House battery issue

Abledsoe0613 · 09-03-2020, 04:36 PM

Hello all. My name is Alan Bledsoe and I live in SC. We recently purchased a 2014 Thor Four Winds 31l. I am having an issue with my house batteries charging when plugged into ac power. They will charge with the motor running. I have replaced the converter and am getting 13.4v at the converter. But I have been under the coach for an hour now and can’t find the line that goes to the batteries to test it. I found what looks like a circuit breaker box inside the battery compartment but it is a flat square with no breaker. When plugged into power with panel on I am only getting three of four lights on my charge indicator. If I start the coach it goes to four. Even when plugged into power the 12 v appliances will drain with no recharge unless I run the engine to bring them back up. Any help would be sincerely appreciated.

Bob Denman · 09-03-2020, 04:54 PM

Welcome to the forum!

Did you set your "Use/Store" switch to the "Use" setting?

Abledsoe0613 · 09-03-2020, 04:56 PM

In the use setting the lights come on and if left on the batteries will completely drain.

Bob Denman · 09-03-2020, 05:44 PM

That's now how I'd describe it...

The "Use" setting allows your coach batteries to be put to good use.

Trkyte@msn.com · 09-03-2020, 06:15 PM

Must have it in use to connect the batteries to the converter so that they charge when on shore power.

Abledsoe0613 · 09-03-2020, 07:12 PM

Let me try this way. With full batteries and plugged into AC 30 amp power we go to bed with AC on and one light in the kitchen to wake up with batteries completely drained lights off and ac out (12v thermostat). Have to run engine on coach to bring batteries back up.

ChrisCruises · 09-03-2020, 07:54 PM

Maybe you just think you have 30amp power - have you checked that to be sure? It all makes sense if you're not really getting power from your ac source but think you are.

Abledsoe0613 · 09-03-2020, 11:15 PM

I have checked both sides of the converter. 120v coming in from the plug on a 30 amp breaker and 13.6 coming out at the DC side of the converter just doesn’t seem to be making it to the batteries

**16ACE27** · 09-03-2020, 11:37 PM

It sounds like your batteries are connected to the DC buss and power all things on the DC buss from the house batteries, including the battery status indicator LEDs.

So how do you know your converter is putting out 13.4 VDC?
Have you checked the 2 large reverse polarity fuses on the DC fuse panel?

Abledsoe0613 · 09-03-2020, 11:57 PM

I checked the two six gauge wires that come out of the converter on the bench and got 13.6v. Not sure what the reverse fuses are

Abledsoe0613 · 09-03-2020, 11:59 PM

Connected the new converter as per the instructions that came with it.

**16ACE27** · 09-04-2020, 12:12 AM

Your panel may be slightly different, but most have two large fuses separate from the load fuses. The below panel has two 40 amp fuses which are the reverse polarity fuses. If they are good, then something has to be wrong between your converter and the DC buss.

Abledsoe0613 · 09-04-2020, 12:15 AM

I have those. Would I be correct in assuming that those do not have a trouble light like the others?

**16ACE27** · 09-04-2020, 01:16 AM

I would "assume" nothing when troubleshooting. Pull them and test them with an ohmmeter.

Abledsoe0613 · 09-04-2020, 06:45 PM

Thanks Ace. That solved the problem. Both were blown probably from the battery swap out.

Glensouth · 09-09-2020, 08:05 PM

There is a resettable fuse between the converter and the batteries on my coach and others. Mine is a small box about 2x3 inches with a button that sticks out the side. Just push it in. I called Thor and they said it was located near my batteries, but it wasn’t.

Beau388 · 09-09-2020, 09:45 PM

If the batteries drain when the interior lights are on, then the use/store switch is in the use position and the battery compartment circuit breaker flag is NOT out. The converter may not properly connected to the fuse panel. In the lower part of the Power Center is the converter. It will have three large 10 gauge wires going to the fuse panel (red, black and green). Th red is the positive, the black the negative, and the green is the ground. Easy check is to turn the use/store switch to store and plug the coach into shore power or start the generator. If the interior lights work, your converter is working. If no lights, then you have found your problem. The convertor is not supplying power or the converter is not wired correctly. By the way, I assume the have tripped the 120 Volt circuit breaker and reset it.
If you are stumped after all that, it is time to buy a cheap volt meter and start tracing the volts.

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