Electrical ??? Help - going to FL in a week, lights dim

[DamonBecky]

Hello forum,
We just pulled our Jayco Northpoint 5th Wheel from storage back to house to prep for trip to FL next week. Two deep cell Batteries were dead over winter, pulled them and hooked up to spare to lift stands and connect to Tow.
Home, plugged it in to RV outlet. Today I go out to check things out...no lights inside. Had forgotten to turn battery switch back on. Turned battery switch back on, and lights worked. BUT they were dim...got me wondering. Fridge and microwave were on.
SO, tell this non-electrician, is my Inverter not working? What do I need to do, what do I need to check? All breakers seem fine. Just don't know where to begin, doubt that my RV shop can get me back in on short notice...
Thanks for ANY help,

Oh, by the way, the little button on my Xantac control inside camper does not come on. Press button, no light comes on.

Damon

[Grumpy]

It would be the converter not the inverter. Did you turn the breaker on and off? They can trip, but the switch doesn't move. Also check all the fuses. Since you removed the batteries you may have a fuse that blew.

[Bookemdanno]

I think you might have damaged your batteries from letting them discharge over the winter. I'd take them up to auto parts store to have them tested. Easy way to rule them out of the problem.

[houstonstroker]

Do you have a meter? Do you know someone who has a meter? A simple test with a meter would confirm whether your converter was working or not.

[DamonBecky]

houstonstroker: I do have a meter. Where do I check it, on the outlets for 110 devices? The fridge is running and the microwave.

Bookemdanno: My batteries did discharge over winter, but I had the spare I put on that had plenty of voltage to lower stands and run slideout...

Grumpy: Yes, I meant converter...(my elec terminology is random) I did flip the breaker for the converter. Still, the light on my little converter control panel does not come on when I press it. Would the 12 volt system fuses be an issue if lights come on , but are dim?

(Guys, forgive my electrical ignorance, and thanks for any help.)

[RichCarter]

If your batteries are depleted, it will take some time for them to charge back up. They will take several hours to recharge, if at all. During the first hour or more, your system will likely have low voltage. It would be best to turn off things like your refrigerator, furnace, and radio any 12v electronics you may have during this low voltage condition. The best way to do this is to turn off the associated breaker.

Your batteries may recover or perhaps never completely recover. The battery is a central part of your emergency braking system and must be in good condition to pass inspection. After they have had at least a full day to recharge, have them tested, either by removing them and bringing them to a service center or buy your own tester (approx $20) and follow enclosed instructions. You can test the emergency brake system by pulling the disconnect pin and attempting to pull the camper. The brakes should be engaged. As I recall, my state requires the brakes to remain set for 20 min to pass inspection.

In the future, store your camper with the batteries fully charged and disconnected. If temperatures are extreme where you live and if possible, remove them from the camper and store them in a heated place for the winter.

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by DamonBecky

Still, the light on my little converter control panel does not come on when I press it.

What little control panel? Unless JAYCO changed brands the indicator light for the converter is built into the converter itself and does not get pushed. It is shown on page 2 of the manual.

https://www.progressivedyn.com/wp-co...al-english.pdf

[houstonstroker]

Set your meter to Dc and check the battery. If the converter is working you should see over 13 volts.

[DamonBecky]

Sorry guys, it IS the inverter I'm concerned about.
Looked at this control panel (inside camper) and looked up the
make and model (Xantrec XM1000) and it is called an inverter
on their web site. Got a picture of it and all...
this is what usually comes on when I press the little green button.

[DamonBecky]

Grumpy, I've probably confused everyone....it's not the converter, its the INVERTER.
See my post below...
here is the control panel for the Inverter...not coming on.
Do I understand it right...the Inverter takes battery power and supplies AC to 120v appliances, etc.?
And, from what I read on another forum, does this inverter actually charge my battery when connected to shore power?

[Grumpy]

That has nothing to do with your lights, it only runs the fridge when you don't have shore power. If it's not coming on you have battery issues, or you didn't reconnect the battery cables correctly. The inverter is connected directly to the batteries.

The converter is what powers your lights along with the batteries and that is the paperwork I posted above.

[DamonBecky]

houstonstroker,
I am plugged into shore power....but the battery shows only 8.9 volts.
So, shore power is not charging my battery, right?

I read that my Inverter shuts down if battery drops below 11 volts, so maybe that is why it is not operating...but how do I reset it? There is a 15A circuitbreaker button on the side, and I tried that, but nothing changed.

Still searching for answers...
DD

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by DamonBecky

houstonstroker,
I am plugged into shore power....but the battery shows only 8.9 volts.
So, shore power is not charging my battery, right?

I read that my Inverter shuts down if battery drops below 11 volts, so maybe that is why it is not operating...but how do I reset it? There is a 15A circuitbreaker button on the side, and I tried that, but nothing changed.

Still searching for answers...
DD

If your lights are dim...YOUR CONVERTER IS NOT WORKING and that is why the batteries are not charging. If you removed the batteries you probably blew a fuse at the CONVERTER..

[Quantum]

Your inverter will not run on low voltage...below 10 or 10.5V I believe.

Your batteries may be so far gone, that he converter cannot charge them. You can try using a standalone battery charger to see if you can get them back. Your converter is not designed to charge completely depleted batteries if I understand correctly.

[DamonBecky]

Grumpy,
thanks...I have connected a standalone charger to the spare battery, and it is recharging. Now, if I can just locate the converter, I can check the fuse. It's not in the breaker panel probably? Is it usually on the converter itself?
There was a circuit breaker on the panel labeled COVERTER and I've switched it off and on.
Learning as I go, thanks,
and I'm wondering, if I get batteries back up, if I can power all the way down and then back up might it reset something...
DD

[Grumpy]

Originally Posted by DamonBecky

Grumpy,
thanks...I have connected a standalone charger to the spare battery, and it is recharging. Now, if I can just locate the converter, I can check the fuse. It's not in the breaker panel probably? Is it usually on the converter itself?
Learning as I go, thanks,
and I'm wondering, if I get batteries back up, if I can power all the way down and then back up and reset something...
DD

The converter is built into the breaker and fuse panel unless JAYCO made a major change. That is why I posted the link to the paperwork in #7.

[JimD]

As mentioned previously, measure first right across the battery. That will tell you whether the battery is capable of providing some sort of voltage. If the lights are dim the voltage is probably low.

Your converter should feed the battery a range from mid 13s to mid 14s which should not cause dimming.

[houstonstroker]

The converter has several high amp fuses that will blow if wires were not connected correctly. Check your fuses.

[houstonstroker]

Look at this diagram bottom right. Reverse Battery Fuses

[houstonstroker]

Not sure why its turning my photos around.