Electrical Issues

[jim morgan]

I have a new problem that I would love your advice ---

I have a 78 Palm Beach and have it in my driveway plugged into a 50 amp receptacle. Things have been great, but just before some company came over I
noticed the fantastic fans moving slower and the lights a bit dimmer--- the overhead AC works fine and the 110 receptacles work fine. I have an
Intellipower charger (model PD 9155)-- i unplugged it as I wasn't sure what was up--

We had company over tonight and we hung out in the coach--- I kept it unplugged as i wasn't sure why it was having her power issues--- later in the
evening I plugged it back in and everything worked--- fans were strong and the lights were bright---- after it was on for a while (10-15 mins) the
lights dimmed and the fans started to slow down

Why is it doing this and what can I do? Thanks in advance for your help!
--
KRFJKM
Jim Morgan
Charlotte NC

1978 Palm Beach

Also have a 1965 Corvair Corsa

 

[Ken H.]

JIm,

The first place I'd check, with the power UNPLUGGED, and the inverter, if
fitted, turned OFF, is the circuit breaker panel. It sounds to me as if
some the connections inside that panel are loose. It's a common problem,
the simple solution for which is to take a good screwdriver and tighten
every screw you can find.
A bit more complex but, probably longer lasting, is to acquire some
electrical contact anti-corrosive agent like NoLox. Then disconnect each
wire, clean it, and coat it with that agent before reconnecting it TIGHTLY.

​There are lots of other possibilities, but the heating of loose
connections can cause your symptoms. ​

Ken H.

> I have a new problem that I would love your advice ---
>
> I have a 78 Palm Beach and have it in my driveway plugged into a 50 amp
> receptacle. Things have been great, but just before some company came over
> I
> noticed the fantastic fans moving slower and the lights a bit dimmer---
> the overhead AC works fine and the 110 receptacles work fine. I have an
> Intellipower charger (model PD 9155)-- i unplugged it as I wasn't sure
> what was up--
>
> We had company over tonight and we hung out in the coach--- I kept it
> unplugged as i wasn't sure why it was having her power issues--- later in
> the
> evening I plugged it back in and everything worked--- fans were strong and
> the lights were bright---- after it was on for a while (10-15 mins) the
> lights dimmed and the fans started to slow down
>
> Why is it doing this and what can I do? Thanks in advance for your help!
> --
> KRFJKM
> Jim Morgan
> Charlotte NC
>
> 1978 Palm Beach
>
> Also have a 1965 Corvair Corsa
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[john phillips]

Jim,
The one thing I would check is the house battery voltage. Ken is
probably correct that the battery would not go down that quickly. But
just to make sure you have good house battery as a base to start. I would
then try to find the bad connection by measuring the voltage at screws Ken
is saying to work on. If you get the data before you do anything you can
then tell what you fixed.
It sounds like you are having a problem on two circuits if the fan is not
on the same line as the fan. If that is the case the line between the
battery and the distribution panel could be the problem.

On Fri, Sep 8, 2017 at 9:32 PM, Ken Henderson
wrote:

> JIm,
>
> The first place I'd check, with the power UNPLUGGED, and the inverter, if
> fitted, turned OFF, is the circuit breaker panel. It sounds to me as if
> some the connections inside that panel are loose. It's a common problem,
> the simple solution for which is to take a good screwdriver and tighten
> every screw you can find.
> A bit more complex but, probably longer lasting, is to acquire some
> electrical contact anti-corrosive agent like NoLox. Then disconnect each
> wire, clean it, and coat it with that agent before reconnecting it TIGHTLY.
>
> ​There are lots of other possibilities, but the heating of loose
> connections can cause your symptoms. ​
>
> Ken H.
>
>

>
> > I have a new problem that I would love your advice ---
> >
> > I have a 78 Palm Beach and have it in my driveway plugged into a 50 amp
> > receptacle. Things have been great, but just before some company came
> over
> > I
> > noticed the fantastic fans moving slower and the lights a bit dimmer---
> > the overhead AC works fine and the 110 receptacles work fine. I have an
> > Intellipower charger (model PD 9155)-- i unplugged it as I wasn't sure
> > what was up--
> >
> > We had company over tonight and we hung out in the coach--- I kept it
> > unplugged as i wasn't sure why it was having her power issues--- later
> in
> > the
> > evening I plugged it back in and everything worked--- fans were strong
> and
> > the lights were bright---- after it was on for a while (10-15 mins) the
> > lights dimmed and the fans started to slow down
> >
> > Why is it doing this and what can I do? Thanks in advance for your
> help!
> > --
> > KRFJKM
> > Jim Morgan
> > Charlotte NC
> >
> > 1978 Palm Beach
> >
> > Also have a 1965 Corvair Corsa
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> >
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--

*John Phillips*

 

[Ken B]

I would blame the Intellipower. Get out your meter. If you have 120 volts in to it and less than 13.5 out, the converter is bad. It probably has a
heat related failure. Runs cold and fails after it warms up. Colonel Kens suggestions should also be checked.
--
Ken Burton - N9KB
76 Palm Beach
Hebron, Indiana

 

[Ken H.]

Jim,

John & Ken B. read more carefully than i did: I thought you were having
120 vac problems, not 12 VDC. Certainly the PD9155 is highly suspect. But
while you're waiting for the replacement will be a good time to do what
everyone needs to do anyway -- check those screws in the CB box.

Ken H.

> I would blame the Intellipower. Get out your meter. If you have 120
> volts in to it and less than 13.5 out, the converter is bad. It probably
> has a
> heat related failure. Runs cold and fails after it warms up. Colonel Kens
> suggestions should also be checked.
> --
> Ken Burton - N9KB
> 76 Palm Beach
> Hebron, Indiana
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[paul zerkel]

I have a PD9245, so not sure if the 9155 is different. But my understanding is that the smart chargers such as these will vary the output voltage
somewhat, depending on the state of charge of the battery, and whether the charger goes into "de-sulferization mode".

It is possible that the charger is sensing the low battery, outputting a higher charge voltage, and when the battery has reaches a sufficient charge,
the charger goes into a lower voltage "float charge" mode.

I know that I have noticed occasional dimming (or increasing) brightness of lights in my coach. I have always just written it off to the smart charger
doing what it is supposed to do.

It is still always a good idea to check for lose connections though.
--
Paul Zerkel
'78 Eleganza II
Salisbury IL (near Springfield)

 

[john r. lebetski]

If the house battery is failing, the smart charger may be going into protect mode. All answers easily found with a meter and simple diagnosis on the
AC and DC sides. You could run an extension cord to the house and plug the intellepower into that if you don't want to get into diagnosing the AC
side for now. Also if you start the engine and lights and fans pickup that pretty much rules out the DC branch circuits. You could also use a portable
charger on the house battery for 24 hours to see if it behaves then if you have a digital battery tester determine the health of the battery once it
is fully charged(if)
--
John Lebetski
Woodstock, IL
77 Eleganza II

 

[jim morgan]

Thanks for all the advice! I got it figured out today--

The converter/charger is intellipower and is intelligent--- when it senses something bad it shuts itself off---I went to the house batteries and
together in series they showed 5.63 and then I disconnected them-- the front one read 1.2 and the back on read 5.6--- I pulled the front one and it is
dry as a bone--- I think my front battery crossed the rainbow bridge--- I bought 2 new batteries and think we have it solved---
--
KRFJKM
Jim Morgan
Charlotte NC

1978 Palm Beach

Also have a 1965 Corvair Corsa