Re: [A/S] Power converter: how much to fix?

[William Jacobs <bjacobs1@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

You need to find out if there is a hidden load.

Turn off the converter

Remove the battery and charge it with an ordinary battery charger.

Replace it in the trailer and make sure all the 12 volt items are turned
off.  Turn of the pump.  It may have a leak in it and come on a lot when
you are not around.  Also turn off the furnace.

Somewhere there is a fuse from the battery to the 12 volt fuse panel.
This will be a big fuse.  In my 76, it is a 50 amp fuse.  It should be
close to the battery.  Remove this fuse and put an amp meter across the
open fuse holder.  If there is current flowing, you have not turned off
all the 12 volt loads.  find it.  If there is no current flowing the
battery will not discharge.
	
If there is current flowing, remove the smaller 12 volt fuses one at a
time until you find the one that has the load on it.  This will give you
a hint as to where the load is; in the front or back of the trailer. 
Find it.

If the battery still discharges and no current flows, the battery is
probably dead.

If you do not have an amp meter, get one.  You can not do any work on
the electrical system with out knowing what is going on.

If you can not find the load and have removed all the small fused,
discount the converter.  It is possible that a diode has gone bad and
discharges the battery.  If this stops the discharge, get a new
converter.

Now that you have removed all the 12 volt loads, remove the amp meter
and replace the fuse.  Connect a volt meter across the battery and read
the voltage.  Turn on the converter.  The voltage should go up a
little.  A little is from 1/2 to 1 1/2 volt.  If it does not, I would
think the converter is bad.  Use the amp meter to see if the converter
is charging the battery.  

bill 
25 ft Trade Wind in WV