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Old 09-23-2008, 10:01 AM   #1
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Electric converter issues. Please help!!

I have a 2003 Solaris SR, I purchased in 2004 brand new. I am on the second converter for this unit and now am again having electical problems. I am on my 3rd set of batteries this year. and the problems I am having are that my batteries will not charge. I was on Dover Delaware this past weekend, and was hooked into my generator. This would not charge my batteries but I could use any and all outlets with no problems. If I hooked in to my truck it would charge the batteries but not completely.(enough for use of lights and water pump for a short time) I checked all fuses in box, as well as the one under the bed to the batteries. If anyone could assist with something I may be missing, please advise. Really hoping to not have to replace the converter again!

Thank you
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Old 09-23-2008, 09:45 PM   #2
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Did your 2003/2004 convertor look like this? CX6000





Tell us what model/brand convertor you now have.

Did I read it right, you have used up 3 new house batteries this year?

Tell us how you use your batteries:

Do you check the water in the battery all the time? (Especially with the older convertors)

Do you have a DC voltage monitor inside when running on just battery? If so what voltage do you allow the battery to discharge to before charging?

Do you have a charger that boosts the voltage to 14.4 or higher voltage to desulfate the battery?

What type and size battery do you have?

How long do you leave the TT plugged into shore with the battery disconnect on?

Tell us about the battery deaths… How many times did you use them and how did they die?

You may be suffering from multiple issues. 2 convertors and 3 batteries, ouch…

Try to help as best I can but need more info to go on. What you describe can be several things.

John
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Old 09-25-2008, 09:07 AM   #3
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The current converter is an American CS6000XL, I have actually Put six marine batteries in so far this year. very seldom am I running off of just the batteries. I'm either plugged in to househould current or my generator. checking the water every time I go. I have no voltage monitor. just the push button gauge that is on the control panel.
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Old 09-28-2008, 07:18 PM   #4
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Hi DeerRidge

Sorry it is late getting back to you. Was doing what all campers do, camp. The weekend was great.

OK so now you have the CS6000XL. The XL is the newer version. And I thought you replaced the converter as well. What year (Actual month/year)did you get the CS6000XL? Reason for asking is American upgraded the XL version in Jan. 2008 to 3 stage charging. The prior version, still the XL, I have had that version as well in one of my other campers. It is still a step up of the CS6000 but not as good as there 2008 XL 3 stage model. But still the XL itself should not be killing your batteries. I have used one of the XL’s for 3 years on the same battery and I’m still using that battery on my new camper but now with a higher end convertor.

If you went thru 6 batteries this year, something is not right to say the least.

Need to know more about how you use the batteries and how they die.

Here is some “guessing” type questions so we can hone in on the problem area. Please expand so we can figure out something to tell you where to go look.

When the camper is stored, is it plugged into 120VAC all the time with the battery connected and the converter running the show?

You say you use the genny, do you plug the camper into the genny and let the CS6000XL charge the battery or does your genny have a 12 volt charging circuit on it?

When you dry camp and run on just battery, how far down do you draw the battery? I know you said you have no voltage monitor but don’t know if you used a volt meter. Are the lights in the camper still able to glow, or just a real small glow? Trying to figure out how far down you draw the battery and how many times this far down, before death sets in.

The 6 battery deaths, how many weeks was it between deaths? And how do you know it is dead? Won’t come back with a charge? What are you using to recharge it with? A stand alone battery charger or the CS600XL from your deep discharge?

Have any one these ever been below the cells on electrolyte?

Do you desulfate the battery? This is a process where you jack up the voltage to around 14.5 volts to cook off the sulfate crystals that form from heavy discharge. This is a feature on some stand alone battery minders or some higher end battery chargers/converters.

See this site. It might helps point you to some of what is going wrong. The 12 volt side of life

If you are doing very heavy deep discharges before recharge, it might be part of the problem. I’m trying to sort out if we can if it is the way you use the batteries or the charging system. Or both.

Thanks

John

PS do yo have a digital volt meter? This will go a long way to help trouble shoot the problem.

Here are 2 things that might help in the future. I have both.

A 12 VDC battery monitor
http://www.bestconverter.com/Volt-Minder_c_107-1-0.html


A Battery Minder with Desulfate mode.
http://www.vdcelectronics.com/batteryminder_12117.htm

I bought my Battery Minder thru Camping World on sale. Have 2 of them for multiple batteries. They have a terminal plug kit that stays on the battery, then just plug the cord set in while home and let it condition and keep the battery up to 100% charge safely. This is a battery minder, not a heavy charger. You have to charge the battery first then "mind' it

VDC also sells they best top of the line temperarure compensated charger/minder does it all. I do not have this one. http://www.vdcelectronics.com/batteryminder_12248.htm
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Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
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Old 10-03-2008, 11:24 AM   #5
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Thanks for the help! I actually got this figured out last night. Feel more like an idiot every day. HA! Traced all my wiring from front to back and found a wire almost completely broken. Apparently it wasn't showing enough contact for the converter to read and generate a charge to the batteries. I'm guessing that is why is would work ok intermitently. One good this is that it didn't cook the batteries. Thank you again.
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Old 10-04-2008, 12:01 PM   #6
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Don't feel too bad, hey it happens. I know it happens to me too....

Glad you found it before a few more batteries....

Happy camping

John
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