83 SunRader
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Posts posted by 83 SunRader
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Do the checks in this chart and tell us what you get.
I clean up the rusty connections yesterday and replaced the two 30a fuses. These are the readings I got this morning.
Not running A/B .07, E/G 12.5, C/D 12.5
Running A/B reading all over the place from .5 to 9.8, E/G 18.5, C/D 17.5
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I couldn't get my furnace to light either, but when I switched to a new (full) LP gas canister it fired up. I think my sail switch needs to be serviced or replaced, but I can't find it. Does anyone know where these are located? I have a 7900 hydro flame.
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If the alternator checks good and you have voltage at the "ign" terminal on the regulator you'll need to have a serious look at the regulator.
Since the alternator tested good once it was out of the truck (not the problem) I now need to identify where my regulator is. Is that the gold looking box in my picture?
Bye the way, just like the first time this happened I ran the generator for a few hours last night, ran the truck about 20 miles this morning and now I have 12 v power again and no banjo twang. It's obvious that there is an issue when I drain the battery down more than 1/2 way, but what could be causing the problem? Isolator, regulator, wiring, all of these?
Batteries read: Not running Truck bat 13.1, house bat 13.4 Isolator .05
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The alternator tested ok at the shop, but when its in the truck I'm getting some strange readings.
Not running Truck bat 12.4, house bat 12.4 Isolator -12.4
Running Truck bat 11.5, house bat 11.9 Isolator -11.9, Alternator 0.25
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Interesting - I woke up this morning (everything working) and drove about 15 miles to get to a spot where I can get an internet signal. When I set up my office to do some work I had no 12v system again and the banjo twang is back.
I purchased a meter to get some amp and volt readings since they are obviously important to help figure out where my problems are. I'm not electrically savvy so please bare with me. I took readings on both batteries and they read the same 12.5 v each not running. Started the truck and now both batteries are dropping. The first time I had this problem the guy at the auto parts store tested the batteries and it was the same thing (both batteries read the same voltage like they are linked or paralleled). So now should I assume the isolator is bad? I tried testing the isolator, but couldn't get a reading. I put the neg on the left black wire and the positive on the right and middle red wire, nothing. With the truck running and not running. Do you think I will need to replace the alternator again since it is not charging the batteries?
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same here, 83 sunrader; I believe the 17 gallon tank has a 3 gallon reserve showing empty at 14 gallons. I have continued to drive mine where the gauge goes far below empty and i put 15.6 gallons in...
Thanks Totem!
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My shepherds are trained to bark at people coming around the "home". That being said they do not bark unless people are present and making noise themselves... perhaps the people should be made to leave. In my experience its usually the nuisance breeds that nuisance bark; like those toy chia-dogs. Those types of dogs bark as they breath.
My dog is trained the same way he only barks when someone is approaching or is close to the RV. LOL - You are absolutely correct about the breed, it was a little toy dog. It often makes me wonder if small dog owners don't feel that they need to train their dog as much because of the size.
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Checked the Florida state rules and the ranger failed in his duty. Noisey unrully pets are supposed to be removed from the park. I'm betting that for you to comment the barking must have been pretty constant or at night. Totally not allowed
Linda, Thanks for the link! I stayed at the park again yesterday and found out that the barking dog belongs to the "park host" so maybe that why the ranger was being so aloof. Fortunately there wasn't a problem with the barking this time it's a wonderful little park.
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I've seen them with two sizes. 17 US gallons (14 Canadian gallons) and 19 US gallons (15.8 Canadian gallons).
If the tank measures 37" X 16" X 12" it's the 17 US gallon tank.
If the tank measures 37" X 16" X 14" it's the 19 US gallon tank.
I'll need to have a look down under. I have filled my tank about 6 times now and have never put more than 13 gallons in it. Keep in mind I didn't run it to empty but its pretty close. Is there a reserve?
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I have been to three state parks here in northeast Florida near St. Augustine. The two on the ocean were $30 for w & e, free showers and one had laundry facilities. The third smaller park was Faver-Dykes and it only cost $20 with w & e and free showers. Weekends and holidays are pretty booked up during the winter. Lots of Canadian snow birds.
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I'm a newbie/greenhorn and have been full time in my RV now for about 2 months now and I have been pretty surprised by the amount of irresponsible dog owner who allow their dogs to "nuisance bark" when staying in the state parks. Maybe it's because I'm in the southeast, but it's very unfortunate to go to a beautiful state park (where it would be quiet otherwise) and have to listen to barking dogs. When I said something to the ranger about the barking he looked at me like I had three heads or something.
Is this typical? Will this happen everywhere I go? Is it just me?
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There IS supposed to be a battery isolator that keeps your starting battery separate from your RV storage battery. Either its not hooked up or it's defective.
jdemaris thank you very much for your input. Did you see the picture I posted yesterday? I'm trying to determine if one of the components in the picture is an isolator. Can you tell?
Bye the way, I replaced the alternator on Monday and everything is working fine again after the batteries were recharged.
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The banjo twang comes from the house battery being wired backwards....what's funky is that the lights work .
However I don't believe an inverter will work wired backwards its usually set up to not work that way.
stamar I don't think the battery was wired backwards since I have been full time in the RV now for almost two months and haven't had any problems until I drained the "house" battery down to a 1/4 charge. I'm currently trying to figure out if I have an isolator installed. I read the original post about the Banjo twang and what I found most interesting was that once the truck battery was charged again the banjo twang went away.
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On my rig, there is a battery isolater, in the engine compartment, which isolates the engine battery from the coach battery, in certain conditions. It works like this, engine is started and the alternator starts to replace the power used for the startup and to supply power to the coach battery, it measures both batteries for voltage and if one or the other (or both) require more current to bring up the voltage, the alternator output is adjusted to do so. Generally speaking this is happening continuously when you are running, however, when you shut off the ignition, a switch running from the ignition is opened, there is a loss of a 12 volt signal and the isolator is disconnected from the alternator source. From that point on any current draw from the coach battery is drawn strictly from the coach battery. The car battery is completely cut off from any demands and is preserved for the engine functions only.
I'm not exactly sure if I already have an isolator, I do have a couple of components on the side wall of the engine compartment so I took a picture maybe someone can help figure what they are. Thanks again!
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What inverter do you have? I've never heard of anyone offering a cigarette-lighter plug powered inverter rated over 200 watts. 500 watts makes no sense since that's twice what any port can supply.
The inverter is a Schumacher PID-500-usb. It offers a cigarette input and 2 alligator clips to connect directly to the battery.
Schumacher's 500 Watt Power Inverter features a 1000 Watt peak and 500 continuous Watt, with two 120 Volt, 3 prong, AC household outlets and a USB Port. Also features a convenient and easy-to-read digital display, two LED indicators, an on/off switch, and a built-in high speed cooling fan. Includes thermal and surge protection, with a low battery alarm and cut-off, and a high battery voltage shutdown for safe and easy use.
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Hi everyone,
I recently purchased an inverter to use with my laptop and have been using it for an hour or two a day for over a week and it worked as I had expected. Then yesterday I used it for a 4-5 hours and drained the “house” battery to about a ¼ charge and because I didn’t want to drain the battery down all the way I shut it off. When I went to start the truck nothing, 2 dead battery. Why isn't there some kind of protection for draining BOTH batteries! I had any idea, why not run the generator an hour or so and see if it will charge the battery enough to start the truck. Wahoo! It worked or at least something worked I had enough juice to start the truck so I headed to my next destination. I didn't go 5 miles before my radio started to go haywire, then the headlights started to dim and I knew something was wrong. I also knew that the truck was just going to die once I shut it off and I was right. Well the genie thing worked again this morning enough to get the truck started and off I went to the nearest auto store to test the batteries and alternator. The batteries tested fine so it appears as though the alternator is fried. Does that sound correct? It's 5 years old.
Another interesting thing was when I ran the genie and the batteries were dead the converter made what has been called a banjo twang (there is a post about it on this forum). Interestingly after the guy at the auto parts store charged my truck battery the converter does NOT make the banjo twang anymore, but It doesn't appear to be charging the "house" deep cycle battery now. Do you think I'm going to need to replace the converter or could it be a breaker or a fuse? If I need to replace it what converter should I be looking for?
Thanks for any help you can give.
Bye the way I'm full time with a 83' Sunrader, 22R, 2 batteries, 25 amp converter/charger model 6325
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Maybe I missed it, but did anyone say how you can tell if your breaker is bad?
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The cigarette lighter itself is good for 200 watts. Are you saying your laptop uses more then 200 watts?
LOL - I actually have no idea how many watts my laptop uses (the label says 19.5 volts). I'm just saying that with the inverter that I purchased I can only charge the battery via the cigarette lighter, if I want to use the laptop I have to be connected directly to the battery. The inverter cost $50 perhaps it falls under what you had written in a previous post. "Cheap inverters do NOT make the same type of AC power you get in your house. They make a stepped modified-wave with low voltage peaks and dips that do not work great with everything -especially some small AC to DC converters".
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You need a fairly hot battery to turn the fan fast enough to close the sail switch and no restrictions in the air flow (bees nest etc.) You might try it while it's plugged in that will give it a voltage boost and check the furnace port on the side of the MH and make sure there is nothing in it. Another problem is often the igniter board they do fail with age.
I'm having difficulties getting my hydro flame furnace to fire up (it lights 1 in 20 attempts) and I'm also looking for the elusive sail switch. I think that may be the culprit.
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You need to connect directly to the battery. It won't work with the cigarette adapter. When I was using my 300 watt inverter I used the alligator clips and opened up the fuse door and clipped it directly to power there. my laptop uses less power than yours but it sucked the juice out of a group 27 deep cycle very fast.
I'm also using a 500w inverter to run/charge my laptop. I can only charge the battery via the cigarette lighter, but to actually use and charge the laptop I have to be connected directly to the battery.
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I purchased my Toy because of I can work on the common fixes (both in the home and mechanical), the fiberglass, MPG, it was in my price range, reliability, and I like cool unique things.
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Timmy, I have to give you a lot of credit for living in your Toy, in Alaska during the winter. I'm in north Florida and it was in the mid 30's last night and since my furnace is having issues it was chilly in my Toy last night.
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Thanks everyone for your input! Since I needed something with at least 2500w (to run AC I'm in Fl.) and money unfortunately is an issue I ended up getting the Champion 4000w (really a 3500w). I have run it for over 30 hours now and haven't had a problem. Well actually I did have a problem trying to change the oil. The drain plug is right above a support beam and when you try to drain the oil it hits the beam and runs EVERYWHERE! You can either get a shallow pan to collect the oil since the capacity is only about 1/2 quart, but that is a pain and can still be messy. I called their customer service and they promptly sent me (for free) a hose to attach to the drain hole. No problem now. Yes it is noisy, but I'm going to enclose it and that should make it about as loud as a Honda. I'll keep you posted on how it works out and maybe even get some pictures once I build the enclosure.
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Hi everyone, Add me to the list - 46 yo with dog companion in 21' Sunrader.
Alternator / Converter problem?
in Electrical
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I show voltage at both the red and white (regulator) wires and the voltage reads the same as the truck battery voltage.