Electrical gremlins, bad house battery, bad separator?

sbgrimm · 06-18-2020, 09:10 PM

We're planning to leave in 2 days to go run a river and in getting the van ready I'm finding some strange electrical issues. Yesterday our Colorado Campervan powered top wouldn't go up. When I hit the up button the Maxxair fan would spin and the CO detector would chirp. Thinking it was a loose connection, I found the main power wires to the CCV top control panel were loose. I tightened them and the top started working fine. Problem solved, or so I thought.

Tonight, it's quiet in the neighborhood and I'm loading the van when I hear a "click" every 9 seconds. I track it down to the SurePower 1315-200 switching. As it clicks the voltage on the Blue Sky solar controller readout changes from 13.2 to 12.6, back and forth as it clicks every 9 seconds.

While I'm pondering that, I decide to put the top down so I can load the raft frame in the morning. I hit the down button and the voltage display flashes, the fan starts spinning, the CO detector chirps and nothing happens with the top. The battery separator does stop the every 9 second clicking. After the voltage display stops flashing it reads 5-6 volts while I'm trying to lower the top. I start the engine and it jumps up to 14.3 and the top operates normally. When I stop the engine the voltage drops to 13.0 for about a minute. Then the battery separator clicks and now the voltage reads 10.8 to 11.0. Start the engine and it jumps back to 14.3, shut it down and the same thing happens, with the voltage dropping after the separator clicks a minute or so after shutting the engine down.

We have a 160w solar panel and a 210 amp hour 4D house battery. The above testing was done after dark, so the solar panel wasn't operating.

So questions: Is the voltage display showing the van battery voltage until the separator clicks? Is the above indicative of a failing house battery? Or something else?

Puzzled in Durango, please help!

**Gooseberry** · 06-18-2020, 11:07 PM

Check ground points first. Did ccv do the electrical in the van ?

sbgrimm · 06-18-2020, 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gooseberry

Check ground points first. Did ccv do the electrical in the van ?

No, it's an 2005 SMB. CCV did the new, powered top in November and pulled power from somewhere in the right rear corner. The control panel for the top is by the furnace and the outdoor shower. The top has worked flawlessly until now. At this point I'm thinking the power top is probably working just fine, it just draws a lot of current and my house battery (about 6 years old) is likely going bad.

keytothestone · 06-19-2020, 07:13 AM

Sounds like the same issue I had with my CCV top. I 1st had them look at. They said the power supply/motor operating the top wasn't calibrated properly and was using to much power. Something they "overlooked during the initial instillation." It was a quick fix and operates better now and seemed to do the trick. But a few weeks later in Baja the top was stuck in the up position for a few days til I figured it out. Reached out to them for help but nada....After thoroughly inspecting everything I found they routed a wire very poorly to say the least from the solar panel to the battery. Kept popping a surge protector. Then I found the + main solar power wire shredded into pieces cause they routed it between the gas tank and the frame and was just getting pinched shredded just a few copper stings holding it together. I would go back through and look at any electrical work they did. I've had to redo most of the electrical of work I paid them to do not just the top. My vans in Dgo. as well and I'll be there in a couple weeks. Hope that helps. If problems persist I would be glad to lend a hand.

Scalf77 · 06-19-2020, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbgrimm

So questions: Is the voltage display showing the van battery voltage until the separator clicks? Is the above indicative of a failing house battery? Or something else?

Puzzled in Durango, please help!

The voltage displayed should be the house battery, when the Surepower is combined(13.2 +) , it is showing both the house & van battery in parallel. When is drops below(12.8) it would just be showing house battery.

Sounds like your house battery is bad. I suspect that your initial report of the clicking Surepower was with fading light, 13.2 volts would be a legitimate float voltage. The decreased available current can't hold the extra power caused by the Surepower being combined (0.5 to 0.7) amps, this drops the voltage and the Surepower disconnects. The lack of the load allows the voltage to go to 13.2 where is connects and the cycle repeats. This activity could almost be considered normal as it is based off of available power.

Again, what you report when starting the van again would be normal operation of the Surepower. It goes to alternator output and connects and disconnects after the van shuts off, the voltage drop isn't fast, although that can be dependent on any loads on the house system at the time.

The part that would make me think it a bad house battery is the reported 5-6 volts with the top load and 10.8 to 11 volts.

-greg

sbgrimm · 06-19-2020, 08:03 AM

Thanks Greg, I was hoping you would chime in. Your comments ring true. I'll drop the battery today and check it out.

Keytothestone, that's a really disappointing story. Sorry to hear about the troubles you had. I'll check the wiring today. And thanks for the offer to help when you get back to town.

sbgrimm · 06-19-2020, 09:15 PM

Since I'm leaving for the Green River Gates of Lodore rafting trip tomorrow, I decided to go ahead and buy the only 4D battery in Durango. So far it seems like the right choice. The top goes like a champ even with the raft frame loaded on top. Thanks to everyone for the advice. I think I may finally replace the SurePower separator when I get back.

**Gooseberry** · 06-19-2020, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sbgrimm

No, it's an 2005 SMB. CCV did the new, powered top in November and pulled power from somewhere in the right rear corner. The control panel for the top is by the furnace and the outdoor shower. The top has worked flawlessly until now. At this point I'm thinking the power top is probably working just fine, it just draws a lot of current and my house battery (about 6 years old) is likely going bad.

Sorry to say ccv has a really bad history of doing anything electrical so have someone check it or do it yourself if you can.