Where is the battery charger!

[MoldyOldPeach]

I have a new 2017 Thor Miramar 35.3, and it seems like from the day I took delivery, I have had problems with the batteries (chassis and house) discharging even when the coach is plugged in to shore power. At the moment, EVERYTHING is dead, and I have the house batteries disconnected and on a charger trying to get them back. It really seems like my power converter/charger is not working at all, but I can't find the darn thing. I THINK that it is located under the bed, WAAAY behind the power panel, but I can't get to the area because the bedroom slide is in, and, well, there is no power to move it.

Does anyone know for positive that the thing is located back there, or am I missing something?

There are LOTS of little things that I am still in the process of working through on this coach, but this is a biggie for me. It is also especially frustrating, because it is an electrical issue, and I have been an electrician for almost 50 years. My neighbors are really starting to look at me funny.

Does anyone have any ideas for me? There are no electrical drawings that I can find to help me troubleshoot, and no real information in the Owners Manual about the manufacturer, model number, rating, or even WHERE the power supply/charger was installed in the coach.

[ZaN_RV]

This is the one I took out of my Palazzo 33.3. It is there Magnum 2012. Not sure about location of yours, but mine is in the compartment right next to the batteries. Also I assume you checked this, but your Use/Store switch has to be in Use to charge the batteries.

[kwilliams]

Originally Posted by MoldyOldPeach

I have a new 2017 Thor Miramar 35.3, and it seems like from the day I took delivery, I have had problems with the batteries (chassis and house) discharging even when the coach is plugged in to shore power. At the moment, EVERYTHING is dead, and I have the house batteries disconnected and on a charger trying to get them back. It really seems like my power converter/charger is not working at all, but I can't find the darn thing. I THINK that it is located under the bed, WAAAY behind the power panel, but I can't get to the area because the bedroom slide is in, and, well, there is no power to move it.

Does anyone know for positive that the thing is located back there, or am I missing something?

There are LOTS of little things that I am still in the process of working through on this coach, but this is a biggie for me. It is also especially frustrating, because it is an electrical issue, and I have been an electrician for almost 50 years. My neighbors are really starting to look at me funny.

Does anyone have any ideas for me? There are no electrical drawings that I can find to help me troubleshoot, and no real information in the Owners Manual about the manufacturer, model number, rating, or even WHERE the power supply/charger was installed in the coach.

For obtaining electrical drawings for the Miramar, call Thor support. They will email same day. You might as well ask for plumbing as well other drawings.

[nosticks]

Where is your electrical panel, you know the one with the fuses and circuit breakers. That unit is your "battery charger", aka Converter. It will be in plain view.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by nosticks

Where is your electrical panel, you know the one with the fuses and circuit breakers. That unit is your "battery charger", aka Converter. It will be in plain view.

This is correct, but as Moldy said, his is inaccessible with the slide in. Also, as ZAN said, the USE/STORE switch has to be in USE in order for the converter to charge the batteries.

[MoldyOldPeach]

Originally Posted by ZaN_RV

This is the one I took out of my Palazzo 33.3. It is there Magnum 2012. Not sure about location of yours, but mine is in the compartment right next to the batteries. Also I assume you checked this, but your Use/Store switch has to be in Use to charge the batteries.

Thanks Zan_RV

I think I have peeked into nearly every visible crevice in that coach, and don't see anything that looks very much like your converter except what is stuck under my bed at the moment. And yes, I did have the Use/Store switch in USE. I'm fairly convinced that whatever (and Wherever) the charger actually is, it just isn't working at all, since the discharge only occurs when plugged in to shore power. Batteries seem to charge off Generator or engine alternator, but NOT the Box of Mystery. Thanks again for your thoughtful input!

[MoldyOldPeach]

Originally Posted by kwilliams

For obtaining electrical drawings for the Miramar, call Thor support. They will email same day. You might as well ask for plumbing as well other drawings.

kwilliams-

Thank you, I will ask Thor for those straight-away. I'm definitely one of those guys who prefers having the map BEFORE I get lost! Drawings certainly help with systems troubleshooting. I don't suppose they have actual Shop Manuals for these things, do they? The Owners Manual generally says too much about not enough, or else not enough about too much.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by MoldyOldPeach

Thanks Zan_RV

I think I have peeked into nearly every visible crevice in that coach, and don't see anything that looks very much like your converter except what is stuck under my bed at the moment. And yes, I did have the Use/Store switch in USE. I'm fairly convinced that whatever (and Wherever) the charger actually is, it just isn't working at all, since the discharge only occurs when plugged in to shore power. Batteries seem to charge off Generator or engine alternator, but NOT the Box of Mystery. Thanks again for your thoughtful input!

The Generator uses the same "charger" as shore power to charge your batteries. Do you have 30 Amp or 50 Amp service? If 50 Amp, maybe one of your hot legs is bad on shore power.

[MoldyOldPeach]

Originally Posted by nosticks

Where is your electrical panel, you know the one with the fuses and circuit breakers. That unit is your "battery charger", aka Converter. It will be in plain view.

nosticks- Say, is that a play on "Gnostics"? Very clever if it is!

Yeah, I scooted my fat self under the bed to look at that yesterday.... because apparently it is really cool at Thor to put important electrical things under or attached to the bed, where they are nearly impossible to reach with the slide in.... which you can't move out if the batteries are dead.... and you can't get to the charger or breakers to see why the batteries are dead with the slide in. No cosmic train wreck of logic there, right?

Anyway, I was able to see (barely) the back of that AC breaker/DC fuse panel, and am certain it is merely a split bus distribution panel, or "load center" of sorts. There is no converter/charger integral to it.

I actually think the coach is too big for a combo unit, so the converter/charger must be separate, as a rather grainy photo in the Owners Manual leads me to believe..... so, back to the Under the Bed in the Least Accessible Part of the RV Theory.

Thanks for your help though!

[MoldyOldPeach]

Originally Posted by Tfryman

This is correct, but as Moldy said, his is inaccessible with the slide in. Also, as ZAN said, the USE/STORE switch has to be in USE in order for the converter to charge the batteries.

Tfryman-

Thanks, but the switch and associated contactor aren't the problem. Whatever is supposed to be providing the charging current to my batteries when plugged into shore power is simply not working. Until I can actually find and access the thing, I just won't know how to remedy the thing.

Thanks to all of you guys for the help on this!

[Markp22459]

Originally Posted by MoldyOldPeach

I have a new 2017 Thor Miramar 35.3, and it seems like from the day I took delivery, I have had problems with the batteries (chassis and house) discharging even when the coach is plugged in to shore power. At the moment, EVERYTHING is dead, and I have the house batteries disconnected and on a charger trying to get them back. It really seems like my power converter/charger is not working at all, but I can't find the darn thing. I THINK that it is located under the bed, WAAAY behind the power panel, but I can't get to the area because the bedroom slide is in, and, well, there is no power to move it.

Does anyone know for positive that the thing is located back there, or am I missing something?

There are LOTS of little things that I am still in the process of working through on this coach, but this is a biggie for me. It is also especially frustrating, because it is an electrical issue, and I have been an electrician for almost 50 years. My neighbors are really starting to look at me funny.

Does anyone have any ideas for me? There are no electrical drawings that I can find to help me troubleshoot, and no real information in the Owners Manual about the manufacturer, model number, rating, or even WHERE the power supply/charger was installed in the coach.

You should be able to get the wiring diagram from the Thor website under the owners section

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by MoldyOldPeach

Tfryman-

Thanks, but the switch and associated contactor aren't the problem. Whatever is supposed to be providing the charging current to my batteries when plugged into shore power is simply not working. Until I can actually find and access the thing, I just won't know how to remedy the thing.

Thanks to all of you guys for the help on this!

And I am telling you the "thing" that supplies charging current to the batteries on SP is the same "thing" that supplies it to the batteries when running the generator. So if the batteries really are charging when running the generator, the "thing" is not the problem.

Which leads me to this question:

If the batteries are charged enough to start the generator why aren't they charged enough for you to extend the slide so you can get a better look at things under the bed?

[wredman]

Run the generator to charge the batteries enough to on the slide. Slide may open with simply running the Gen. If you can't start the Gen, start the engine, and start the Gen off of the alternator.

[MoldyOldPeach]

Originally Posted by Tfryman

And I am telling you the "thing" that supplies charging current to the batteries on SP is the same "thing" that supplies it to the batteries when running the generator. So if the batteries really are charging when running the generator, the "thing" is not the problem.

Which leads me to this question:

If the batteries are charged enough to start the generator why aren't they charged enough for you to extend the slide so you can get a better look at things under the bed?

Actually, the Generator won't start because the house batteries (also the engine battery) are all dead. Not just "merely dead" but really most sincerely dead. And here is where my (perhaps false) presumption comes into play. I only KNOW for sure and for certain that the engine alternator charges the house batteries (if I can start the engine, which I can't right now-dead chassis battery). I do NOT absolutely know that the Generator will charge the house batteries, and I presume that it will. Since buying the coach, it seems that the only way to keep the house batteries charges is to drive the RV (and possibly -?- run the Generator).

I understand what you told me.... I just don't think that the shore power converter/charger has ever properly charged the house batteries.

I have the house batteries completely disconnected and on a deep-cycle external battery charger at the moment. Assuming (yeah, I know) that I can get the engine or Generator running to be able to maintain some battery in order to run out the bedroom slide, I can go on an expedition to locate the converter/charger and verify whether it functions or not.

With that info in hand, it will be back to the dealer for warranty-related issue or issues. My less than optimal past experience with them, is that I have to be somewhat firm about what the problem is, or I get an annoying, "there, there, now don't worry about a thing" pat on my head, and the coach spends ANOTHER two weeks in their shop while they bicker with Thor. Nobody seems to able to use the bathroom without a "factory warranty authorization." Took them 10 days to fix my leveling jack controller, which had been installed backwards at the Thor factory; another 5 days for them to replace a slide motor whose mount they had improperly mounted so it stripped the gears.

I really need to be able to say, "that thing there is broken.... fix it or replace it!"

[ComputerChips]

Many of the Thors come with that combo 110AC/12VDC distribution panel. Underneath the distribution panels is an open compartment wirh a 55 amp or so converter that supplies 12vdc to the circuits and charges the batteries at the same time.
There are a couple of other devices that when they work correctly will join tbe house and coach + leads together so that one can charge the other.

[MoldyOldPeach]

Originally Posted by ComputerChips

Many of the Thors come with that combo 110AC/12VDC distribution panel. Underneath the distribution panels is an open compartment wirh a 55 amp or so converter that supplies 12vdc to the circuits and charges the batteries at the same time.
There are a couple of other devices that when they work correctly will join tbe house and coach + leads together so that one can charge the other.

Dear ComputerChips-

Thank you! That seems to be where my wanderings are taking me. Back under that bed. My biggest issue now seems to be why they put that thing so far in the back of that compartment. Even after I get the slide out, I'm not entirely sure I can get to the DC power supply/charger to check it out without having to dismantle the bed.

Who knew having a motor home could be such fun (insert sarcastic emoji face here)?!

[kwilliams]

Originally Posted by MoldyOldPeach

Dear ComputerChips-

Thank you! That seems to be where my wanderings are taking me. Back under that bed. My biggest issue now seems to be why they put that thing so far in the back of that compartment. Even after I get the slide out, I'm not entirely sure I can get to the DC power supply/charger to check it out without having to dismantle the bed.

Who knew having a motor home could be such fun (insert sarcastic emoji face here)?!

I have the electrical drawing which shows the location. Send email to ikenwilliams@gmail.com and I will attach in my response. I have a Miramar as well.

Ken

[MoldyOldPeach]

Originally Posted by MoldyOldPeach

I have a new 2017 Thor Miramar 35.3, and it seems like from the day I took delivery, I have had problems with the batteries (chassis and house) discharging even when the coach is plugged in to shore power. At the moment, EVERYTHING is dead, and I have the house batteries disconnected and on a charger trying to get them back. It really seems like my power converter/charger is not working at all, but I can't find the darn thing. I THINK that it is located under the bed, WAAAY behind the power panel, but I can't get to the area because the bedroom slide is in, and, well, there is no power to move it.

Does anyone know for positive that the thing is located back there, or am I missing something?

There are LOTS of little things that I am still in the process of working through on this coach, but this is a biggie for me. It is also especially frustrating, because it is an electrical issue, and I have been an electrician for almost 50 years. My neighbors are really starting to look at me funny.

Does anyone have any ideas for me? There are no electrical drawings that I can find to help me troubleshoot, and no real information in the Owners Manual about the manufacturer, model number, rating, or even WHERE the power supply/charger was installed in the coach.

Sooo.... I finally got the batteries charged enough to extend the slide and dismantle the ridiculously inane cover over the area under the bed, and whadayaknow(?); I found the converter/charger. As expected, it was still virtually inaccessible without removing its mounting screws. Has two 35 Amp fuses on its D.C. Power side, but they were not blown. Also, the unit wasn't running when it ought to have been (all sources of battery charging disconnected, and coach connected to shore power). It simply does nothing but mock me for my efforts at finding it. It certainly doesn't look sufficient for the task at hand, although it's label claims to produce 55 Amps.

Needless to say, Mr. RV Dealership and I have a meeting scheduled for Monday morning.

While I'm on the subject of things hidden which should be accessible, have you ever heard the warnings about asking what's in the sausage you're eating? Well let me tell you, that after seeing all of the wiring and hoses and ducts stuffed under that bed, and about 10lbs of superfluous construction detritus left by the fine folks at Thor, I'm a little afraid to sleep in that bed! Never in 45 years of electrical construction have I seen such shoddy wiring craftsmanship, or generally inferior structural workmanship! Don't those people have any QA/QC? For the price I paid to own this thing, I thought it would have been made with a tad more pride.

Anyway, thanks to all of you who offered me your insights and suggestions. The RV might suck just a little, but the folks on this forum are Top Shelf! You have made this task more of a quest or adventure than merely a sweat-soaked frustration.

[thutchis]

Originally Posted by MoldyOldPeach

Never in 45 years of electrical construction have I seen such shoddy wiring craftsmanship, or generally inferior structural workmanship! Don't those people have any QA/QC? For the price I paid to own this thing, I thought it would have been made with a tad more pride.

I couldn't agree more. I am just appalled at the poor quality and lack of craftsmanship I keep finding, particularly in the wiring dept. I'd immediately fire any contractor or apprentice who did work like that.

But turn out maximum number of units per man hour is Thor's bottom line. Customers be dammed.

[ComputerChips]

It appears to have a rubber power supply cord. Could you tell if it was getting 110v ?