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24V charger and other issues
Spend a Saturday with my bus – right Jon – why did you do this to me?
So it was a rainy Saturday here in SC and thought I would check out a couple of things:
Picked up one of the 6 bulb LED turn signals to replace a failed original on my 93 XL. Will get it installed later.
Picked up 2 brake chamgers for the drive and ordered the other 4 and will get those installed later.
Checked out my 24 volt charger for the start batts as I have never used it. Replcaed the batts a bout a year ago and have never turned the breaker on. Checked the voltage at the terminals before and after turning the breaker on. The charger hums as if it is working but only raised the voltage about 0.2 V from 24.6 to 24.8.
I expected that voltage to go up to more like 28 volts. I know they are trickle chargers with limited amp output but I expected a greater voltage output. I currently assuming the charger is bad and will need to be replaced. Other views?
I also checked my bath toe kick heater which was not working. I had assumed it was a bad heater as it is one of the recalled cadet units the previous owner never replaced. Pulled it out checked it and could find no reason for it not to be working.
Checked for voltage at the unit and found none, checked at the back side of the breaker and had 120V so the breaker is good. Had continuity on the neutral but not the hot. Come-on man a failed power wire! I’m not sure if I can get a new wire from the center overhead bass panel to the bath. I know I can get it to the Galley but access to the wire chase A/C & heat duct on the drivers side under the galley and behind the shower looks to be a real pain. Any other suggestions?
Really Jon, I can’t spend any more Saturdays with my bus!
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7 Replies
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I really liked that! Put one on my face.
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Joe,
The early chassis chargers were dumb and just socked the juice to the batteries and if left on, would just cook out all the water and trash the batteries. Not sure what you have, but replace is with a 3 stage. A good choice would be the various 24 volt Guest Chargers.
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A trickle charger (2-4A) will take a long time to recharge your chassis bank. Give it at least a full day or two since that would only put 40-80 Ah into the battery bank. At 24.6V you are down 50%. If after two days the bank is up to 28V, everything is working.
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Ditto on the charger advice. A trickle charger might be OK to maintain a fully charged battery, but the best way if they do drain down over a short period of time is to use a charger such as the Guest that is a three stage. Just make sure the charge voltages are in accordance with the battery manufacturer’s instructions.
If in fact you do have a break in the wiring to the to space heater you may want to do what you really don’t want to do which is to expose the wiring in the wire bundle or wire chase. If one wire has a break somewhere, what are the odds some little creature with a taste for pretty colored wire insulation is going to stop with just one, and what’s to say there aren’t others in similar condition setting up the opportunity for a fire or short circuit?
FWIW I had one circuit go bad in a previous coach and it turned out the wire at the back of the breaker had gotten loose and literally burned itself in two at the breaker. I cut everything back to the point where there was no heat damage and all was well. I was lucky. It could have created a fire.
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Looks like I have a Parallax Power Supply 24 volt charger. It may be working as the user manual indicates the voltage will drop under a high load then increasing as the batts are charged. The manual clearly states not to leave it on all the time but for about 10 hrs each month of non-use. The coach has been parked since late Nov with the 12V and 24 volt disconnects open.
I’ll give it a try next weekend when I’m out at the barn for all day. Even if it works I may replace it with a smart charger.
I looked at some of the Guest and most of the 24V models seem to be dual outputs for both 12 and 24. Is there a particular model you recommend Tom? my current set up only has a single set of 24V + and neg leads.
Don’t think I have any varmits in the barn but this toe kick heater has never worked so it is possible I have a chewed up wire. I’ll eventually start pulling the old wire back at least part way as my vertical raceway on the drivers side is packed having been in that one once before and there is no way to just run a new 3 conductor cable in there.
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They make several Joe, I have installed the 2611 a few times and they work great. You can use it as 12 or 24.
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thanks Tom.
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