[89 Dolphin Converter and other electrical tidbits]

On 5/1/2023 at 8:16 PM, WME said:

Check the voltage of the battery and polarity. Tape the + battery wires together, tape the - wires together. Then remove them from the battery, plug in the RV power cord and again check voltage and polarity of the battery wires. Your trying to make sure everything agrees.

Let us know results.

Some of the older converters have a transfer relay. IF the transfer contacts are dirty that could reduce voltage to your lights. When your measuring the voltage in the above step and it's less than 12v try hitting the converter with a large screwdriver handle, maybe you can jar the contacts to aid troubleshooting

 

I've heard about this magical transfer relay....

where would one find this relay? same area as my power board / converter?

[89 Dolphin Converter and other electrical tidbits]

6 hours ago, Maineah said:

This is where a cheap multi meter comes in. It kind of points to a tired converter or lack of power to it. (poor 120 volt connections)

To which i have a voltmeter!

How could i see if my converter is shit?

 

I also have a powermax 3 converter from an old project I could use, just would need some advice on setting it up seeing as though it actually has the plug attached to the wire unlike my current converter which is hardwired.

Id assume I could just cut the plug, then match colors to colors tho correct?

[89 Dolphin Converter and other electrical tidbits]

On 4/2/2023 at 10:37 AM, extech said:

first. with engine running the house battery is charged by the alternator. next  with engine off and shore power plugged into receptical battery is charged by the converter. one or the other not both at the same time.  when not using shore power the cord is simply stored in it cubby plugged into nothing and the coach will run off the battery

so my lights (12v interior) are all super bright when not plugged into a source of 110, its only when I plug myself into a source of shore power (generator, rv park hookup, etc) that my interior lights are literally at about 50% max brightness.

[89 Dolphin Converter and other electrical tidbits]

I've tested the previous owners battery earlier in the week and they had drained it past the point of recognition so I went out and purchased the cheapest rv deep life battery i could find at autozone for like $120. Heres the strange part so riddle me this.... previous owners had this dead battery in this i assume acid proof box that you can either access via latch from the outside or underneath the couch dinette seating.... however all these wires run from the battery (remember dinette side) to the couch side where my converter and electrical panel are.... so once i removed the dead battery I didnt even wanna oooo with that old setup so I just placed my battery near my electrical panel for the time being until I build my Solar board with all my gadgets n what not.

 

but I noticed in the manual provided by the previous owners it states the house battery should live under the hood alongside the starter battery?

 

crazy

[89 Dolphin Converter and other electrical tidbits]

So lets start a fresh like @WMEsuggested and yes I do have a voltmeter ready to go! 

First off long time fan of the forum, y'all really have helped me gain the courage to purchase one of these RV's!

 

A couple questions.... 1.) i noticed that when my car is running, all my 12vc lights begin to dim, then then moment I turn the car off or disconnect from shore source my lights are bright again?

 

Does this have to do with my converter being faulty thus not providing enough recharge to my battery while my alternator is running and connected to shore?

 

2.)Might sound stupid but when I don't have my shore connection plugged into rv lots power source or my generator, where does one plug it in? Just in any old outlet inside my rv or is there a special place I need to be plugging in in order for my converter to work that maybe I'm just missing?

 

 

thanks

[Question regarding electrical....]

Question in regards to "just plug it in" when talking about the shore power and converter....

I recently purchased a 89' dolphin myself and the previous owners have haphazardly wired everything and nothing matches the manual's schematics. Well after some tinkering I got my 12v running off a new lead sealed battery from autozone however i noticed that after a while my lights start to dim and what not despite my engine running and being plugged into a 110 source.

I take it that means my old converter is fucked correct? because shouldnt I just be able to take my shore connection and plug it into any 110 outlet in my rv and that would allow it to recharge? or is there some special outlet i need to be looking for?

 

been a snooper for a bit now, love the forum yall.