Convertor/Inverter Over Charging??
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Category: R-pod Discussion Forums
Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
Forum Discription: Ask maintenance questions, share your podmods (modifications) and helpful tips
URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=10412
Printed Date: 14 May 2024 at 9:10pm
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Topic: Convertor/Inverter Over Charging??
Posted By: podderfj
Subject: Convertor/Inverter Over Charging??
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2017 at 6:48pm
| I need some advice from my fellow podders. I bought a new r pod in March of 2016. This is my second pod. I had a 2010 and when we were planning a trip, I would plug in the pod to 120v receptacle on my porch and turn on the fridge a couple of days before we were planning to leave. I never unhooked my battery. It always stayed on the pod with both terminals connected. After a couple of days the fridge would be cold and battery charged. When we started on our trip, I would switch the fridge over to battery power. On our new pod, we are planning on taking a trip on Saturday so I plugged in the pod a couple of days ago and turned on the fridge. Again, the battery was hooked up with both terminals. I walked by the pod this afternoon and smelled a strong odor coming from the battery box. I opened the box and the battery was hot as a firecracker and battery acid had sprayed out of the box onto my frame. I immediately unhooked the battery and removed it from the box. I washed down everything real good several times. I popped the 2 caps on the battery and there was no fluid in the batteries, and it was very hot. I have never unhooked my battery when on home or shore power at a campground. Need some help. It is still under warranty and I want to get it repaired, unless I am doing something wrong. Need advice. Please help a fellow pooder. Thanks for reading my post |
Replies:
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2017 at 6:58pm
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Definitely sounds like the converter has failed.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2017 at 8:00pm
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Did you check the fluid levels? A good idea every month or two. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: podderfj
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2017 at 8:26pm
| Yes, I did check the fluid level after our last trip out which was about 2 weeks ago. Fluid level was fine. Is there any other sign of a bad convertor other than overcharging the battery? Thanks for your response |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2017 at 8:27pm
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Failure to charge the battery or supply 12V power to the pod when batteries disconnected is a big sign that the converter has failed. That is how I know mine had failed.
------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2017 at 9:10pm
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Check the voltage with a digital voltmeter right on the battery terminals. The converter should limit its voltage to 14.4V for a very depleted battery, then cut back to 13.6V for the majority of the charge time. At full charge it should cut back to 13.2V. If the measured voltage is significantly higher it indicates failure and overcharging.
------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 27 Jul 2017 at 9:42pm
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There are a few factors. One is the fluid level in the batteries, which you checked 2 week prior. That part should be OK, but you also should check prior to hooking up the charger (or connecting the pod to AC). The next thing is the state of charge of the batteries. If they're at ~~ 11.5 volts or so, you should be OK. Otherwise, they may have been depleted too much, in which case, you need to monitor them closely during the recharge. If they're really low, you should check both the voltage and fluid about every 15-20 minutes to make sure you're not boiling them off. If all the above was OK, then the next thing I would look at is the charger. As others have said, it should go to bulk charge, then absorption, then float. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: podderfj
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2017 at 12:28pm
| Thanks fellow ponders: I think I found my problem. My bad, I don't think I was checking the fluid level often enough. I filled battery with distilled water this morning, hooked the battery back in to the pod and have been watching it close all day. Ii is charging fine and the charge on the battery is going up. Now about 13.2. I did all of the checks as listed in the other responses and everything checked out ok. So, I will be checking the fluid in my battery more often. Thank you fellow ponders.. |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2017 at 5:32pm
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I have Pod plugged into 30A service 24/7. I have noticed that every two weeks I need to check water levels. I can tell almost everytime when fluid levels are low, because it has tendency to stay at absorbtion voltage and not go to float voltage as Glueguy describes. Have not had an issue with it boiling water out or excessive heat. I'm pondering shutting off 30AMP CB at end of day and letting battery discharge during night. Like one would do with a vehicle. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 28 Jul 2017 at 8:24pm
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We don't leave ours plugged in 24/7. We remove the batteries when we're not using the pod, and do a spot charge every few weeks; maybe about once per month. We will see a small amount of discharge, and they're usually up to snuff in 2-3 hours. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |