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Lights

Two days ago a couple of my fluorescent lights on the ceiling would not fully start.  One bulb would come on and the other bulb dim or not at all. Today, all of the ceiling lights are this way.  Surely half to 2/3rds of my bulbs did not go bad in two days.  Do I have an inverter problem, battery problem, or what?  I know you guys will nail it quickly.  Thanks ahead of a solution.  The money you all save me is worth admission. Not that any of you all are clowns.  I think I got that job wrapped up.   
Curtis
1989 GV

Re: Lights

Reply #1 –
Sounds like a battery/12VDC issue. The lights run from 12VDC so it is not likely to be an inverter problem. Check the house battery voltage with your DC voltmeter. (If you don't have one, get one.) Also check battery and converter (charger) connections.

I would guess that your incandescent bulbs are dim, your water pump is slow, your water heater may not light, and your furnaces may not work properly. All of those issues are related to low voltage on the 12VDC circuits.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX

Re: Lights

Reply #2 –
Ok, I will check that ASAP.
Curtis
1989 GV

Re: Lights

Reply #3 –
I did also notice last night that my frig lights were not on, but the frig was working. This morning they are on, but flickering.  Why?
Curtis
1989 GV

Re: Lights

Reply #4 –
Your charger/converter (the device that supplies 12vdc to charge the batteries and provide power to the 12volt system in the coach when you're connected to an outside power source) could be defective.

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: Lights

Reply #5 –
As the others have said, the house batteries are probably down in the 9-10V range now. How about telling us what the circumstances are? Plugged into shore power, traveling? Does the engine start OK? How old are the house batteries?

If the engine starts but you still don't have lights while it's running, your isolator may be bad. Other possibilities are bad battery, loose connection. Charger could be bad if you are plugged in now.

Fridge lights are incandescent so will operate at lower voltage. Your fridge switched to propane now but won't run too much longer as the logic board needs 12V to operate the fridge.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Lights

Reply #6 –
I have no idea what kind of of converter/charger you have in your 1989 Grand Villa, but I am willing to bet that it is a older Magnetek or Parallax converter/charger.  They will cause your lights to flicker because it is no longer going its job properly.  Unless it has been upgraded, it probably isn't doing your batteries any good either, because it does not have filtered power and has only a single stage charger.  Older chargers are just on/off charging.  Batteries are best charged in 3 or more stages, Bulk, Absorption, and Float.  A 3 or 4 stage charger will make your batteries last lots longer, and will maintain their full capacity much better.  I changed out my old Parallax charger for a Progressive Dynamics 9200 converter/charger with built in smart charger.  And last year year I also replaced the very old GEL batteries with new AGM batteries.  No flickering in my coach.
1994 U225
build #4514

Re: Lights

Reply #7 –
Those old style converter/chargers have two separate circuits.  When not charging, all 12v power to the coach comes from the batteries.  When charging, some circuits that need filtering are still connected to the batteries, but others that can take unfiltered power, are powered by the converter while the charger is connected to the batteries.

The idea is that the converter/charger has a large AC ripple on top of the DV component.  Circuits like radios and TVs connect to the battery so the battery can filter out the ripple.  Circuits like lights and shouldn't care about the ripple and are powered by the converter section. 

It could very well be the voltage, either battery or converter, is low or the ripple is higher than planned.  Either way I would swap out that antique for a modern charger (that powers everything from the batteries all the time) and gain longer battery life.  Those antique converter/chargers are very hard on battery life, when you want rapid charging they are slow, when you want long-term float charging, they boil the batteries dry.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer

Re: Lights

Reply #8 –
Well, you all have done it again!  I have 120v going into the charger and a whopping 7 volts coming out. I will be ordering a new Progressive Dynamics 9280 when I am done here.  Is the 80 amp too much, not enough, or just right?  I like overkill.  Then I will be replacing all the batteries with Optima Blue/Marine batteries.  Thanks again, you all are a life saver, time saver, and money saver. Blessing to all.
Curtis
1989 GV

Re: Lights

Reply #9 –
I think 80 is probably overkill... 45 would probably do the job and that is likely what you have now. Remember to get the pendant.

Craig
1993 U225 36' Unihome GV with PACBRAKE exhaust retarder, Banks Stinger and Solar Panels.
Toad: 1999 Jeep Wrangler 2-door soft-top.

"No one has ever had to evacuate a city because the solar panels broke."

Re: Lights

Reply #10 –
 Foretravel in the nineties installed a combination 2500 watt inverter + 100amp battery charger, while the Progressive Dynamics you referenced is a converter (not a battery charger).

A battery charger output will be circa 15.6 volts for equalizing, 14.6 volts for fast charging, and 14.0 volts for trickle.

A converter output will typically be rated at 13.8voc but actually provide 13.6 volts during use. My Iota 55 amp converter is dual voltage rated 13.6voc or 14.2 voc. It actually provides 13.4v or 14.0 during use and I installed a switch in the kitchen control panel to select converter voltage. There is a noticeable difference in the charging current going into the batteries between these two voltages, however it is no more then a trickle charge.

I replaced the inverter/battery charger which Foretravel installed with an Iota converter and a Xantrex "Pure Sign" inverter because I live on solar power and seldom run the generator.

Most Foretravel owners live on generator power and fast charge their batteries with their battery charger using power from the generator. My setup would not work for them because I have no ability to fast charge batteries using generator power. 

So, what is best for you (battery charger or converter) will depend on you. If you will have shore power most of the time, then a converter will work, if, however, you will need to fast charge with generator power, a converter will not work.


Wyatt
96 U320 40 WTFE, build 4943
84 Toyota Supra towd
2015 Jeep Wrangler towd
Victoria, BC, Canada

Re: Lights

Reply #11 –
Quote from: P. Wyatt Sabourin –
Foretravel in the nineties installed a combination 2500 watt inverter + 100amp battery charger, while the Progressive Dynamics you referenced is a converter (not a battery charger).
The Progressive Dynamics 9200 series has a built in Smart Charge Wizard battery charger., while on the 9100 series it is a optional add on.
PD9200 Series RV Power Converters
1994 U225
build #4514
 

Re: Lights

Reply #12 –
Is 7 volts as high as the batteries go? You might be dealing with a shorted cell too. Run the engine for a short time any measure the battery voltage on their terminals both with the engine running and stopped to see if they can be charged and hold a charge.
Tom Lang K6PG (originally  KC6UEC)
and Diane Lang
2003 38 U295 build 6209
2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit Ecodiesel
still have tow-ready 2006 Acura MDX 
Temple City, California
Motorcade 16681 California Chapter President
SKP 16663 member of SKP Park of the Sierra, Coarsegold California
FMCA F071251
Retired electrical and electronic engineer