For some reason, our house batteries only seem to charge while the generator is running, not while connected to short power.  We first thought we needed to replace them since we don't know how old they are, but if they charge while the genny  is running, then that doesn't seem the logical solution.  Any ideas?  Any help would be appreciated.  By the way, we're in a 1995 National Dolphin RV.  Thanks in advance, Debbie

On Some older RVs you have to flip a switch to get the battery charger (converter) from the generator to shore power. Unfortunately, each manufacturer setups the electrical systems differently. If it's worked in the past and no switches have been touched, the converter may be the problem. On my 1995 I've had to clean the wiring connections a couple of times to fix the problem. Wasn't corroded but the connections seem to loosen over time.

National RV wires things interestingly sometimes. In our 2002 Dolphin we had to physically move the cord between shore power and generator plugs in a bay, there was no automatic transfer switch.

thanks to both TheBear and Bill for your help.  Yes, we too, have to physically move the electric cord from the generator to the coach power in a bay, but we've known that since we got it.  The converter appears to be working from the lights on it, so we've about determined that it must be just the fact the house batteries are needing to be replaced.

Since we are on the road right now, and not close to somewhere to get the proper batteries, we are using a small battery charger plugged into the house outlets to charge the house batteries which are located under the steps.

At this point, it's working until we can find someone who sells the batteries.

Thanks again for your responses.

Debbie

Also know that National RV used the cheapest converters possible on their RVs and many replaced the converters with better units with three-stage chargers. The batteries they used in our Dolphin were good ones, we had were Trojan T-105 golf cart batteries which are quite good. You should be able to get replacement batteries at many Wal-Marts, Sam's Club or Costco.

Edit: Good converters with three-stage chargers are made by Progressive Dynamics (Camping World has), Iota and Xantrex.  A good mail order source is http://www.bestconverter.com/.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Thursday 19th of March 2009 09:13:13 PM

Some converters (espeically cheap ones) are converters only and not convert/chargers.  I would see if there was a tag on it some where that said convert/charger or just converter and/or get a manuf name and try to find some info on it prior to running out and buying new battries. 
 
Flyone

Do you have a battery switch? If so you will need to turn it on to charge the batteries if you have an on board charger.  After your batteries are charged, turn the switch off so you don't continue to charge and "cook" the batteries. This set up is common on many RVs.


-- Edited by FDchief on Wednesday 20th of May 2009 08:46:17 PM

If the batteries charge ok when hooked to alternate sources, then I don't think the batteries are at fault. I wouldn't trust the lights on the converter. One question...when moving the electric cord when running the generator, is the converter what is charging the batteries? You said the generator charges the batteries ok, so when you hook to shore power what changes in regards to charging the batteries? Whatever the answer is to that question is what I would be looking at first...