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Old 07-30-2017, 11:27 PM   #1
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Battery not charging when connected to shore power

I have recently purchased a 2014 Coleman 297re. Just recently the battery will not charge when connected to shore power. Anyone else have this problem or know what can be causing it? Also, when the battery gets low the lights get dim and the radio and a/c quit working. I put a new battery in and everything went back to normal until the next morning and the battery was dead again all while connected to shore power. I disconnected the battery to put a charge on it. Once I removed it everything quit working in the camper even while still connected to shore power. But about 5 to 10 minutes later everything came back on. Any help is greatly appreciated.
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Old 07-31-2017, 02:08 AM   #2
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Welcome! I'd do a search on youtube for troubleshooting/testing rv power converters.
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Old 07-31-2017, 07:10 PM   #3
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Couple of quick things to check, there are a usually a couple of fuses on the converter to guard against reverse polarity, check those first. If they are blown there will be no output from the converter. Which brand and model of converter do you have? Also make sure your converter breaker is turned on.

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Old 07-31-2017, 07:23 PM   #4
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It's a WFCO, not sure what model. No fuses are blown.
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Old 07-31-2017, 07:39 PM   #5
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The fuses may be inside the converter, you would have to pull the cover to find them.

Here is a link to the Warranty Return Form, the 4-6 pages are trouble shooting directions depending on which one you have. If you follow the directions and determine it is bad, I would replace it with a Progressive Dynamics from Best Converter. WFCO is not the most robust converter on the market, and has issues getting a battery properly charged all the way up.

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Old 07-31-2017, 08:31 PM   #6
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I appreciate the information. I will look at it again tomorrow and try to troubleshoot it again. Thanks!
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Old 08-01-2017, 01:35 AM   #7
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Also, check the inline fuse tot he battery (by the battery). Also, strange that you said that the AC quit working when the battery died as the AC does not run on the battery. It only runs on AC power, as does the microwave and household type electrical plugs.

Also to note. If you drain your trailer battery below 50% then you are actually damaging the battery.
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:16 AM   #8
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Don't some AC's need 12v for the thermostat?



My Aerolite uses a thermostat and the AC actually turns off and on and high and low automatically. I believe that uses low voltage controls

In my smaller RV, the same size AC is completely manual-mechanical controlled. So yea, it doesn't require 12v

Kind of like the fridge on propane still needs some 12v for controls?
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:27 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snakebitten View Post
Don't some AC's need 12v for the thermostat?



My Aerolite uses a thermostat and the AC actually turns off and on and high and low automatically. I believe that uses low voltage controls

In my smaller RV, the same size AC is completely manual-mechanical controlled. So yea, it doesn't require 12v

Kind of like the fridge on propane still needs some 12v for controls?


You're absolutely right. The thermostat would use battery power to trigger the AC. Forgot about the thermostat.
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Old 08-03-2017, 02:53 PM   #10
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Turned out to be a bad converter
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Old 08-03-2017, 03:53 PM   #11
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Turned out to be a bad converter
Dang! I'm surprised you didn't see a mushroom cloud from that one!
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Old 08-03-2017, 06:01 PM   #12
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dang! I'm surprised you didn't see a mushroom cloud from that one!
...😅
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Old 08-04-2017, 12:17 AM   #13
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Just a blown capacitor that can be replaced so the unit can be used as a backup. Perhaps the cap's rating were too low in voltage and that caused the problem.
I'd replace the caps in that section with higher voltage rated ones and then give it a test.
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Old 08-04-2017, 12:37 AM   #14
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Just a blown capacitor that can be replaced so the unit can be used as a backup. Perhaps the cap's rating were too low in voltage and that caused the problem.
I'd replace the caps in that section with higher voltage rated ones and then give it a test.
Yeah I planned on doing that if I can find someone who can replace them for me
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Old 08-04-2017, 09:35 AM   #15
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Standard failure on most WFCO units. Do you have a surge protector or EMS that you use with your camper?

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Old 08-04-2017, 10:06 AM   #16
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Standard failure on most WFCO units. Do you have a surge protector or EMS that you use with your camper?

Aaron

I do now. (Surge protector)
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Old 09-22-2017, 03:19 AM   #17
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I have a Coleman light 1805RB. My issue is with the shoreline power cord. I have it plugged into a 30 amp service and the blue light is on when I plug the cord into the rv the blue light does not come on, on the cover which it usually does
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Old 09-22-2017, 07:27 PM   #18
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I have a Coleman light 1805RB. My issue is with the shoreline power cord. I have it plugged into a 30 amp service and the blue light is on when I plug the cord into the rv the blue light does not come on, on the cover which it usually does
Does everything function okay other than the blue light on the receptacle cover? I have the same TT and I read somewhere this is a known issue.

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Old 09-22-2017, 07:40 PM   #19
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Yes there is power going to TT. Guess the Blue indicator light does not work anymore
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Old 09-23-2017, 10:13 AM   #20
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Yes there is power going to TT. Guess the Blue indicator light does not work anymore
The blue LED's on the power cords are notorious for failing, as long as power is flowing you are good to go. I think it was one of the golly gee whiz ideas that wasn't executed very well.

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