charging the battery. Is that true? I have had no other issues but I'm concerned because we are supposed to pull out this weekend for a week long trick a long way from home, lol. Any thoughts?

[bsmith0404]

Pull the battery cables from the battery and check them for voltage coming from the converter. Someone else will probably correct me, but I believe it should have about 13.6v on the cables coming from the converter.

[GHen]

It seems in most cases, it’s not getting over charged, it’s the converter trying to charge a battery with a bad cell.
Unhook shore power or Disconnect the batteries, let them set for at least 30 minutes, then check the voltage. Should have 12.7 or better in the batteries. Anything less and you could have a bad battery. Anything under 12 and you for sure have an issue somewhere.


With the converter hooked up, depending on the charger and what the charger is trying to do, it can have 13.2, 13.6 and even 14.2

Be very careful with hot smelly batteries, disconnect from shore power before doing anything and let them cool. Bad Batteries explode all the time throwing acid and plastic everywhere.

[sourdough]

I agree. I suspect the OP has a bad battery. btdt only my battery was bulging at the bottom. It was also part of a tandem battery setup that had been installed by the dealer and one battery was considerably older, and cheaper, than the other.

[chuckster57]

If he added 1/2 gal of distilled water to the battery, it was smoked by the converter and needs to be replaced.

As stated, using a VOM meter, test the battery leads with them off the battery and the trailer plugged into shore power/gen. Anything over 13VDC is good.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

If he added 1/2 gal of distilled water to the battery, it was smoked by the converter and needs to be replaced.

As stated, using a VOM meter, test the battery leads with them off the battery and the trailer plugged into shore power/gen. Anything over 13VDC is good.

When mine fried I did the same (added 1/2 bottle of water to it) and it boiled it right back out again leaving it (some of it) in the bottom of the battery box. I would wonder when the last time prior to this one that the water level was checked?

[sww]

Thanks for the discussion. I checked the leads with shore power on and it is well within the ranges discussed here. I appreciate everyone's input here. All of it was reasonable. Checking the battery is on my beginning season check list BUT I will admit that this was our first trip out this year and I did not check it. The last time it was checked was a year ago. Personally, I now believe it's a bad battery and I'm going to replace that tomorrow. I believe it would need to be replaced regardless of the converter status. I'm taking my vm with me on the trip and thought I would check it periodically just to be sure there are no spikes or issues with the new battery in. Thanks again for the help! ~SW

[sww]

One year ago almost to the date. I usually check it at the beginning of our camping season but I didn't do it.

[sourdough]

If it was a year sounds like the battery is probably "toasted".

[chuckster57]

Originally Posted by sww

One year ago almost to the date. I usually check it at the beginning of our camping season but I didn't do it.

If you leave it plugged in, water level should be checked monthly

[GHen]

I agree, I check voltage and water almost every month.

[sourdough]

Hate to sound like I'm pushing the product but a watering system for the batteries is the cat's meow IMO. Drop the end of the tube in the water jug (distilled), squeeze the bulb a time or two and all cells on all batteries are topped off - I like easy - I don't touch the battery boxes or anything else, I route the fill hose through a grommet in the side of the battery box and it's done.

[GHen]

I like the idea of the watering system, is there a particular brand you like?

On another note, I have a couple of battery monitors on mine, a Victron which has a short Bluetooth distance but I have another cheap one that has about a 20’ range, every time I walk by the rig it beeps and lets me know the voltage on my phone. It has alarms at 50% and 20%.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by GHen

I like the idea of the watering system, is there a particular brand you like?

On another note, I have a couple of battery monitors on mine, a Victron which has a short Bluetooth distance but I have another cheap one that has about a 20’ range, every time I walk by the rig it beeps and lets me know the voltage on my phone. It has alarms at 50% and 20%.

The watering system was precipitated by the difficulty in trying to access the batteries on my last trailer. It has been a tremendous success...and a huge time/irritation/overflowed water saver. I installed it (2ea. grp 24 batteries) about 6 years ago and it's on the 2nd trailer. Zero issues and makes watering a battery no more trouble than flipping a light switch (almost ). I drilled a hole the diameter of a grommet that would fit the filler hose and ran it through it then it stays covered. I would never try to fill RV batteries again with the normal filler apparatus. You still need to check the battery condition from time to time but I figure maybe 5 years....but I do not boondock nor do I deplete my batteries;

https://www.amazon.com/Flow-Rite-MP2...s%2C96&sr=8-21

[sww]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

If you leave it plugged in, water level should be checked monthly

I do not leave it plugged in.