Travel Trailer Battery Issue (not F-150 related)

[Tall Tail]

I am hoping there are some electrical gurus on here that also know a thing or two about travel trailers.

I had a 12VDC Super Start [flooded] Marine Deep Cycle battery (27DCMJ) purchased in 2015 connected to my 1984 Fleetwood Resort M-17C Travel Trailer (TT) which I use for boondocking (remote camping). I use the battery mostly to run incandescent/LED lights.
The TT has the original B-W manufacturers Inc Model 3230UL 30 Amp power convert with battery charger which charged the 12VDC battery when I have a Champion 30 amp gasoline generator hooked up. The converter converts AC to DC voltage using a transformer. It also has an auto reset breaker.
I knew the battery was getting old and losing a cell, but because i only use it to power the lights i thought it could hang in there for one more trip. When I was running the generator, I noticed the generator, VDC interior lights, and A/C cycling up and down.
I bought a replacement Renogy 12VDC 100 Ah AGM battery as a replacement. This battery tops most of the "best" lists, so I figured it would be a good one. When I hooked it up to the TT, the converter would click and ping about every 9.5 seconds and the VDC LED lights would not turn on (incandescent lights worked ok; maybe a little dim). I checked the battery voltage, and it was about 12.5 VDC. My previous battery ran just fine down to about 10 or 11 VDC.
When I disconnected the new AGM battery and ran the TT on the generator only, everything (converter, A/C, VDC lights, etc.) worked as normal; no pinging from the converter.
Any thoughts on what's going on, or can you point me in the direction of alternative resources?
Will a different flooded (non-AGM) deep cycle battery work?
I really don't want to replace the converter; although I know there are newer and better ones out there.

Renogy Battery:
https://www.renogy.com/deep-cycle-a..._campaign=lowerfunnel&utm_term=re_20231025_06

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[Ranger621]

Without me being there doing the actual troubleshooting, it sounds like the converter has internal issues with the electronics controlling the switching circuit from AC to DC. Time for a new converter.
I had issues with mine not charging correctly and replaced it with this unit from eTrailer and all is good now.
https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Converters/Progressive-Dynamics/PD4135K.html

 

[Tall Tail]

Without me being there doing the actual troubleshooting, it sounds like the converter has internal issues with the electronics controlling the switching circuit from AC to DC. Time for a new converter.
I had issues with mine not charging correctly and replaced it with this unit from eTrailer and all is good now.
https://www.etrailer.com/RV-Converters/Progressive-Dynamics/PD4135K.html

Thanks for the reply. What's strange is the DC circuit powers the internal DC lights with no problem when the 120 VAC generator is running and the 12 VDC Battery is disconnected. ???

 

[jeffrt]

In the picture above showing the wires going to the battery, it looks like the wires may be hooked up backwards? I see a black wire going to the +, and a white going to the -. I know on my travel trailer the red faded to white like that, and it was my positive wire.

 

[JEB]

Thanks for the reply. What's strange is the DC circuit powers the internal DC lights with no problem when the 120 VAC generator is running and the 12 VDC Battery is disconnected. ???

You mentioned an auto reset breaker in your first post. That might be the problem. Is there any way to activate it manually to test whether it’s working properly? All of the converters I’ve seen (of much newer vintage) have mechanical breakers that control the power flow from AC/shore power to the batteries. If on shore power, 12V appliances and lights will work just fine even with the breaker tripped and the battery effectively isolated because they are on different circuits. But the batteries won’t recharge. If you have a malfunctioning breaker on the charging circuit that’s maybe half-tripped and not resetting, it might explain why you are seeing irregularities.

 

[hedge]

In the picture above showing the wires going to the battery, it looks like the wires may be hooked up backwards? I see a black wire going to the +, and a white going to the -. I know on my travel trailer the red faded to white like that, and it was my positive wire.

On trailers the usual standard is black for + and white for -. Sort of following the AC convention of black for hot, white for neutral. Of course it's always a crap shoot with trailers as nothing is entirely standard.

 

[Tall Tail]

You mentioned an auto reset breaker in your first post. That might be the problem. Is there any way to activate it manually to test whether it’s working properly? All of the converters I’ve seen (of much newer vintage) have mechanical breakers that control the power flow from AC/shore power to the batteries. If on shore power, 12V appliances and lights will work just fine even with the breaker tripped and the battery effectively isolated because they are on different circuits. But the batteries won’t recharge. If you have a malfunctioning breaker on the charging circuit that’s maybe half-tripped and not resetting, it might explain why you are seeing irregularities.

Thanks. That could be the case. I am not an electrical guy. I know a few basics but that's it.
The Youtube video linked below is where i got that information from. This video shows some of the converter internal components with the cover removed. There is very little information (wiring diagrams, manuals, troubleshooting, etc.) on these converters on the internet. I believe the company who made them is no longer around. I think they are rebranded from MAGNETEK.

https://www.rverscorner.com/magnetek.html

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28037139/print/true.cfm
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f65/sch...-12-vdc-power-converter-ca-1989-a-547287.html
https://www.etrailer.com/question-558073.html

 

[jeffrt]

That’s a new one for me!
Mine was definitely red and black wires though and not black and white. Sold it this summer.
it was a 2008. Maybe it varies by age?
ill have to pay attention if I replace it down the road.

On trailers the usual standard is black for + and white for -. Sort of following the AC convention of black for hot, white for neutral. Of course it's always a crap shoot with trailers as nothing is entirely standard.

 

[FordPrefect]

What's strange is the DC circuit powers the internal DC lights with no problem when the 120 VAC generator is running and the 12 VDC Battery is disconnected. ???

- yup, that is by design.

They call it a "converter" instead of a charger because it has the functionality you describe. You can pull the battery out of your travel trailer (or open the battery switch) and all your 12V stuff will run fine, as long as the converter is getting AC power.

I think the core problem with the Renogy AGM battery is just that it can and will consume a lot more charge current than a healthy flooded lead-acid battery. That Renogy is rated for 30 amps max continuous charge, which is at the limit of your converter's output and may be exceeding the rating (or at least the current capacity) of your auto-reset breaker. A typical flooded lead-acid battery will suck down a lot less.

A cycling auto-reset breaker could explain some of your symptoms. An inability for the converter to keep up with the total load on it could explain others. You could check for the former by setting up your multimeter as an ohmmeter across the terminals of the auto-reset breaker. It should give you a pretty low value, even with the lights on in the TT and the battery charging. If it sometimes does, and sometimes doesn't, it could be cycling (tripping, then resetting itself). You could check for the converter overload possibility by checking the voltage across some DC load in the TT, e.g. a light, while charging the battery.

If you're really not interested in changing out that converter, going back to a flooded battery would be the way to go. Don't bother with further diagnostics, IMO - just do that first and see where you are. Your existing charger was built without a charge map for AGM batteries and will probably tend to overcharge them, leading to a short life, and perhaps a voided warranty.

 

[powerboatr]

1984 converter, charger etc it is not designed for the agm battery that uses more amperage to charge
i am surprised its still working,
spend the money on a new one and go from there
or use the generator charge side to charge up the battery and remove converter all together

if its a remote ..trailer you use periodically
i would use the genny 12 v charge line or buy a good 15 amp battery charger plug it in from genny , charge up the battery and then recharge as required during your visit

 

[Tall Tail]

1984 converter, charger etc it is not designed for the agm battery that uses more amperage to charge
i am surprised its still working,
spend the money on a new one and go from there
or use the generator charge side to charge up the battery and remove converter all together

if its a remote ..trailer you use periodically
i would use the genny 12 v charge line or buy a good 15 amp battery charger plug it in from genny , charge up the battery and then recharge as required during your visit

Thanks for all of the responses.

The TT is stored remotely (about 3 hr drive), which complicates changing the converter. If its mare than a 1 hour job and takes more tools than plug and ply, its a challenge to replace.

@FordPrefect
My plan is to try an EverStart Lead Acid Marine & RV Deep Cycle Battery, Group Size 27DC 12 Volt, 750 MCA battery with the converter this weekend and see what happens. https://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStar...N-EUROVAN/164242687?athbdg=L1103&from=/search
if i have the same issues, i will try to hook up my multimeter as described and see what it does.


@powerboatr
I typically leave a Coleman 6W solar panel on the 12 VDC battery as a charger with no charge controller. Any concerns with that on the flood 12VDC battery? https://www.homedepot.com/p/Coleman-6-Watt-12-Volt-Solar-Battery-Maintainer-58022/203241530


Open to all feed back if i am on the correct path.

 

[powerboatr]

that maintainer should work pretty well at keeping it at least close to topped off when your gone

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