General storage question

Topic: General storage question (Read 824 times) previous topic - next topic

General storage question

May 05, 2018, 02:51:15 pm

Whenever I am not traveling I keep my coach plugged in 24/7 to a50 amp box. I am doing repairs in engine bay and I noticed the front electrical section in front of engine bay under bed very or extremely hot. I have never really noticed this before. My question, Is this normal ?

Re: General storage question

Reply #1 – May 05, 2018, 03:59:22 pm

Quote from: 1985 – May 05, 2018, 02:51:15 pm

I noticed the front electrical section in front of engine bay under bed very or extremely hot.

Got a pic where the heat is coming from? Do you have a block heater? I assume you have a ATS (automatic transfer switch) back there?

Re: General storage question

Reply #2 – May 05, 2018, 04:04:35 pm

We will need to know WHAT is hot. But no, it is NOT OK for any electrical device (except a heater) to be hot.

This often happens with ATS's as their connections become loose. An annual tightening is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Re: General storage question

Reply #3 – May 05, 2018, 04:13:24 pm

Quote from: wolfe10 – May 05, 2018, 04:04:35 pm

This often happens with ATS's as their connections become loose. An annual tightening is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

X2........We had a near meltdown with our ATS, not pretty. Does it have 'That Smell' of hot wire? I'd be checking your 50 amp connection, as well.

P.S., there are other 'old dogs' still out there!

Re: General storage question

Reply #4 – May 06, 2018, 10:56:44 pm

This is the box it is the power converter I never noticed but it is very hot on the side no smell but hot.

Re: General storage question

Reply #5 – May 06, 2018, 11:15:41 pm

That is a transformer and they do get hot. Changes 120 volt to 12 volt. My '81 came with one. They will not keep a battery alive very long. They only produce voltage in the 13.2 range. They are maintainers not chargers.

Re: General storage question

Reply #6 – May 07, 2018, 09:19:08 am

does it get hot enough on the side that it cannot be touched ?

Re: General storage question

Reply #7 – May 07, 2018, 09:29:02 am

Do yourself (and your batteries) a favor and replace that antique converter with a modern smart charger.

It would be the best "from under $200" upgrade you could do.

Prematurely killing one battery because of under/over charging would more than pay for it.

Re: General storage question

Reply #8 – May 07, 2018, 10:56:58 am

So agreed with Brett Wolfe: This is a unit I've used and had excellent results with in two rvs, choose model rated at 45-60-70 and 80 amps, depending on what your battery charging requirements are. Amazon.com: Progressive Dynamics PD9245CV Inteli-Power 9200 Series Converter/...
Amazon.com: Progressive Dynamics PD9260CV Inteli-Power 9200 Series Converter/...
Amazon.com: Progressive Dynamics PD9270V Inteli-Power 9200 Series Converter/C...
Amazon.com: Progressive Dynamics PD9280V Inteli-Power 9200 Series Converter/C...

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Re: General storage question

Reply #9 – May 07, 2018, 11:49:43 am

I would get the 80 amp one Jack has listed above.

Battery Maintainer for the engine start batteries (not house bank)

Reply #10 – May 07, 2018, 12:22:05 pm

In addition to the house battery charger/110v inverter (which on our 1997 U270 I think is mounted on the ceiling the main bay (?)) we added a hard wired Battery Tender plus with the terminal kit to keep the 2 engine start batteries maintained and fully charged. This was all of @$39 at Costco and as it just floats and is essentially a battery "maintainer" ... its 1.25 amp rating at 12v is fine for this job. We run it off the engine block heater outlet via an extension cord.
Amazon: Amazon.com: BATTERY TENDER Battery Charger High Efficiency Plus 12V 1.25A:...

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Re: General storage question

Reply #11 – May 07, 2018, 03:32:41 pm

if this is the battery charger when I turn it off everything in the coach shuts down. Is this normal ?

Re: General storage question

Reply #12 – May 07, 2018, 04:31:12 pm

If you have the Red Top AGM batteries it would be better to get the Battery minder 2012-AGM,specifically designed for AGM
batteries.

Re: General storage question

Reply #13 – May 07, 2018, 09:49:35 pm

If your batteries are dead then yes all the lights would go out, or there may be a fuse in it for the lighting circuit. I can't tell from the picture which converter it is, but check on the end either end to see if there is a door that opens up and if it does check for fuses. I just remembered on our 84 ored there was a 50 amp glass fuse in the fuse panel in front of the bed that if it is blown the charger will not charge the batteries and the batteries can not provide the power for the lights.

Re: General storage question

Reply #14 – May 08, 2018, 08:28:06 am

this is the tag, so this is charging my battery and running my 12 volt system at the same time ?

Re: General storage question

Reply #15 – May 08, 2018, 09:10:22 am

Here is the information on your converter charger. Still not a good choice.

http://www.bdub.net/manuals/triad-utrad.pdf

Re: General storage question

Reply #16 – May 08, 2018, 10:25:40 am

so the one mentioned by Carl Cox is a good replacement ?

Re: General storage question

Reply #17 – May 08, 2018, 10:29:03 am

Quote from: 1985 – May 08, 2018, 10:25:40 am

so the one mentioned by Carl Cox is a good replacement ?

Yes, a good SMALL OUTPUT smart charger for maintaining the chassis batteries.

Not suitable for charging the house battery.

Re: General storage question

Reply #18 – May 08, 2018, 10:33:56 am

so the one mentioned by Carl Cox is a good replacement ?

Re: General storage question

Reply #19 – May 08, 2018, 10:39:58 am

As I said, it is fine for its intended purpose-- to MAINTAIN the chassis battery.

It is totally inadequate to keep up with house battery needs. For that you need a minimum of a 40 amp smart charger.

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