wfstewa Report post Posted May 13, 2015 My inverter is not charging my house batteries, four agm. My solar does some charging but I am in place where it is cloudy most of the day. Until I can get the inverter serviced, replaced, can I use an external car battery charger to supplement the solar charging. If yes, which battery terminals do I connect to, the first and last in the array? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dickandlois Report post Posted May 13, 2015 wfstewa, The 4 batteries are connected in a series / parallel configuration. 2 - 6 volt batteries in series for 12 volts, the second set of 6 volt batteries is then connected in parallel with the other set. Connect you charger to the common 12 volt and common ground point of the batteries. The points where you read 12+ volts across the set of 4 batteries.(Hope this answers your question) Remember,! AGM batteries have a float charger limit of 13.5 to 13.8 Volts - Do Not exceed this level. Remember to purchase a charger designed to charge AGM batteries. Flooded batteries have a float charge of 14.4 to 14.8 volts and this level will damage AGM batteries. This link to information on charging the different stile batteries might be help full- Page 4 offers a chart covering charging requirements. http://www.victronenergy.com/upload/documents/Datasheet-GEL-and-AGM-Batteries-EN.pdf Rich. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 13, 2015 wfstewa, You do not say whether your batteries are 6 VDC or 12 VDC, but the best connection points are: Positive to where the positive cable goes to the coach. Negative to where the negative cable goes to the coach. BUT, do NOT put a charger in the same compartment with the batteries. Electricity and hydrogen/oxygen/sulfuric acid vapor do not "Play Nice" with each other. If you can not put the external charger in an adjacent compartment and still hook it up directly to the batteries, look for another place there is a large-gauge cable from the positive house battery terminal. House battery terminal of the boost solenoid comes to mind. For a ground point if connecting remote from the batteries, any clean piece of chassis metal should work fine. Now, for a little troubleshooting: What inverter/charger do you have? Do the outlets/appliances fed by the inverter work? If not, your inverter may not be "seeing" 120 VAC from shore power/generator. Turn off and back on the inverter breaker on your main 120 VAC breaker panel. Some inverter/chargers also have a breaker on the incoming 120 VAC from the breaker box. If so, make sure it is ON. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wfstewa Report post Posted May 13, 2015 The inverter is a Xantrex RC/GS RC7. The circuits fed by the inverter work but I assume this comes from the batteries. The status display says "inverting" and the light on the unit is solid green, indicating inverting. There is a circuit breaker button (black with small white center button) but I can't determine its status. Pushing on it doesn't have any effect and there doesn't seem to be an "in or engaged" status that I can detect. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dickandlois Report post Posted May 13, 2015 wfstewa, Brett brought up some good points. You mentioned 4 coach batteries in your original post so, I was thinking they where 6 volt units. I do not know if you have the manual for your remote control panel, but the charger / inverter system is software controlled. This is a link to the Owners Manual for the remote, if you need it. http://www.xantrex.com/documents/Inverter-Chargers/RV-Series-GS/RC7_RC-GS_Owners_Manual%28975-0210-01-01_Rev-A%29.pdf This link is for the same remote-just in case you have a Tracer Engineering setup. http://www.xantrex.com/documents/Discontinued-Products/822-4RC7-RC7GSRevNew.pdf Rich. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 13, 2015 Sounds like 120 VAC is NOT getting from shore power/generator to the inverter/charger because when the inverter/charger gets 120 VAC, it does two things: charges batteries AND "passes through" the 120 VAC to circuits downstream of the inverter/charger. Again, go to your main 120 VAC panel. Turn off and back on your inverter breaker on that main panel. If still does not work, I suggest disconnecting from shore power and starting the generator. Any change-- this will rule out both CG power and your shore power cord as the problem. Is there anything else in the coach that does not work-- both A/C, etc? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wfstewa Report post Posted May 13, 2015 It took awhile for me to figure out that both the generator and shore power are working. I have ac and all the other main electrical apps like microwave. I tried re-setting the circuit breakers for the inverter when you suggested it earlier, but it did not help. It is probably related that I had an electrical "incident" that preceded the problem. Yesterday morning I noticed the inverter was inverting and checked the shore power. The 50 amp plug was burned around the white lead and connection. I replaced the plug and determined that electricity was coming from the shore source since I was able to use the ac but the inverter was still saying that it was inverting and it was not charging the batteries. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 13, 2015 OK, what happens when you disconnect from shore power and turn on the generator?? That will tell us if it is a shore power or perhaps (ATS-- Automatic Transfer Switch) where shore power/generator decision is made or something further downstream. And, yes the white lead (neutral) burned can cause real issues with voltage, as there is no "reference point". Very high voltage-- 160 VAC or higher can do real damage to a coach electrical system. Anytime you see voltage over 132 VAC, unplug IMMEDIATELY and determine the cause. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wfstewa Report post Posted May 13, 2015 It was while I was running the generator that I discovered that electricity was available for the ac, etc.. When I connected to shore power and turned off the generator, there was no problem in transferring the power. I talked to a technician at a Tiffin dealership and he suggested there is a fuse on a line from the inverter to the batteries that may have blown, but I could not find what he was talking about. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 13, 2015 If the inverter is inverting (i.e. if the appliances such as microwave and outlets supplied by the inverter have power) when shore power and generator are off, that means that big fuse between battery bank and inverter is OK. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wfstewa Report post Posted May 13, 2015 I unplugged shore power and the appliances/outlets remained on, so it is not fuse, as you suggested. Where does that leave me? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wolfe10 Report post Posted May 13, 2015 Next step is to verify (or have someone safe working around electricity) verify that 120 VAC is getting to the inverter/charger from the main 120 VAC breaker panel from shore power and/or generator power. If it is, then the problem is in the inverter/charger. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wfstewa Report post Posted May 13, 2015 Thanks for the help. Appreciate it. Will try to get it into a service shop. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
