Is a 2000 Itasca Spirit Converter Charging Normally or Are the Batteries Bad?

[ApplianceGuy]

Yes. The furnace is the biggest draw as it has a blower and control circuitry. Lead acid will only allow you to use 50% of the amp hours you have. They charge slower. Drawing them below 50% will damage them. That is around 11.9 volts. That is why you have 2 6 volts in series. Its really 1 big 12v battery. More lead makes more amp hours.
With 300 amp hours of Lithium and only the 1000w inverter running my fridge and charging a few items like phones and hearing aids on 12v, and the furnace with the thermostat set to 65, I would wake up to around 72% left. I think 2 days is dependent on how much each thing runs obviously. Mostly how cool it is outside. If you have the classic absorption fridge, that uses 12v for controls and propane can be used instead of 120v.

My RV fridge has been replaced with a chinese apartment style 120v unit. Plugged into outlet on same breaker as inverter.

I wish I would have checked the charge on the empty batteries before I filled and conditioned them. Mistakes made out of excitement.

What kind of batteries do you have, and what controller/machine tells you the % ?

 

[RayIN]

It would appear you have 2 6 volt batteries. A load test is the only way to know how good the batteries are. Go to Harbor Freight and get their load tester. Follow the instructions. As to the convertor, it is working. But you may want to invest in a modern one that charges more "smartly". If you get one that also will charge lithium, you will be ready to change but that opens another can of worms for later.

Don''t forget checking each cell with a simply battery hydrometer, each cell must be within a few points of each other.
reference: The 12volt Side of Life (Part 1)

 

[klook]

My RV fridge has been replaced with a chinese apartment style 120v unit. Plugged into outlet on same breaker as inverter.

I wish I would have checked the charge on the empty batteries before I filled and conditioned them. Mistakes made out of excitement.

What kind of batteries do you have, and what controller/machine tells you the % ?

I have Wattcycle batteries now. I have a Victron MPPT 100/50 controller. The controller is sized to the voltage and the amps of the panels.
I am adding a Victron Multiplus II as my Inverter/charger. 3000 watts output. I am replacing a used Xantrex 1000w I bought in Quartszite to replace a 300w original Dimensions that was running my fridge. It now runs my tv and starlink mini. (The DImensions)
My fridge is a midsize residential 120v from a big box store.
I am going to add a 314 AH Wattcycle to my 2 100 AH Wattcycle batteries to give me 514 AH. This will mean changing a few wires and fuses. I may have to add another solar panel. I have 990 watts of panel. 514ah would be just under 200w per panel. You cannot over panel but you can under panel. I have purchased a trailer with a rack over the top where my Jeep will set. My panels will be mounted there as I can tilt them from the ground without getting on top of my camper and additionally I don't want to mount them up there.(On the camper) I have room for another panel.
I have 2 generators, the trailer will allow me to take my 4500w inverter generator with me. The built in Onan is noisy and just annoying.

 

[klook]

Sorry, I didn't tell you about state of charge. My batteries have bluetooth and tell me their SOC. The other way is to use a shunt that "counts" current passing in and out and also is bluetooth. I do not have a shunt but they are considered more accurate when calibrated.

 

[RayIN]

It is simply not true, discharging a LA battery below 50% ruins the battery; all it does is shorten the number of life-cycles. Look it up and see for yourself.
reference: What Is the Lifespan of a Lead Acid Battery?

As Klook said, the largest draw is the LP furnace. To help estimate your total draw, consider this: List of Electric Appliances & Wattage Usage Chart (2021 UPDATE)

 

[klook]

And that is not ruining the battery? And it is my understanding from classes that it harms the ability to fully charge

 

[Bobn1957]

Hello all,

I am happy new owner of a 2000 Itasca Spirit 31' class C. The seller always had the RV on shoreline power, so I have no idea how good or bad the AUX batteries are. What I do know is, the shoreline cord was pulling 4.5 amps (on a killowatt meter) for battery charging. I found the aux batteries low on water and making sizzling sounds.... I filled them with distilled water. They held charge fine overnight (I disconnected everything overnight).

Today I am playing with the batteries again, and still the charging circuit is pulling 4 amps (and seems to be slowly dropping in rate), batteries are not boiling or sizzling (at least not yet). My question is, is 4 amps a normal number for battery charging? Seems high to me, I hooked up my Noco Genius battery tender/charger and it only pulled 0.5 amps, and said the batteries were OK and done/ready after only 20 mins or so.

Also, the charger/inverter behind the circuit breaker/fuse box makes a electrical buzz/hum sound when the charger circuit is running. I'm sure it's normal but I don't like the sound. Is my 2000's era charging system still decent and acceptable to use in 2026?

Thank you!!!!!

When I bought my 96 Itasca, one of the first things I did was replace the converter/charger with a modern multi-stage converter/charger! I have only needed to add water once in five years! I recommend you replace your batteries and converter/charger, it's an easy replacement!

 

[ApplianceGuy]

Working or not working correctly, this power inverter makes too much noise. The video doesn't do it justice. Combined with the fact, it's pulling 4 amps nonstop, i'm gonna replace inverter and put some good batteries. Does anyone have recommendations on inverters that fit/ work well in the factory space?

 

[klook]

That is the same distribution panel I have. I put a wfco in it. Fit nicely. I used the AD model.

 

[ApplianceGuy]

That is the same distribution panel I have. I put a wfco in it. Fit nicely. I used the AD model.

Thanks! Nice to know that there are drop in units that look like they're practically plug and play.

P.s. i took the grill off mine and found the buzzing noise is coming from the transformer. Also the fan is not running... but it's not even being asked to run (no 12v coming to it)

 

[Morich]

Confusion on terms? Inverter uses 12VDc to make 110AC! But what you describe seems to be a converter as it has a hum! That hum is often called "AC hum" so it sounds like you really mean you have a converter??
Before changing out equipment, be sure which you want.
For the fan running question it is often a matter of how warm the converter is before the fan comes on to cool it!

 

[klook]

His is an open convertor that has no cover over all the parts. Slides in on a metal base. most likely it is humming from the large coil which is a transformer to most.

 

[klook]

There are just a few wires to hook up. WFCO's come with a plug, standard 120v but I have seen some that had the 20amp plug with the sideways prong. I usually cut off the plug and hardwire it in. Then it is just the positive and negative wire and the frame ground.

 

[ApplianceGuy]

Confusion on terms? Inverter uses 12VDc to make 110AC! But what you describe seems to be a converter as it has a hum! That hum is often called "AC hum" so it sounds like you really mean you have a converter??

You are right, converter.

In my line of work, the inverter in a refrigerator converts AC to DC and back to AC again (in a nutshell)... so now i find myself naturally (and incorrectly) saying inverter for anything that changes power any which way... Thank you for correcting me cause I want to use the right terminology here.

 

[ApplianceGuy]

His is an open convertor that has no cover over all the parts. Slides in on a metal base. most likely it is humming from the large coil which is a transformer to most.

Yes underneath is an open converter. And the humming is definitely coming from the large coil transformer.

 

[klook]

Just threw one away....scrap metal. Easy replacement.