Need HELP!!!!

[R n L Rasberry]

Our battery is dead, is there anyway to charge it with the generator? If so how do I go about doing that? We have jumpers but don't know where the battery is, it's these little things like this where an owner/operator mannual would be handy.

 

[Kirk]

If you have an RV with a built-in generator the coach battery should charge directly from the generator via the converter. If your problem is a chassis battery, then you will need to connect a battery charger to one of your 120v outlet and use it to charge the chassis battery.

 

[R n L Rasberry]

We just bought this RV and with no owner's manual, we are lost, and the people we bought it from are no help, if there is no battery but what you said how do I tell if it's charging? This is all I see.

 

[Kirk]

Since that display indicates 13V but 0A, it would appear that it is not charging as current would be going somewhere. Am I correct to assume that you have connected to an outside source of 120V, alternating current? If so, I would try turning on something like all of the lights to see if the current indicator reads something more than 0a. The red fault light seems to be indicating something is wrong. A properly operating Magnum should look like below.

In searching the internet, I was able to locate this downloadable copy of the owner's manual which should help.

 

[Isaac-1]

First off tell us the brand, model and year of the RV, having said that it is common for the generator to provide power to the converter or inverter/charger which will then only charge the house deep cycle batteries, and not the engine starting battery, though many coaches built in the last 10 years are so use a "BIRD" Bi-Directional Relay, which allows the charging source to charge both the house and chassis/engine starting battery if it is functioning properly, there are also aftermarket devices like the LSL Trik-L-Start which will do much the same thing on older coaches with more simple one way battery isolator systems.

p.s. based on the photo I am assuming you have a Magnum brand inverter/charger, and that the display is showing that the house batteries are fully charged and are currently in float charge mode. If the problem is the engine starting battery being low, you likely do not have BIRD or other charging device for it or the device is not working right.

 

[John From Detroit]

Well Without knowing more about your rig.
Motor homes. IF the house batteries have juice, they normally start the generator. Fire it up (you want as much as you can get) there should be a button on the dash May be labled Emergency Start, Aux Start or Boost. press and hold 30 seconds. release 30 seconds Press and start (Hold no more than 30 seconds)

Some RV's you won't need to press it, automatic devices will when the generator is "Detected"

Trailers. ... a bit more complex since they do not have the built in jump-starter but once the generator is charging the batteries if you have the cables you can jumper.

I had one day both house and chassis were dead... I was able to jump start the generator with an "Luggable" battery (Jump start pack) and after about 10 min of gen time the batteries were up to the job.

SOME RV's (Mine) Charge the chassis battery when the genny is running
SOME (Older for the most part) but some new ones as well (Do not. but the boost/emergency start/aux start button lets you 'Self-jump" as it were.

 

[R n L Rasberry]

Since that display indicates 13V but 0A, it would appear that it is not charging as current would be going somewhere. Am I correct to assume that you have connected to an outside source of 120V, alternating current? If so, I would try turning on something like all of the lights to see if the current indicator reads something more than 0a. The red fault light seems to be indicating something is wrong. A properly operating Magnum should look like below.

In searching the internet, I was able to locate this downloadable copy of the owner's manual which should help.

Thank you Kirk, I really appreciated you doing that.

 

[R n L Rasberry]

Well Without knowing more about your rig.
Motor homes. IF the house batteries have juice, they normally start the generator. Fire it up (you want as much as you can get) there should be a button on the dash May be labled Emergency Start, Aux Start or Boost. press and hold 30 seconds. release 30 seconds Press and start (Hold no more than 30 seconds)

Some RV's you won't need to press it, automatic devices will when the generator is "Detected"

Trailers. ... a bit more complex since they do not have the built in jump-starter but once the generator is charging the batteries if you have the cables you can jumper.

I had one day both house and chassis were dead... I was able to jump start the generator with an "Luggable" battery (Jump start pack) and after about 10 min of gen time the batteries were up to the job.

SOME RV's (Mine) Charge the chassis battery when the genny is running
SOME (Older for the most part) but some new ones as well (Do not. but the boost/emergency start/aux start button lets you 'Self-jump" as it were.

Thank you, my husband and I just bought this RV, 1994 Dynasty by Monaco with no manuals what so ever. I grew up camping in tents and later in a RV but never really paid much attention to what my folks were doing. My husband on the other hand has only been camping twice in his adult years. We thank all of you for your help, and come to find out it was a shut off switch that somehow got flipped off. I'm am glad to have something like this for help, I'm one to read the manual of a new car so I know exactly how it works, runs and operates, so I'm kind of feeling lost without one. LOL! Again we thank you and appreciate all info.

 

[ChasA]

Is this your RV? If it is, then needn't be shy about exploring it. You need to go exploring. Open every door, drawer, and cubby you can find. You'll find your batteries. You may even find the owner's manual.
Welcome to the forum.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

From the magnum manual:

AC High Volts AC - This fault causes the charger to be disabled because a very high AC voltage (>150 VAC) has been detected on the AC input.

Remedy: Remove all AC power from the inverter’s AC input for
at least 15 minutes to automatically restart this fault; ensure only
120VAC power is connected to each of the inverter’s AC inputs.

So the $1M question is why the magnum believes, or hopefully not, has >150VAC on the inverter input.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Kirk]

come to find out it was a shut off switch that somehow got flipped off.

Because the display read "HIGH VOLTAGE AC"I am wondering what switch would have cause this problem? Be very careful as over voltages can cause severe damage to things.

 

[Old_Crow]

Wow, you didn't accidently plug the RV into a 220v dryer plug did you? Wouldn't be the first time that had happened.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

That Magnum Energy remote display panel could not have been original equipment on a 1994 Dynasty (the Magnum company was formed in 2002), so at least some components aren't OEM. And once the electrical system has been modified, it's hard to guess just how it works. However, it's a good guess that the original converter/charger or inverter/charger has been replaced with a Magnum Energy inverter/charger and its companion remote display.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

My advice to Ron & Launa is to hire a mobile RV tech in their area and have him spend on hour showing them the major electrical and plumbing components and basic how-to with them. And to note the make & model of things like inverter/charger, furnace, water heater, and fridge and then find manuals for them online (we can help with that).

 

[JudyJB]

One place they often hide the coach battery or batteries is under the entrance step. If there is a heavy plastic plate on the top step with screws, try opening them and looking there.

 

[Larry N.]

f there is a heavy plastic plate on the top step with screws, try opening them and looking there.

On the 2010 Bounder I had it was a wooden step under the carpet.