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Very informative on the checking charging system, a.k.a. inverter/converter.
Turns out it was filthy terminals. Battery is fine. Oops. Thanks for all the suggestions!
So my "smart" battery charger is now saying "F03" when I try to charge the battery "Bad Cell or Open Circuit." Thinking the battery is no good, but I'm still charging through the battery posts. I'll check that first.
Oh yeah - forgot to mention that my fridge doesn't have a DC option. Just gas and 120V. The 12V power supply is connected to the house batteries.
And...my step is vacuum actuated. BUT it does have a constant-hot door switch so it can decide whether to retract or extend the step. It's presumably attached to a vacuum solenoid under there. I'll check that for a draw.
I also haven't checked the connections at the battery terminals, but they *should* be okay.
Yo David Craft,
Good suggestions on the possibility of a faulty 3 way (Gas, 12 VDC, 120 VAC) Fridge as a possible high current draw on the engine battery. I never liked those because they were indeed a high current draw at 12 VDC and fed off the engine battery as the alternator charges it while driving.
My electric steps are also (as typical) powered off the engine battery and regardless if the lock out switch by the door is on or off, if you start the engine the steps retract as a safety feature. I like that system.
Of course, a trip to an auto store or Wal Mart etc for a free voltage and hydrometer and load test will show his battery condition
John T
Thanks for the suggestions. I really think it's just a bad battery. It's not holding a charge at all - when the charger thinks it's done the engine will barely turn over. BUT, with the charger in "jump start" mode it fires right up. It was fine all season until about a month ago but then the engine started cranking over slowly. I can't listen to the radio (just a small wattage, in-dash unit) for more than 15 minutes without killing it. I haven't changed anything that would suddenly cause a draw (but I'll check for one anyway). The chassis battery is completely isolated from the house batteries - all it needs to do is start the truck. It does have the isolation relay John spoke of. It's mounted above the radiator but it hadn't occurred to me that I can wire up a switch to it in order to connect the house batteries to the chassis in an emergency.
It's a Wal*Mart battery that got horrible reviews. It was cheap, but I guess you get what you pay for. It has a good warranty though.
Yo Jim Stolz, you mentioned the RV Converter/Charger not also charging your truck battery.
Such is the normal configuration. There is usually a mechanical/electrical Isolation relay (or a solid state device) that is normally open, but closes when the truck is running so the alternator can also charge the RV house battery. HOWEVER it doesn't usually close when your RV Converter/Charger is operating in order to also charge the truck engine battery. Its ONLY activated by the truck engine operation.
HOWEVER that's a fairly easy function to wire up since that relay is 12 VDC operated. Some RV's even have an emergency switch that pulls that relay closed in case the engine battery is dead thus allowing the RV house to jump the truck battery so it starts.
All you would need is to use a switch to close that relay if you want the RV Converter/Charger to also be connected up to the truck engine battery. HOWEVER I'm NOT recommending that. Sure it will work, but Id look into the truck battery or wiring problem versus having your RV Converter/Charger being coupled up to a problem or too much of a current load!!!
NOTE those isolation relays may look like a normal Ford type of 12 volt starting solenoid BUT THEY ARE NOT as they (unlike Ford start solenoid) are 100 % duty cycle rated.
John T
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