3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Topic: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water (Read 1713 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #25 – August 26, 2018, 03:01:00 pm

Quote from: Pierce & Gaylie Stewart link=msg=322697 date=15353 This still does not explain why your engine won't turn over with good engine batteries.[/quote

I don't think the starter batteries were any good (or, had somehow discharged, key left on?) The fact the boost switch did the trick means there was enough in the house battery bank to fire the gen-set. After charging, it will prolly fire the engine.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #26 – August 26, 2018, 03:03:25 pm

Quote from: Chuck & Jeannie – August 26, 2018, 02:58:23 pm

That panel is your Bendix air cruise control/throttle setup. Has nothing to do with electrical problems.

You DO need to get the panel secured properly to the bulkhead. If anything on that panel gets damaged, you will have no throttle (bad situation).

But, reattach before driving-- it IS your throttle!

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #27 – August 26, 2018, 03:04:40 pm

With the generator on, the yellow tops have gone from 7.76 up to 7.25 so far. The Black battery is still at 12.53

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #28 – August 26, 2018, 03:07:26 pm

Yep, will certainly get that reattached today. :-)

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #29 – August 26, 2018, 03:15:06 pm

Put a new insulation package on your list:

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #30 – August 26, 2018, 03:19:06 pm

With some speculation here on "which batteries are which", please tell us which is house and which is chassis.

8D battery
2 Optima batteries

And, you need to troubleshoot your converter. If OE, it will be plugged into an outlet in that basement compartment. Have you verified that the outlet is hot? Converter plugged in?

What converter is it-- newer ones/smart ones will NOT attempt to charge a deeply discharged battery.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #31 – August 26, 2018, 03:21:29 pm

Mike,

Already on the list. Under the bed has been redone, plan to get the sides done later this year :-)

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #32 – August 26, 2018, 03:31:13 pm

Brett,

We were told by the previous owner that the Optimas are the house batteries and the 8D is the engine battery. He rewired the monitor so it shows the engine battery reading (~12.3 or so). The voltmeter reads 12.54 at the 8D. With the generator running, the Optimas have gone from 6.76 to 7.33.

I did crawl into the bay and verify the converter was plugged in and the outlet live.

We have someone bringing a charger to see if we can save the Optimas.

Randy from Best Converter is recommending a Boondocker BD 1275C

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #33 – August 26, 2018, 03:39:45 pm

Your battery arrangement is just the opposite of what "we" would expect, but whatever...

Sounds like the PC-75 may be trying to charge the yellow tops (which you have identified as the house batteries). Even so, you will be much better off with a new modern 4-stage charger/converter.

Randy at Best Converter is a straight shooter. He will not mislead you, or try to "over sell" you more than you need. We bought a earlier version (PM4B-75) of that same unit from him in late 2013. Same price, too! It worked great maintaining our 2 new AGM8D house batteries, right up until the time we made another upgrade to a single combined inverter/charger.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #34 – August 26, 2018, 03:42:29 pm

Quote from: Jeff and Deb – August 26, 2018, 03:04:40 pm

With the generator on, the yellow tops have gone from 7.76 up to 7.25 so far. The Black battery is still at 12.53

Let the gennie run, make sure your propane does not get below 1/4 tank. The black (house) should be charging. Not sure if the GS charges both banks, I know ours does, but knowing the previous owner, (Brett) ,he could have modified it.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #35 – August 26, 2018, 03:57:18 pm

If the converter is not working, running the generator will do nothing for charging the batteries. A separate temporary charger is the correct answer.

And, your propane generator will run until you are totally out of propane. While it is a liquid LP generator, it will continue to run on either liquid or if out of liquid on vapor as long as there is any vapor pressure. In fact many of us converted the liquid LP to vapor LP generator to prevent long hydrocarbon contaminants from clogging the regulator.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #36 – August 26, 2018, 04:04:24 pm

I carry a charger capable of up to 100 Amp charge - might be worth a trip to parts store or big box store - buy a charger and use it to charge each bank individually

Tim Fiedler

Sure Start Soft Start - home of SureStart soft starters TCER Direct - home of Generac Approved Aluminum and Copper TCER Composite cable generator-gas-prod - home of X-Riser Gas Risers for PE installation Call me at 630 240-9139
Gen-Pro

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #37 – August 26, 2018, 04:13:29 pm

Have turned the generator off. Back on shore power. When I turned the generator off, they read around 7.4. Back on shore power they have dropped to 7.25.

Thanks Brett and Tim for good information. We will definitely follow up on that. We have a tech bringing over a charger. Will keep you posted.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #38 – August 26, 2018, 04:17:29 pm

Have you tried to start the engine w/the boost switch?

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #39 – August 26, 2018, 04:26:34 pm

Not yet Mike, but we will.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #40 – August 26, 2018, 04:28:20 pm

Turned the key, and nothing...

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #41 – August 26, 2018, 04:33:03 pm

Once batteries are charged, you can get into diagnosing the no start.

Since it started right after "watering the engine", wonder what else that affected??? Water and electrical components don't play nice with each other.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #42 – August 26, 2018, 04:39:17 pm

Quote from: Jeff and Deb – August 26, 2018, 04:28:20 pm

Turned the key, and nothing...

Sorry Jeff, I'd hoped for the best. Let us know how (and why) things 'go south'.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #43 – August 26, 2018, 04:43:11 pm

Good question Brett. Just seems odd that it started right after the service and now won't even turn over.

Mike, will certainly let everyone know what is going on.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #44 – August 26, 2018, 07:03:36 pm

She's Alive! Our friend with the charger came out and the batteries are charged and appear OK. The new converter has been ordered and will be installed Tuesday. Confirmed that the yellow tops are the house batteries and the 8D is the engine battery.

Meanwhile, the starting problem has been resolved thanks to another thread on the forum that provided the solution. A major newbie mistake on my part. It seems that while parking her last time I didn't put her in Neutral. I checked an hour or so ago and discovered she was still in Drive. As soon as she went into N, she started right up. :-)

Thanks once again to all of you for taking the time to help. It was truly appreciated.

Jeff and Deb

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #45 – August 26, 2018, 07:10:17 pm

Ain't life grand. 👍

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #46 – August 26, 2018, 07:12:33 pm

That it is

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #47 – August 26, 2018, 07:14:52 pm

Excellent.

And, to really put your mind at ease, when you started the engine and went to higher idle (like 1,100 RPM or so), what did the dash voltmeter read-- that will tell you if the alternator is behaving.

Now you can RELAX.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #48 – August 26, 2018, 07:17:51 pm

Ha. I would probably have just not replied.

Re: 3 Days 0ut - Dead in the Water

Reply #49 – August 26, 2018, 08:34:58 pm

Admitting your mistakes helps other newbies

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