Burning out Convertors

[RCW]

Just looking at it from a different angle, are you sure the generator is good? Have you tried plugging it into a different power source?

[thatoneguy]

Originally Posted by RCW

Just looking at it from a different angle, are you sure the generator is good? Have you tried plugging it into a different power source?

generator has been a concern. Its also new, but, its a Predator. I have no other source to teat from until the power company decides to run their lines to my property, but its also why i ordered a surge protector to maybe help incase my generator is the actual culprit itself

[RCW]

Originally Posted by thatoneguy

generator has been a concern. Its also new, but, its a Predator. I have no other source to teat from until the power company decides to run their lines to my property, but its also why i ordered a surge protector to maybe help incase my generator is the actual culprit itself

Surge might not be the issue with the generator. There are other things that could be wrong with the generator that a surge protector will not detect. I would recommend a EMS. They are more expensive, but they protect you in so many other ways!

[Ken / Claudia]

After the 1st converter failure, I would have looked at and tested the batteries with at least a hydrometer and do a load test if possible. But, I am not an expert.
At this point I would dump the 12v's as fast as possible to 6v's. And not relay on "In Command" to tell me batteries were fully charged in 2 hours.
In cold weather elk hunting even 1 year old 12vs when used 1 day would take me hours to charge fully back. Now with 6v's I might get 2 days but do not risk it. I run a small 2000 genny all night to make sure, it is also charging the GPS units, hand radios and several cell phones. When sleep is important I am not going to check through the night the battery volt level. The small genny makes less noise than the RV furnace. Using a 1/2 gal of fuel is a very small cost compared to ruining batteries in my mind.

[mfifield01]

I would look at getting an inverter generator. They provide cleaner power.

[thatoneguy]

General concensus seems regardless how i abuse my batteries im using the wrong kind of batteries. I'm still interested in running 12v batteries as im planning on upgrading substantially once I go solar. Anyone used the Battleborn batteries? also the new 70a converter will be in tomorrow, I'll update this thread after installation on my thoughts on it.

[RCW]

Pardon me, I don't want it to seem as though I'm attacking you, but you seem to be all over the place with this problem. You have been given several suggestions about diagnosing your problem and yet you dismiss so many of them before really exploring them.

[thatoneguy]

Originally Posted by RCW

Pardon me, I don't want it to seem as though I'm attacking you, but you seem to be all over the place with this problem. You have been given several suggestions about diagnosing your problem and yet you dismiss so many of them before really exploring them.

I haven't been given any solutions that I have dismissed, I got a lot of criticism on my batteries and how I ruined them on day 1. I already conceded I probably need better batteries than what I have, I bought a bigger converter for peace of mind, and bought the surge thing. I haven't even been home to start doing any more trouble shooting or diagnosing or testing since this happened. I watched my voltage on my in command fall to 9.6v while out of town. All constructive comments have been considered, but until i can get back to the TT, I can't truly start fixing.

[thatoneguy]

changed converters to a 70a smart converter, added the surge protector, I'm seeing a lot more voltage with a generator running than I ever have, converter didn't even hiccup with dead batteries , and furnace running.

I will keep everyone posted but I really feel like the factory converter is just not up to the task.

[thatoneguy]

after an hour and a half charge, and waiting 30mins to check voltage

[KimNTerry]

keep going, you're at approximately 70% if not pulling any load.

Remember that the absorption phase for Lead Acid Batteries can last several hors to get that last 5-10% into the battery.

Lead acid batteries are happiest and will live longer if kept near capacity. I try not to let mine get below 70%

[thatoneguy]

Unfortunately I can't leave the generator on non stop, once I get home I'll get the batteries charged the rest of the way.

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by thatoneguy

why not 2x 12v batteries in parallel vs 2x 6v in series?

Most convincing answer I've seen is that you can get true deep-cycle 6V batteries easily, whereas a true deep-cycle 12V battery is an oversized and overweight monster.

[thatoneguy]

Originally Posted by LHaven

Most convincing answer I've seen is that you can get true deep-cycle 6V batteries easily, whereas a true deep-cycle 12V battery is an oversized and overweight monster.

Very legitimate argument

[LHaven]

Originally Posted by mfifield01

I would look at getting an inverter generator. They provide cleaner power.

Predator does in fact make an inverter generator, which (on another thread) is getting pretty good reviews.

[thatoneguy]

Originally Posted by LHaven

Predator does in fact make an inverter generator, which (on another thread) is getting pretty good reviews.

When I bought mine I was under the impression its only downside was size and noise, but since I'm out in county, neither were important, just the numbers

[bbells]

I agree that you aren't using real deep cycle batteries. If it doesn't weigh 100 pounds or more it isn't a 12v deep cycle. If it has ccc or marine anywhere on it, it is not deep cycle. I simply went to Batteries Plus and got their 150amp 12v deep cycle golf cart battery. Then you won't have to worry about making room for another battery. (example: https://www.batteriesplus.com/productdetails/sligc12vt) On my solar installations i use 6v golf cart batteries, 2 in series, then the rest in parallel. When I use only 2 of the 6v I use a cooler as a vented container for them. FYI: You need to figure 12v is dead for a 12v battery. Any lower, even once on a marine battery, damages them.

[GBR]

I have gone thru 3 converters under warranty on my 2017 Alpine. The dealer upgraded to 70amp converters and still replace 2 of them. Also have gone thru 3 house batteries. All the wiring checked out ok except for the 50 amp pole fuse on the hydraulic jack wiring. The pole was actually shorting and slides would continually stop and go. I noticed this when they stopped working and wiggled the connection and worked. Whether this caused the converters to fail, I don’t really know but the poor connection likely caused the batteries to go below 50% and fail. Since the fuse replacement last August I have no problems.

[Mikelff]

Originally Posted by thatoneguy

They may infact be dual purpose marine batteries. I know they don't last near as long as 2 batteries should. I was questioning their choice in batteries at the dealership but figured I'd go with what they had. My previous batteries i used was Optima Yellow Tops deep cycle. The interstate are what the dealer installed upon delivery.

thoughts on that 60a converter and a singke lithium battleborn?

You might want to consider two 6v which can give you more amp hours. Also, you don't just drop in lithium batteries in place of lead acid batteries. Do your research on switching to lithium batteries first. You probably have to make more adjustments to your system. They usually have an automatic shut off when they get down to 20 amp hours. They typically last around 8-10 years and are expensive up front. If you expect to be full time for a while the lithium might be worth the up front expense. Sounds to me like you need more amp hours and I believe the 6v can get you that. There are lots of threads on this forum, and the Montana forums about this topic. As others have mentioned, you need to have your current batteries load tested to confirm they are still good. As far as the rest of the technical issues, I’ll have to defer to more experienced folks.

[Dallasrules]

If you batteries are only getting up to 12.8v, the are not really fully charged. They should be able to go as high as 14.4 depending on the battery. If you start at 12.8 and need to stop somewhere around 12.2, that doesn't give you much to work with. Most battery chargers will stop at 12.8, but if you have a 3 cycle charger, it will put the batteries into float and continue to charge them.

So I agree that you are discharging them way too much, but also not starting out at full charge either.