quote:

Originally posted by Ron & Maggie:
I forgot to say that we checked both of the house batteries with the multimeter and they both read 8 amps. Ron

Read 8 amps? Charging or discharging? (I'm surprised that didn't blow the fuse on the multimeter - most, without a shunt - can't go much above 1 or 2 amps).

The 120VAC recepticles are OK.

Anyway, the batteries still seem suspect.

Hi, It's me again. Well we just got back from Florida. We left the coach home plugged in and when I checked them they were both dead. I bought two deep cycle marine/RV batteries (1000 CA, 875 CCA). They're in the coach now and I'm going to check them in the morning. I guess if they go down then my next step is to replace the converter/charger.

Ron

Hi all,

Well, guess what. After I installed the batteries I pulled out the Barth manual and tried to locate the converter location. I found it in the generator compartment. Well, I got a flashlight, went out to the coach and low and behold there it was in the generator compartment......UNPLUGGED!!! I plugged it in and it's humming away as we speak. I'll check it in the morning along with testing the batteries again. We'll see what happens. I'll give you all an update then. Thanks to all who helped get me going in the right direction. Here's hoping that the converter wasn't left unplugged because there was something wrong with it. Until then.............. Thanks again.

Ron

My converter's in the same place. I suspect a previous owner had the same problem you have, & hoked up a warning light. Took me awhile to figure out what it was, & what it did, but here's the deal.

The converter plugs into a duplex outlet in the genny compartment. A second wire plugged into that outlet leads to a small neon night light next to my couch. When that light is on it tells me the converter is working.

It wasn't a very sanitary installation, and just today I cleaned up some of the wiring for that light. They had drilled a hole in the side of the genny compartment, led the wire through that into the roadside basement compartment, then up through another hole in the floor next to the couch. Friction tape protected the wire from the raw edges of the drilled holes, & the wire sagged into the compartment. I installed grommets at both ends, & ran the wire through a rigid loom attached to the ceiling of the compartment.

This was an adjunct to refurbishing the basement compartments. Last Monday, condensation in one of them sent me on a voyage of discovery, & I found wet indoor/outdoor carpet cemented to the floor of the compartments. I pulled it up & found a lot of rust. Cleaned it up & sprayed with Rustoleum Rust Converter (I usually use Extend Rust Treatment, but Home Depot didn't have it, & I had to finish off a gift card that's been in my wallet for months.) BTW - Anyone have experience, good or bad, with this Rustoleum product?

Just as I finished blowing the rust/dust out of the second compartment with my little portable compressor, the genny pooped out, probably a fuel problem. It was reluctant to start at first, which never happened before.

Two days, my back is killing me, I'm not done with the compartments yet, & now I have a genny problem. RV-ing is fun! I'm gettin' too old for it, though.

The procedure I use is outlined ad nauseum here.

I rarely have a recurrence.

Old Rustoleum was overrated. The newer formulae seem to be something like polyurethane-based, so don't seem to have the porosity of the old enamel-based.

Nevertheless, prep is the key, and don't believe the claims on their cold galvanizing spray that it needs no overcoat. Cold galvanizing coats are relatively soft.