 |
|
|
|
Dirtyrhoades77
Tucson
New Member
Joined: 03/05/2021
View Profile
 Offline
|
Hello all,
My batteries are currently disconnected (both the chassis and coach) and the rig is on shore power, but the wall monitor still shows that the batteries are full. If they are disconnected, shouldn't it be showing empty?
The converter is a Magnetek 6345.
|
wing_zealot
East of the Mississippi
Senior Member
Joined: 12/31/2007
View Profile
Offline
|
The converter is still producing 12 V as long as your plugged in. That's what the wall monitor is measuring. Unplug and with the batteries disconnected you'll show zero. The wall monitor doesn't measure directly at the batteries, it measures in line.
|
valhalla360
No paticular place.
Senior Member
Joined: 08/19/2009
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
|
The monitors are simply a voltage meter.
Most likely the charger is running providing power to the 12v systems and the meter is reading that voltage.
An easy way to check is to flip the breaker that the charger is on.
Depending on the models, some chargers are OK feeding power to the 12v system without a battery in the system but it's generally not a great idea.
Tammy & Mike
Ford F250 V10
2021 Gray Wolf
Gemini Catamaran 34'
Full Time spliting time between boat and RV
|
eHoefler
ozark mountains
Senior Member
Joined: 10/22/2011
View Profile
Offline
|
It is showing the line voltage from the convertor, unplug your shore power, it will go to 0
2021 Ram Limited, 3500, Crew Cab, 1075FTPD of Torque!, Max Tow, Long bed, 4 x 4, Dually,
2006 40' Landmark Mt. Rushmore
|
Dirtyrhoades77
Tucson
New Member
Joined: 03/05/2021
View Profile
Offline
|
Thanks for the replies guys. I turned off the breaker that the converter is connected to, and of course it shows zero, as the wall monitor is a 12 volt device, so it didn't work at all.
Just because it is plugged into shore power doesn't mean it should show full charge should it? That makes it entirely useless for checking battery levels.
Surely it should be showing the actual level of the batteries, whether or not I'm plugged in, shouldn't it? It's labeled "Batt Cond" after all...
The batteries are disconnected in the first place because they were way below 12 volts. The converter is not charging them, and while the batteries were disconnected to charge on a trickle charger, I noticed the wall monitor still says full. That can't the intended behavior. Something must be miswired.
|
|
|
jkwilson
Indiana
Senior Member
Joined: 06/14/2010
View Profile
Offline
|
Dirtyrhoades77 wrote:Thanks for the replies guys. I turned off the breaker that the converter is connected to, and of course it shows zero, as the wall monitor is a 12 volt device, so it didn't work at all.
Just because it is plugged into shore power doesn't mean it should show full charge should it? That makes it entirely useless for checking battery levels.
Surely it should be showing the actual level of the batteries, whether or not I'm plugged in, shouldn't it? It's labeled "Batt Cond" after all...
The batteries are disconnected in the first place because they were way below 12 volts. The converter is not charging them, and while the batteries were disconnected to charge on a trickle charger, I noticed the wall monitor still says full. That can't the intended behavior. Something must be miswired.
You don’t have to completely shut off shore power. Just shut off the converter breaker.
But it’s not really possible to have a simple readout to determine battery condition while the converter is on. The converter raises the voltage on the battery to charge it, so that’s what you’ll read. It really doesn’t matter though, because if you are on shore power for more than a few hours your battery is going to be as charged as it’s going to get, so checking the monitor is pointless.
John & Kathy
2014 Grand Design Reflection 303RLS
2014 F250 SBCC 6.2L 3.73
|
BFL13
Victoria, BC
Senior Member
Joined: 02/15/2006
View Profile
|
The 6300 models require a battery to be connected to filter the DC for the circuits that have electronics on them.
The batteries going low with the converter on means there is an "open" somewhere between the house battery and the 6300's DC fuse panel lugs where the battery wires go. You need to address that.
The 6300 is single stage at 13.6ish voltage, so it can't do the 14.4-14.8 volts that many battery types are specified to need to be properly charged. You can get by with it if you choose to just replace the battery every couple of years--that might be the least expensive way to go, depending.
It is not difficult to replace the 6300 with a more modern converter if you know how, but might not be worth the cost of paying to get that done professionally.
1. 1991 Oakland 28DB Class C
on Ford E350-460-7.5 Gas EFI
Photo in Profile
2. 1991 Bighorn 9.5ft Truck Camper on 2003 Chev 2500HD 6.0 Gas
See Profile for Electronic set-ups for 1. and 2.
|
Bobbo
Wherever I park
Senior Member
Joined: 09/16/2007
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
Dirtyrhoades77 wrote:Thanks for the replies guys. I turned off the breaker that the converter is connected to, and of course it shows zero, as the wall monitor is a 12 volt device, so it didn't work at all.
No. It is working as designed. It goes to zero because there is zero 12v voltage.
Just because it is plugged into shore power doesn't mean it should show full charge should it?
Yes, it should. Plugged in to shore power, your converter is producing 12 volts so the monitor is reporting 12v. The monitor can't tell the source of the 12v, battery or converter. It just says 12v is here.
That makes it entirely useless for checking battery levels.
Its purpose is not to check battery levels. Its purpose is to report if you have 12v available to the coach. It is doing its job as designed. If you want to only check battery levels, you will have to run a separate monitor directly to the batteries. But, it will require a separate disconnect switch.
Surely it should be showing the actual level of the batteries, whether or not I'm plugged in, shouldn't it? It's labeled "Batt Cond" after all...
The label is wrong. It is not connected to the batteries. It is connected to the RV 12v circuit and shows the voltage of the RV circuit, not the batteries. The only way it reports on the "battery condition" is to turn off the battery charger so the only 12v available is from the battery. THEN and ONLY THEN does it report the voltage just from the batteries.
The batteries are disconnected in the first place because they were way below 12 volts. The converter is not charging them, and while the batteries were disconnected to charge on a trickle charger, I noticed the wall monitor still says full. That can't the intended behavior. Something must be miswired.
Nothing is miswired. Your understanding of the wiring is incorrect.
Bobbo and Lin
2017 F-150 XLT 4x4 SuperCab w/Max Tow Package 3.5l EcoBoost V6
2017 Airstream Flying Cloud 23FB
|
capacitor
California
Senior Member
Joined: 10/24/2020
View Profile
Offline
|
Is the top light on the display a “C” as in charge?
|
Dirtyrhoades77
Tucson
New Member
Joined: 03/05/2021
View Profile
Offline
|
capacitor wrote:Is the top light on the display a “C” as in charge?
There's nothing like that on the monitor.
Based on this thread I'll reconnect the freshly charged batteries and let it ride for now. I've already installed solar panels on the roof, and I'm waiting for battery cells to arrive. The end state will be a big 48 volt battery. From that I'll get a new, separate DC-DC converter to produce 12 volts, which I'll run to the DC fuse panel.
Thanks for the input guys.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
