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Old 10-21-2007, 12:54 PM   #1
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Well we have owned and lived in our Winnie for a year now with only a 5 weeks not in it. We have placed just over 10,000 miles on it and the driving has been good. Overall everything has performed okay in the coach except for:

Refrigerator - showing DC lo
Batteries - will not keep their charge

Likely the first issue is related to the second. The coach batteries (one at least) was replaced a month after owning the RV due to 'exploding'. Now our batteries will not keep a charge and it's been this way for about 10 weeks. We took it to the local Winnie dealer and they blamed it on us hitting the aux battery button located in the stairwell (stupid place to put it). At the time, I accepted their assessment but now know it's plain wrong. We were in Kennebunk, ME last week boondocking (purchased a house but no furniture at the time) and we had to run the engine to charge the batteries every day. After running the engine for 2-4hrs in the evening the batteries would get to over 11 and by morning they were down in the 9's.

We top up the levels every 3-4 weeks and we just drove over 700 miles and the batteries only stayed in the 10's. What gives? Converter issues?

Tks.
Kyle
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Old 10-21-2007, 12:54 PM   #2
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Well we have owned and lived in our Winnie for a year now with only a 5 weeks not in it. We have placed just over 10,000 miles on it and the driving has been good. Overall everything has performed okay in the coach except for:

Refrigerator - showing DC lo
Batteries - will not keep their charge

Likely the first issue is related to the second. The coach batteries (one at least) was replaced a month after owning the RV due to 'exploding'. Now our batteries will not keep a charge and it's been this way for about 10 weeks. We took it to the local Winnie dealer and they blamed it on us hitting the aux battery button located in the stairwell (stupid place to put it). At the time, I accepted their assessment but now know it's plain wrong. We were in Kennebunk, ME last week boondocking (purchased a house but no furniture at the time) and we had to run the engine to charge the batteries every day. After running the engine for 2-4hrs in the evening the batteries would get to over 11 and by morning they were down in the 9's.

We top up the levels every 3-4 weeks and we just drove over 700 miles and the batteries only stayed in the 10's. What gives? Converter issues?

Tks.
Kyle
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Old 10-21-2007, 12:59 PM   #3
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Yes...Winnebago uses a VERY lousy Parallax/Magnatek single stage converter/charger. I replace it recently with the Progressive Industries Intelli-charge 9245 Converter with built in 3-stage battery charger/maintainer. I also got the remote pendant to monitor what stage the charger is on, and I can manually move the stage to a different one if wanted.

See my RECENT POSTSabout this.
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Old 10-21-2007, 04:11 PM   #4
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FrontRangeRVer:
Yes...Winnebago uses a VERY lousy Parallax/Magnatek single stage converter/charger. I replace it recently with the Progressive Industries Intelli-charge 9245 Converter with built in 3-stage battery charger/maintainer. I also got the remote pendant to monitor what stage the charger is on, and I can manually move the stage to a different one if wanted.

See my RECENT POSTSabout this. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've also got one of those so called converters and will be changing it out for the Progressive. Where did you mount the remote pendant monitor?
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Old 10-22-2007, 07:20 AM   #5
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JC2, my converter is under the fridge, and I just drilled a hole for the wire of the pendant that goes to the side of the fridge and next to a wall outlet, so you can see it.

Its not necessary that you see it all the time, because the converter will automatically charge based on the condition of the batteries, but I like to see it visually what mode its in.
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Old 10-22-2007, 09:33 AM   #6
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I followed FrontRangeRVer's lead and installed the Progressive Converter 9140 with the add-on Charge Wizard. I did some late season boondocking and I had no battery issues. Once installed you will not have to worry about overcharging and the loss of water that comes with the problem.
There is a desulphication/boost mode that may rejuvenate your batteries. So I would give this a try before you replace your batteries.
JMHO -- Frank O.
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Old 10-22-2007, 11:32 AM   #7
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Kyle,
First off, everybody is correct about the Progressive Dynamics converters. I changed out our 9000 series for a 9100 series 55 amp model several years ago just so I could use the Charge Wizard. I understand the new 9200 series has the multi-phase charger built in. The only way to go if you are going to be plugged in all the time. We do a lot of boondocking and were only on shore power about five weeks out of five months on the road this year, so the solar panels really work for us.
The thing that worries me is the voltage you are seeing on the batteries. At 11 volts a 12 volt battery is considered DEAD Your altenator should charge your batteries when driving, so you may have more issues than the converter.
You stated that one of your batteries "exploded", this could be explained by your other battery having a dead cell, which causes the charger to 'see' low voltage, thus over charging the 'good' battery and ruining it. I am not sure what the system is on your Winnie, but I think some have two 12 volt batteries hooked up in parallel, in this case the good battery will be drained by the 'bad' battery. If it is two 6 volt batteries hooked up in series, then the 'bad' one is just not charging up all the way. Either way the 'good' battery will be cooked by over charging, as explained above. This is one reason to replace BOTH batteries when one goes out, if they are more than a few months old; also I have heard of a lot of batteries being bad when a new rig is purchesed because the dealer let the batteries go completely dead while setting on the lot. If you can, charge the batteries independantly with a battery charger and test them, a hydrometer is the best for this, but if the charger will not charge it up all the way - you've found the bad one
Hope this helps a little,
Loren
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Old 10-22-2007, 02:16 PM   #8
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FrontRangeRVer:
JC2, my converter is under the fridge, and I just drilled a hole for the wire of the pendant that goes to the side of the fridge and next to a wall outlet, so you can see it.

Its not necessary that you see it all the time, because the converter will automatically charge based on the condition of the batteries, but I like to see it visually what mode its in. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

That'll work for me. Our setups are probably pretty close to each other. I noticed that the Progressive website has reconditioned units(9345) for $159 and the pendant for $10.95.

Congrats on the Rockies; it was a long time coming.
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Old 10-22-2007, 04:05 PM   #9
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Is it very difficult to change out the crappy Winny converter for the Progressive? Do you have to be an electrician to do this? Will it usually fit in the same place and use the same wiring hook-ups? I'm no expert but I do know the difference between the hot and negative or ground wires and how to use a digital meter to determine which is which. But any wiring changing might be a problem.
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Old 10-22-2007, 04:14 PM   #10
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by wagonmaster2:
Is it very difficult to change out the crappy Winny converter for the Progressive? Do you have to be an electrician to do this? Will it usually fit in the same place and use the same wiring hook-ups? I'm no expert but I do know the difference between the hot and negative or ground wires and how to use a digital meter to determine which is which. But any wiring changing might be a problem.
Wagonmaster2 </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Its a piece of cake. Unplug your old one, unscrew your red and black 12 volt cables from your old unit, and then screw in your cables to the new one, plug it in and....WALA...10 minutes of your day has gone by...nothing!
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Old 10-23-2007, 12:46 AM   #11
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Thanks FrontRange and Loren. I will definitely replace the converter and the points you raised Loren are all possible. I see what I can do to charge each one independently and have them tested. I don't mind replacing them if I have to, I just don't want to be doing it again a year from now. I am guessing that these batteries should last 2-3 years if one is full-timing.

Thanks again.
Kyle
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Old 10-23-2007, 12:50 AM   #12
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Sorry Loren, I forgot to respond to you queries. I have two 12v hooked up in parallel. When the first battery went due late last Fall, it was replaced and the other checked by a dealership but this is the same one telling me, "you must have hit the aux button". So my confidence in them testing it last year is a lot less now. I'll find someone else with a hydrometer and see what happens.

Tks.
Kyle
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Old 10-23-2007, 07:48 AM   #13
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Kyle,
I would expect your batteries to last a lot longer than 2 to 3 years after installing a good converter. Just keep water in them and don't let them go below 50% capacity (12.2 volts with no load). Our 2 six volt batteries were installed in January 1999 and I keep expecting them to quit on us, but they are still going strong. I don't expect the 12 volts to last as long as the 6 volts because of the thicker plates in the six'es, but you should get more than 2 or 3 years out of them.
Good luck,
Loren
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Old 10-26-2007, 05:22 AM   #14
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Does it matter whether I purchase the 45 or 60amp unit?

Tks.
Kyle
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Old 10-26-2007, 06:45 AM   #15
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Kyle241:
Does it matter whether I purchase the 45 or 60amp unit?

Tks.
Kyle </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Not with the size wire they have with the Winnebago. I installed the Progressive 9245 (45 amp) because the one I removed was 45 amp, but lots of people put in the 60 amp Progressive. I wish I would have, but the 60 amp Progressive looked a bit longer and I was cramped for space.
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Old 10-26-2007, 11:03 AM   #16
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I went through the same frustration and problems as all of you have. I also changed out the power converter to the Progressive 9245.

I also found in the Winnebago owners manual that if you are connected to shore power for more than 3 weeks that you are to click the AUX switch which disconnects the house battery's from the converter. I think this is Winnebago's answer for using a cheap power converter that cooks battery's.

With the 9245 converter, I have no more problems and leave the AUX switch alone.
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Old 10-26-2007, 11:45 AM   #17
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<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by FLYTYER:
I went through the same frustration and problems as all of you have. I also changed out the power converter to the Progressive 9245.

I also found in the Winnebago owners manual that if you are connected to shore power for more than 3 weeks that you are to click the AUX switch which disconnects the house battery's from the converter. I think this is Winnebago's answer for using a cheap power converter that cooks battery's.

With the 9245 converter, I have no more problems and leave the AUX switch alone. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

We also have ordered a PD 45A converter with the builtin charge wizard and remote pendant monitor. Wonder why Winnie would recommend turning the AUX switch off as it's my understanding the house batteries won't accept a charge when this switch is in the off position.
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Old 10-26-2007, 01:28 PM   #18
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I believe FLYTER is saying that to turn off the AUX battery switch IF you still have the Parallax/Magnatek converter (junk), as this will cook your batteries if you leave it connected.

With the Progressive Industries 9245, you can be plugged in indefinately (with your aux switch on), as this unit is an EXCELLENT 3-stage battery charger.
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