2012 Vista 35F Converter location

[marjoa]

We acquired our beautiful 2012 Vista 35F about 7 weeks ago and I've been going through every system and performing maintenance. Now onto the charging system. The manual is very vague on the location of the converter that charges the chassis batteries. On smaller 26' & 30' models it's where the circuit breaker box is in the bottom galley cabinet. I looked there and hunted all over the MH & can't find it anywhere. Can someone tell me where it is?

[Rorytug]

On my 2011 Itasca supernova the converter is behind the breaker box in a build out underneath the bathroom sink. I'm pretty sure it will be very close to where ever the breaker box is

[grtharris]

marjoa, it is under the refrigerator.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by grtharris

marjoa, it is under the refrigerator.

Well that's where the breakers are but no convertor. I even took the breaker panel off thinking that maybe it was behind that, but nothing. I'll check the bathroom suggestion.

I'm still open for more possibilities though.

[cbeierl]

Page 4 of the Body, 12 Volt Wiring Installation for your coach shows the converter in Detail CC.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by cbeierl

Page 4 of the Body, 12 Volt Wiring Installation for your coach shows the converter in Detail CC.

WOW, that attachment is awesome. I will check that area more closely today. Thank you so much. Where did you find that document? There's probably more important detailed doc's in the same area.

[grtharris]

marjoa, here is the link to lots of good info on Winnebagos. The 3D parts catalog is a little hard to get to work but the other drawings are PDF's.
Winnebago Industries
Here is a picture of the converter location.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by grtharris

marjoa, here is the link to lots of good info on Winnebagos. The 3D parts catalog is a little hard to get to work but the other drawings are PDF's.
Winnebago Industries
Here is a picture of the converter location.

Hey Grant, thanks for that link. Great resource. Look at my last attached photo with notes.

I'd like to go a little deeper on this subject with you though. The reason I want to know where the converter was is because I was wondering if it was working right. And, from some of the other info I've read it should have a row of fuses and I wanted to check those fuses. Because something is just not adding up.

This new MH to us has never had a problem starting. So the chassis bat seems to be ok. Everything inside the MH works on 12V but when I put a meter on the house bats it reads 11.40. I used the fresh water pump the other day while sanitizing my tank and could hear the pump loosing juice. So I started the get to finish the job. The house bats should be totally discharged @ 11.40. So I thought I'd check the converter.

So now, yesterday, while it's in storage, I metered the house bats @ 11.63. Chassis @ 12.41. I plugged the 50amp cord into the 120 wall socket at the storage area and wanted to see if they would charge up. As soon as I plugged in, I went and metered the bats again and the house bats went up to 13.16 immediately. So I let it sit for 24hrs. that way plugged in. Went back this morning house bats were 11.40 again, chassis no change. In other words, no charge took place according to the meter.

Now whats really confusing is, as you can see from the pics I've attached, is that the MH is still plugged into the storage unit 120 and I push the test button and it shows batteries fully charged. Now I don't know if this panel of lights is showing condition of chassis, house or both batteries.

On another note, when I start the engine or the gen that row of lights showing fully charged happens too.

When it comes to mechanical things I can figure out and fix anything, but electrical is a weak point of mine and trying to learn.

Read my next post.

[marjoa]

Ya know, the more I think about it I just think these batteries are old and no good. My wife & I just got through talking about this and she made a good point. The MH was in great shape overall, but it was on the brink of needing servicing in a lot of areas. The guy that owned this MH was the original owner and our feeling is, he bought this new, ran it until the warranty ran out, didn't want to sink any money into it and traded it in for a new one. I think those 2 orange stickers that said 2/16 on it was a trick. So I think I just need to replace those 2 house batteries and maybe even the chassis battery. But I want to do it right this time. I've read so much on batteries it's all become a blur. I have the money to buy good ones. Like sealed deep cycle so do you have any recommendations of what would be best for our MH and I can go tomorrow and get them and install them. Do you agree with my assessment?

[grtharris]

marjoa, the battery level display is for the coach battery. Sounds like you may have a loose wire or a flaky coach battery disconnect relay.
The battery level display is connected on the load side of the coach battery disconnect relay so when connected to shore power it will read what the converter is putting out not the actual voltage of the battery.
The battery disconnect relays are located behind the breaker panel in the compartment behind the front wheel on the drivers side. Take a reading on both sides of the coach battery disconnect relay they should be the same as long as the disconnect is not enabled.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by grtharris

marjoa, the battery level display is for the coach battery. Sounds like you may have a loose wire or a flaky coach battery disconnect relay.
The battery level display is connected on the load side of the coach battery disconnect relay so when connected to shore power it will read what the converter is putting out not the actual voltage of the battery.
The battery disconnect relays are located behind the breaker panel in the compartment behind the front wheel on the drivers side. Take a reading on both sides of the coach battery disconnect relay they should be the same as long as the disconnect is not enabled.

Ok I'll check that later today when I go back to the storage unit.

As I read more about the converter (which I still have NOT found yet) it is a Schumacher Mity-Mite SARVC converter and apparently it is a .5 amp charger, single stage charger that has been verified by 2 independent people at Winnebago in another thread. So after reading that, I realized that my batts were so low, that this .5 charger is no way going to charge these back up to full charge.To maintain a charge yes, to bring them up to full...no. So this morning I went to Walmart and bought a Schumacher Automatic Batt charger model# SC4, which is a up to 15amp charger. It has LED read out, battery type selective switch, bad batt alert etc, etc, and once they charge up to float it automatically goes into maintenance mode.

So anyway, this morning I unplugged show power, engaged chassis disconnect switch, hooked up the charger, it began to analyze and then began to charge. After one hour it was already up to 13.2. So my plan is, is to let that go all day today and then go back to the MH this afternoon and take another bat reading and also see what the LED on the charger says. I'm much encouraged so far but we'll see. I'm hoping that once these bats get to full charge the MH converter will be able to maintain them with it's .5 ability. I'll also check those relays this afternoon too.

I'll keep you posted. Thanks so much for staying with me. It means a lot.

[Jim_HiTek]

There's no electrical reason you can't leave the charger you just bought on the house batteries 24/7 and forget about that wimpy 0.5 Amp charger. And maybe get a Trik-L-Start or similar to keep the chassis battery charged too.

Might have to come up with a plan on wiring it up permanently and mounting it, but there's usually room somewhere.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by Jim_HiTek

And maybe get a Trik-L-Start or similar to keep the chassis battery charged too.

Might have to come up with a plan on wiring it up permanently and mounting it, but there's usually room somewhere.

Yeah I was thinking the same thing but I'm very limited in my elec knowledge but I'm reading as much as I can everyday to learn. I've read a lot about that Trik-L-Start but like you said I have to come up with a permanent plan and that's where I'll need help. As it stands right now I can't even find the converter I have now even with the help of wiring diagrams. They've hid that thing very well. But that's another story. I'm hoping someone else in this forum also has a 35F and can tell me where theirs is.

Thank you for your input.

[grtharris]

marjoa, I pretty sure someone miss quoted you on your converter, never heard of a .5 amp converter. The drawings shows a 55 amp Schumacher SARIC55 94-026-867 Converter.
Here is a link to what it looks like:https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SA...tag=bags09c-20.
You have to get down on the floor and look back in the compartment under the refrigerator, looks like it is on the back wall.

[Tom-NC]

Hi, Marjoa,

Congrats on your new motor home. Your converter is working if when you plug into shore power it shows battery level at 13.6v.

I realize you may not be electrically savy but you can try this to see if there is a load on the coach batteries. Get your swelf a volt meter that will measure AMPS. Disconnect the positive lead from the house battery that feeds the the coach. Connect the leads ion the voltmeter to the 10 Amp positions, ( banana plug sockets) take the positive lead and connect to battery terminal where you disconnected cable and connect the negative lead of meter to cable . See if there is any current draw on meter and if there is go to dc panel and remove dc fuses one at a time until meter doesn't move and that last disconnected fuse is your problem.

If you want to check your batteries you can load test them and there is a device that you can purchase that will do that and it should be available at a parts store or even JC Whitney.

Like I stated before I don't think it is your converter that is causing the problem.

I agree with a previous post that you should get a trickle charger for the coach battery as it is not charged by the converter.

Hope this helps.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by grtharris

marjoa, I pretty sure someone miss quoted you on your converter, never heard of a .5 amp converter. The drawings shows a 55 amp Schumacher SARIC55 94-026-867 Converter.
Here is a link to what it looks like:https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-SA...tag=bags09c-20.
You have to get down on the floor and look back in the compartment under the refrigerator, looks like it is on the back wall.

1) I saw that it's a 55amp converter but in the thread I was reading (can't find it now) they were saying that to the chassis bats it only allowed .5amps and was single stage but it did have some other good features though. I don't know. I'll try further to find that thread. But if you go to that link to Amazon you just sent sent me, zoom in and look at the label. It says Average Rate 0.5 amps Max.

2) Well I looked under the frig earlier but now that I know what I'm looking for I'll check again. Now once I find that unit, the Amazon pic shows 2 fuses on the outside which I'll check but do you know if it has does additional fuses inside it? Do you think I should open that baby up and check it or do you think that's a waste of time if the fuses are good?

3) You're going to think I'm a dunce but, I went to check the disconnect relays like you said. I left the disconnect switch on (in other words the light was on OR Power from the chassis bats were on) I removed the panel, saw the relays and the posts on each side and I really didn't know if these were the posts to check or not. But I checked anyway. I put the red lead on one side, black on the other side and nothing. I could go on with other positions I tried but I really didn't know what I was doing or how to check it correctly. But know matter how I checked, I got no reading at all. I probably was just doing it wrong. If it's not to much trouble, could you PLEASE (ok pretty please) take that same disconnect relay diagram that you gave me earlier and mark it up telling me exactly what posts to check?

4) One other question I have: This coming Wed. morning we're taking the MH to 1000 trails for Thanksgiving for 5 days. I want to cool the frig the night before but because of the issue I'm dealing with right now with plugging into the storage 110 outlet and it seems to not be providing enough juice I'm afraid turning on the frig might drain the bats. So, what do you think about me turning the chassis batteries on at the disconnect switch, leaving the charger on and then turning on the frig? Would that be OK to do?

BTW...that new charger I put on there this morning, it's doing fine and completed the charge and went into maintenance mode. The batteries read 13.5. I decided to just leave it connected for now and will check again in the AM. Supposed to get cold tonight, down in the high 30's.

[grtharris]

marjoa,
1) I'm a retired electrical engineer and I do not understand the "Average Rate 0.5 Amps Max" and a "Charge Rate 55 Amps". There is only one output connection that connects to the coach 12 VDC wiring and the coach batteries.
2) Right now as mentioned above I think your converter is working like it should.
3) With shore power connected. To check for voltage at the coach disconnect relay (the one on the right) make sure the meter on on DC Volts. Put the black lead on a good ground. Then touch the red lead to the large post on the right side (this is the load side which connects to the coach wiring system and converter) note reading then touch the red lead to the post on the left side of the relay (this connects to the coach battery). With the disconnect not enabled they should be the same. If they are the same, go and check the voltage at the coach batteries. Then we will go from there.
4)Turning on the chassis battery disconnect will not do anything because the isolation relay keeps the batteries isolated until you start the engine or push the battery boost switch. Putting the battery charger on the coach batteries will keep them charged while you cool the frig with shore power.
I'm still thinking there is a disconnect in the power wiring from the disconnect relay to the batteries.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by grtharris

marjoa,
1) I'm a retired electrical engineer and I do not understand the "Average Rate 0.5 Amps Max" and a "Charge Rate 55 Amps". There is only one output connection that connects to the coach 12 VDC wiring and the coach batteries.
2) Right now as mentioned above I think your converter is working like it should.
3) With shore power connected. To check for voltage at the coach disconnect relay (the one on the right) make sure the meter on on DC Volts. Put the black lead on a good ground. Then touch the red lead to the large post on the right side (this is the load side which connects to the coach wiring system and converter) note reading then touch the red lead to the post on the left side of the relay (this connects to the coach battery). With the disconnect not enabled they should be the same. If they are the same, go and check the voltage at the coach batteries. Then we will go from there.
4)Turning on the chassis battery disconnect will not do anything because the isolation relay keeps the batteries isolated until you start the engine or push the battery boost switch. Putting the battery charger on the coach batteries will keep them charged while you cool the frig with shore power.
I'm still thinking there is a disconnect in the power wiring from the disconnect relay to the batteries.

OK will do. I'll go back in the AM and that checked. Just so I understand your terms, when you say "With the disconnect not enabled" you mean having the switch on so the green light is on and the chassis bats are on...right?

WOW, an electrical engineer. I hit a home run you finding this thread. I just can't thank you enough staying with me. I'll report back tomorrow with my findings and I'll also check more thoroughly for the converter under the frig and check those fuses.

thx

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by Tom-NC

Hi, Marjoa,

Congrats on your new motor home. Your converter is working if when you plug into shore power it shows battery level at 13.6v.

I realize you may not be electrically savy but you can try this to see if there is a load on the coach batteries. Get your swelf a volt meter that will measure AMPS. Disconnect the positive lead from the house battery that feeds the the coach. Connect the leads ion the voltmeter to the 10 Amp positions, ( banana plug sockets) take the positive lead and connect to battery terminal where you disconnected cable and connect the negative lead of meter to cable . See if there is any current draw on meter and if there is go to dc panel and remove dc fuses one at a time until meter doesn't move and that last disconnected fuse is your problem.

If you want to check your batteries you can load test them and there is a device that you can purchase that will do that and it should be available at a parts store or even JC Whitney.

Like I stated before I don't think it is your converter that is causing the problem.

I agree with a previous post that you should get a trickle charger for the coach battery as it is not charged by the converter.

Hope this helps.

Ok thanks Tom. Thanks for explaining that procedure. What I'm going to do right now just so I don't get to many things going on at once and get confused is, grtharris and I are trying to narrow out some stuff and I'll put your suggestion on the list. As you probably saw, I did buy a trickle charger today and it's working great. We may be just chasing wind here. Maybe now that the batts are charged up, it's possible that when I plug into the storage unit 110V outlet that the MH converter can maintain the batts now. To early to tell. Have some things to check in AM. We'll see. Will know more tomorrow or the next day.

[marjoa]

Originally Posted by marjoa

OK will do. I'll go back in the AM and that checked. Just so I understand your terms, when you say "With the disconnect not enabled" you mean having the switch on so the green light is on and the chassis bats are on...right?

WOW, an electrical engineer. I hit a home run you finding this thread. I just can't thank you enough staying with me. I'll report back tomorrow with my findings and I'll also check more thoroughly for the converter under the frig and check those fuses.

thx

OK, I plugged into shore power, and I took a reading from both sides of the posts on the relay and they read 13.6 on each side. They are the same. So I then took a reading of the coach bats and they also read 13.6. So where does that leave us.