What is the actual DC voltage 12V/24V

[btb26153]

I have 2 12V batteries connected in series which I thought made it a 24V DC system, is that true or am I full of it? Won't be the first or last time I was wrong


My multimeter decided to crap out on me today so can't get a reading and was curious because I am blowing bulbs like they were on my birthday cake.


Thanks

[notanlines]

Frank, unless we are talking about a different system, your RV is 12 volts throughout except the usual 120 volt items like AC, duplex receptacles, microwave, etc. Your batteries should be hooked up in parallel, not series giving you approximately 13.0-13.4 volts. Maybe we could use a little more info.

[flybouy]

Change the bulbs to LED. If you are having issues with outside lights (clearance) it may be corrosion. Look for green discoloration on the sockets. That would not be unexpected on a 15 year old trailer. If your batteries were connected in series you would have 24 v + and would be having issues with the fridge, water heater, thermostat, slide out motors, etc.

[sourdough]

If you have 2 12vdc batteries wired in series you DO have a 24vdc system. Unfortunately your RV runs on a 12vdc system. If you have 2 12vdc batteries they should be wired in parallel. If you are hitting those bulbs with 24vdc instead of 12vdc.....yep, they are probably glowing real bright and dying.

Edit: If you are in series and you've tried to use other 12vdc items you may have fried them as well.

[btb26153]

Thanks for the relies and clarification.



I assumed it was in series because the way it was wired and that the positive and negative posts were in the same position on both batteries. Read the replies and went out to take a better look and it is parallel. Both sets of my trolling motor batteries the posts are all in the same position and what caused me to ask the question.


The corrosion on the lights with the broken wires on the spring contact ends is beyond my patience tolerance. Sanded 4 of them out and soldered 5 wires and 3 bulbs worked for 3-4 days and blew out.



Just ordered LED replacements for both floods, porch and the 2 at the waste tank pulls, and all 4 utility compartments and bathroom fixture.



Amazon has to love me for buying this thing. This is worse than a boat.

[chuckster57]

B.O.A.T.- Bring out another thousand

R.V.- repair vehicle

[btb26153]

Originally Posted by chuckster57

B.O.A.T.- Bring out another thousand

R.V.- repair vehicle

Too true, stinking Navigator trolling motor cost me $3,500 before buying a $700 charging system and 4 Optima batteries 5 years ago and now they need replaced.

[xrated]

The two happiest days of boat ownership..........The day you buy it......and the day you sell it!

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by xrated

The two happiest days of boat ownership..........The day you buy it......and the day you sell it!

I GAVE both of mine away.....one with 14 hours the other with 5 (to my kids) and it was STILL one of the happiest days of my boat ownership!

[notanlines]

Sorry, "The two happiest days of boat ownership..........The day you buy it......and the day you sell it!", not to REAL boaters. The problem is that it is hard to tow 38' of Fountain behind a 40' fifth wheel and a motorcycle trailer behind that. There are just so many hours in the day for fun. We both miss that boat every day!

[roadglide]

I got my boat out from under the poll barn after five years not running started right cleaned her up and parked it . I’ve been thinking how pull a 35 foot fifth with a 24 foot pontoon boat behind its only 15 miles or maybe just tow it with the Jeep.

[btb26153]

I still have 2 boats for fishing, 1 a 1992 Mirada 24' set up with everything for fishing including stuff I don't need and an old 12' Sears aluminum boat with a 1953 Johnson Seahorse 10hp motor. Rarely use the 24' but maintain it and the old beat up boat is always in the water. The motor is 3 years older than me and has never broke down yet. Bought that in 1971 I was 14 and paid $25 for it.

[RoadToad]

Originally Posted by btb26153

Thanks for the relies and clarification.




Just ordered LED replacements for both floods, porch and the 2 at the waste tank pulls, and all 4 utility compartments and bathroom fixture.



Amazon has to love me for buying this thing. This is worse than a boat.

This is a great bulb replacement for the 921 LED Bulb,"stab" bulbs they are called. Polarity agnostic too.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[chunker]

Originally Posted by btb26153

Thanks for the relies and clarification.



I assumed it was in series because the way it was wired and that the positive and negative posts were in the same position on both batteries. Read the replies and went out to take a better look and it is parallel. Both sets of my trolling motor batteries the posts are all in the same position and what caused me to ask the question.


The corrosion on the lights with the broken wires on the spring contact ends is beyond my patience tolerance. Sanded 4 of them out and soldered 5 wires and 3 bulbs worked for 3-4 days and blew out.



Just ordered LED replacements for both floods, porch and the 2 at the waste tank pulls, and all 4 utility compartments and bathroom fixture.



Amazon has to love me for buying this thing. This is worse than a boat.

If after cleaning sockets you are still having issues I strongly suggest getting another multimeter to check what voltages you are really getting. Some LED can be very voltage sensitive and since you likely bought cheap chinese crap of LEDs their reliability is suspect to begin with. Unless you know what voltages you have, you could throw a lot of $$$ in bulbs at it and never fix anything excepts some bulb importer's bottom line.

[bobbecky]

Make sure any LED bulbs you buy are rated well over 12 volts. If you get only 12 volt bulbs, the will not last when exposed to voltage above 14 volts when the converter is charging the batteries.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by bobbecky

Make sure any LED bulbs you buy are rated well over 12 volts. If you get only 12 volt bulbs, the will not last when exposed to voltage above 14 volts when the converter is charging the batteries.

^^^^^This!! I bought 50 12vdc leds to replace the old lamps in my trailer. Immediately they began failing. I replaced about a dozen as they failed and knew something was wrong. I then learned (from this forum) that the 12vdc leds would fritz out as Bob mentioned. Pulled them all out and replaced with 12-28vdc lamps and cured the problem.

[JRTJH]

There's "always a catch" or "a second act" to consider....

The variable voltage LED assemblies have a voltage regulator on them to reduces the input voltage to 5VDC to actually illuminate the LED's. Most that are used by campers are 12-28 VDC. That voltage regulator can (not will) induce some interference in TV reception. So, if after you install all of those "new, improved LED's" and you lose some fringe TV channels, swap out the LED assemblies near the antenna, near the TV and near the KEYTV or amplifier location. No need to buy new LED's just move those close to the TV's to a distant light fixture. I'd guess that in every batch of 10 LED's there are two or three that have "noisy voltage regulators" on them...

[ChuckS]

Everest is a nice solid built unit. Hope you enjoy RVing .. I’d recommend getting another inexpensive multi meter and measure the DC voltage output while plugged into shore power. No telling how old the converter is and what’s it’s actual DC voltage output until you verify.

Also with the LED replacement fixtures if one is causing RFI on the TV set for OTA reception a simple snap on ferrite bead over the power lead of that fixture as well as one or two in the TV coax feedline at TV set will usually decouple and RFI being emitted by a cheap voltage regulator in the LED

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by btb26153

Thanks for the relies and clarification.



I assumed it was in series because the way it was wired and that the positive and negative posts were in the same position on both batteries. Read the replies and went out to take a better look and it is parallel. Both sets of my trolling motor batteries the posts are all in the same position and what caused me to ask the question.


The corrosion on the lights with the broken wires on the spring contact ends is beyond my patience tolerance. Sanded 4 of them out and soldered 5 wires and 3 bulbs worked for 3-4 days and blew out.



Just ordered LED replacements for both floods, porch and the 2 at the waste tank pulls, and all 4 utility compartments and bathroom fixture.



Amazon has to love me for buying this thing. This is worse than a boat.

Have you had any more luck with this? It's near impossible in my experience to "sand" down wires to re-solder them. If the wire is corroded you need to cut it back far enough to get good wire to solder to and not get a "cold joint". If the sockets are corroded it's time for a new fixture in my opinion. Often these spring contacts/sockets are made from poor quality metals and coated with a different metal. Some inferior wire is actually aluminum with a copper cladding. In either cast, once corrosion sets in thev'e had it.

Are filaments in the bulbs burned out? If the socket has an issue don't assume the bulb is "blown". Take a good, known working light fixture and try out the bulbs that don't work to see if the bulb or not and take the bulb that does work in the fixture and try it in the light socket where the "blown" bulb came from.

Buy a $10 multimeter (VOM -Volt Ohm Meter) and learn how to use it. You will need it for maintaining and troubleshooting your camper.

[cenders]

Originally Posted by btb26153

I have 2 12V batteries connected in series which I thought made it a 24V DC system, is that true or am I full of it? Won't be the first or last time I was wrong

Maybe post a photo of the batteries with wiring in view? Then we can help confirm. Or buy a new multimeter.

Wired in series, you'd have a wire from one battery -negative- terminal going to the +positive+ terminal of the other battery. If you don't have that, then they are parallel.