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Topic: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power? (Read 427 times) previous topic - next topic
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Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Ok this one has me stumped and honestly I'm not even sure if anything is wrong or I'm being overly paranoid. When connected to shore power (just 120 volt regular outlet but using 10g heavy duty extension cord and adaptor), all outlets and appliances work and everything appears normal. The one thing I'm noticing though is our 12v house batteries don't appear to be charging while plugged in. During the day our factory solar is charging up the house batteries to full but I notice if I'm in the RV with some lights on in the evening, the battery percentage will slowly trickle down to say 99.2% or so if I'm in there for awhile and it not showing the "pulsing" on the battery monitor showing its charging up. I know that the converter goes into "maintenance mode" once the batteries are basically topped off but shouldn't it just continue to read that the batteries are full and at 100%?

Using 120v shore power -

-all appliance work (microwave, AC)
-12v lighting all works, outlets work
-Solar panel works and charges up house batteries during daytime
-no breakers tripped and I tested and fully reset the GFCI 15amp breaker on the Parallax converter
-house batteries charge when engine is on
-batteries were replaced last year and have distilled water topped off regularly
-I did NOT check the breaker inside the battery tray compartment but if I'm getting 12v lighting then it should be on right?

I was having issues with our generator surging during our last trip but always provided 120v power while on. It sorted itself out after a couple days and electronics ran fine including AC. Do the house 12v batteries have to drop down to a certain percentage before the converter kicks on and starts recharging them?

I want to get this sorted before the cover goes on in the winter and I rely on having it plugged into shore power to keep the batteries topped off.

Thanks in advance
Joe B.
2008 26ft  grey/white Rear Bath
NE88 caravan club
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #1 –
I would want to know what the battery voltage is at night while plugged in.  If it's 13.4 or 13.6 or whatever the maintenance voltage is from the charger, it's working.  If it's below 13, it's probably not.

Depending on your solar system, the solar charging and/or maintenance voltage can be higher.  It's a crude analogy, but this can 'pack' more energy into the batteries when the sun is out than they can maintain while it's dark. 

My charge controller will sometimes show the batteries charging, even while reading 100%, and it will sometimes show 99% (or some number just less than 100) when plugged in.

The battery % full is a running estimate and not a precise measurement. 

Rich

2003 MB
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #2 –
Quote from: rich  - 
I would want to know what the battery voltage is at night while plugged in.  If it's 13.4 or 13.6 or whatever the maintenance voltage is from the charger, it's working.  If it's below 13, it's probably not.

Depending on your solar system, the solar charging and/or maintenance voltage can be higher.  It's a crude analogy, but this can 'pack' more energy into the batteries when the sun is out than they can maintain while it's dark. 

My charge controller will sometimes show the batteries charging, even while reading 100%, and it will sometimes show 99% (or some number just less than 100) when plugged in.

The battery % full is a running estimate and not a precise measurement. 

Rich



With no lights turned on according to the Solar Controller I'm at around 12.8-12.9 volts in the evening it seems.
Joe B.
2008 26ft  grey/white Rear Bath
NE88 caravan club
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #3 –
Should be higher if the converter is charging, at least it is is my rig. 

I would:
(1) Check the breaker labeled 'converter' (or something like that) to make sure 120v power can get from the panel to the converter.

(2) Check the connections at the battery to see if something looks loose (sometimes there are wing nuts that can back off). 

(3) It's a case of tracking voltages to see at what point it stops behaving as expected.  Videos like this can help: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=test+rv+converter 

Rich

2003 MB
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #4 –
Our 4 stage converter maintains around 13.2 volts, 13.8 when charging. Is the hidden circuit breaker an issue or possibly one of the reverse polarity fuses on top of the fuse block.


Jon
1994 MB
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #5 –
Don’t know if you have a progressive dynamics converter/charger, but I have a vague memory of replacing the two 20amp  green fuses in the converter/charger to fix a similar problem.  At least I think they were 20 amp.  Worth checking.
2006 MB
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #6 –
Ok it’s 5:49pm here and overcast. Battery voltage is 13.09v
Although plugged in, doesn’t show that it’s charging house batteries and they are at 99.4%.
Joe B.
2008 26ft  grey/white Rear Bath
NE88 caravan club
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #7 –
Quote from: brewersarcade  - 
Ok it’s 5:49pm here and overcast. Battery voltage is 13.09v
Although plugged in, doesn’t show that it’s charging house batteries and they are at 99.4%.

If you want it to say 100%, press and hold the 2 buttons that say manual synchronize.

That won't 'fix' anything, but it is a reset feature for the % remaining reading. 
 
13.09 seems to me like battery voltage and not what I would expect from my converter.  Different converters behave differently though, so maybe someone with a 2009-era rig can comment.

Rich


2003 MB
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #8 –
Maybe I'm missing something, but if your batteries are at 12.8 or more volts, they are fully charged. At that point, an intelligent charger should not be charging them... or at most, applying a "float" voltage to keep them from self-discharging.

As Rich pointed out the difference between 99.2% and 100% is insignificant. You can reset the Linklite to 100% if you like, but it would just be for your peace of mind. :-)
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #9 –
I notice you have a Xantrex battery monitor.  This morning I replaced
my Xantrex with a $44 AiLI monitor because I became convinced that the Xantrex was giving me similar bad info at times.
It just might be your battery monitor
2006 MB
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #10 –
Quote from: Andy Baird  - 
Maybe I'm missing something, but if your batteries are at 12.8 or more volts, they are fully charged. At that point, an intelligent charger should not be charging them... or at most, applying a "float" voltage to keep them from self-discharging.

As Rich pointed out the difference between 99.2% and 100% is insignificant. You can reset the Linklite to 100% if you like, but it would just be for your peace of mind. :-)

My point is though that if I am in the RV with lights on in the evening hours (no solar charge) my battery monitor is showing a gradual slow discharge of the batteries (for example going from 99.6 down to 99.2) over the period of say an hour. If I’m plugged into shore power shouldn’t there be no discharge or will the converter only kick on after the battery percentage becomes a certain number? I could of sworn over the two years I’ve owned this rig that it would stay at 100% with no discharge when I was plugged into shore power. This is the information I’m trying to validate.
Joe B.
2008 26ft  grey/white Rear Bath
NE88 caravan club
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #11 –
If your converter is working, the nighttime float voltage, with fully charged batteries, should be around 13.2 volts, it will be a higher voltage if they are still being charged.
Stop worrying about the charge level, pay attention to the voltage. If it's in the 12-volt range, the converter isn't doing its job.
The question is the problem in the supply power, the converter itself, or something on the output side, such as a bad connection or blown fuses, either inside the converter or on the Power Center's fuse board.
With a voltmeter, a skilled tech should be able to quickly determine the issue. Since high voltage is involved, deeper troubleshooting is not an amateur's project.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #12 –
Closing out this case I think. After finding all the fuses and breakers to be tested good, I checked the actual wiring and found the red positive wire for the converter to be loose and not screwed down to the terminal lug very well at all. Snugged it up (main breakers off) and it seems we are back to charging at 9pm EST and the converter fan is quietly running. Feeling very fortunate that this was a simple fix and didn’t cause a hazard. Voltage now showing 13.6.  Hoping I’m not being premature in posting this as I just fixed it! :o
Joe B.
2008 26ft  grey/white Rear Bath
NE88 caravan club
 
Re: Parralax Converter not charging 12v batteries when connected to shore power?
Reply #13 –
And this should be a lesson to us all.  Making sure all the screws in the load center are properly tightened should be part of our preventative maintenance schedule.   

Linda
Linda B
Green 2021 RB
2022 Ford Maverick toad