Installed 2ea. 6 Vdc Batteries

[Clipper Joe]

Hello Clipper Owners,

Wanted To Share A Small Upgrade To Our 1977 Dodge American Clipper Rear Kitchen, I Removed My 12Vdc Battery From Small Compartment, & Added 2ea. 6 Vdc Interstate In Generator Compartment. I Put These Batteries In Series To Get 12 Vdc. Also Added A Battery Disconnect Switch & A Digital Hour Meter To Keep Track Of Generator Servicing.
I Uploaded A Photo I Hope It Helps. Please View, feel Free To Reply If You Have Any Questions?

Thanks,
Joe & Denise

[chingaman2001]

so u took out the generator? put in batteries instead

[Clipper Joe]

Hi Clingaman,

I have 3 way power, 110Vac, 12Vdc & Generator 110Vac Power,

Also, Going to install Solar Panels on Roof & Add another Large 12Vdc Battery
& Put in Progressive Transfer Switch.
& Install large Inverter to run All 110Vac in Clipper From Power Center controller.

Joe

[Toedtoes]

Wow Joe!  That's quite a setup.  I'm going to have to pick your brain - I have something weird going on with my battery set up.

The battery hooks into the big box under the couch.  There are 3 circuit breaker switches and 4 glass fuses on the box.  When I'm on 110, everything runs great.  When I'm on 12v, as soon as I turn on an overhead light, all the lights stop working.  If I only turn on the reading lights, things are fine.  As soon as I plug back into 110, the lights work fine again.  The switches and fuses are undisturbed.

The house battery is only charging off the engine battery not off the 110. 

I know absolutely nothing about electrical, but I'm guessing that either I don't have an inverter or it's not functioning properly.  I do have a working power inverter from a previous trailer that I can install, but I'm not sure how to go about it.  I'd like to get the electrical wiring diagram, but I haven't been able to get my membership number yet.

[Clipper Joe]

Hello Toedtoes,

My Clipper Is A 1977 Dodge, I Know Yours Is A 1975, I Think They Used The Same Power Center, You May Need To Check With Other Clipper Owners With Same Year..

I Am Semi Retired, I Was A Maintenance Electrician For 40 Years, I Now Own My Own Business Now & Work Part Time On Houses.

I Had A Problem With The 12Vdc With The Old Power Center, There Is A Relay That When 110 Vac Is Applied It Contacts 2ea. Contact Points To Switch To 12 Vdc. If You Send Me A P Mesg. With  your Phone # or E-Mail & I Can Explain it A lot Easier.

I Have My Old Power Center,Can Take A Few Photos To Show You Where I Had Problem, Since I Have Upgraded Almost Most Electrical, Except Wire Within Coach.

I Have Installed Progressive Dynamics  PD4060KV Electronic Power Center & Added From Best Rv & Truck Supply Co. In Boise, ID Also Added A New PD Transfer Switch Model# PD5110610 , it is 30 Amps.

I Know Each Clippers For The Age They Are. Each Problem Is For Info Or A Starting Point, Gets Hard To Trouble Shoot Problem With Out Meter Or Test Light.

Hope This Reply Helps, & Glad We Are Starting To Get Interest In This Clipper Forum & Keep  The Questions & Tips & Info Coming,

Joe & Denise

Ps,
I Can't Say It Enough >>  Remember Need To Thank Web Master (Shayne Barr)For Use Able To Use This Again 

[Toedtoes]

I figured out my problem.  It was just the house battery itself - no longer holding a charge.  It would pick up a charge from the engine battery, but as soon as I pulled any power from it, it would immediately deplete, which caused the overhead lights to just go out.  As soon as I plugged in the AC, the battery would get enough charge to "pretend" to be OK, then I'd pull from it and boom, it's dead again.

I just put in new AGM batteries for both the engine and the house - deep cycle for the house.  Everything is working perfectly now.  Optima 8052-161 (blue top) for the house.  Optima 8025-160 (red top) for the engine.

Will plan on adding solar at some point - I have a cousin in the business.  But for now, I've got water pump and overhead light power for dry camping and I'm happy.

[Clipper Joe]

Hello Toedtoes,

I said in pass there is nothing impossible, just takes a little longer.
That was my Fathers Saying, he Passed away in 1989 & Was a Great Hands on Mechanic.

You Got one of the best Batteries out there, Will get a lot of Service for your Day Camping.
When you go to Solar Set-up, May Want to Think About A Progressive Dynamic Transfer Switch, It will Make Thing Alot more Easier, When Going Between, 110Vac/ Generator Power (if You Have One) & Power Center Operation.

I' m Still in Thought Process, Have Read Some Neat Forum Info, & Would Like To See One Before I Install Mine.

If My Wife Feels Heathly, & You Go To National Meet, Maybe We Can Share Ideas, also Other Members Too.

I Just Got Back From a Small Test Run With Clipper on a Fishing Trip To Northern California.
(Wilson) That's My Clippers Name- Ran Fantastic, Checked Mileage Up Mountains, Got 7.2 MPG, We Only Have about 150 Miles on Rebuilt Engine & Everything Else I've Done. Was Really Pleased With All The Hard Work, Really Paid Off.. ***** Temp. Did Not Get Over Termostat Rating 160-170 Deg.
I Feel once  That Big Mopar  440 Brakes in Hope to Get At Lease 1-2 MPG I Hope..

Getting Back to Your Work Completed,
I Was Going To Install a Knife Battery Disconnect Switch On Main Engine Compartment Battery Neg. Terminal. I Will Try & Send Link.
I Saw One On  Friends RV. I Have Cut-Off Key Switch For House Batteries, So I Install This Up Front in Cab. I Will Do 2 Things, Save Battery & Shut All 12Vdc Off. When Not in Use.
Great Safety Thing To Do. About $30.00 & Is Compact.

Well Rambled on Enough For Now.

Hope We Get More Post, Really Enjoy The Readings On This Clipper Forum.

Joe & Denise

[Toedtoes]

My boss, who happens to be a mechanical engineer (convenient for me), mentioned doing a disconnect switch on my house battery.  Didn't do it this round, but will likely add it later.  My next job is the steering gear box - will take it in to my mechanic before the national for that.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the clippers at national.

[Toedtoes]

I was doing some forum clean up and ran across this thread.  I thought I'd provide an update on my house battery/electrical.

After installing my new batteries, things were working great.  Then I went dry camping and my power died.  The battery had a full charge, but it wasn't getting to the lights or water pump.

Had it checked out and found that the original power converter/charger was having issues.  They got the converter portion to work, but they had to add a Progressive Dynamics converter/charger to handle the battery charging.  Luckily, I had pulled a brand new one from the travel trailer I traded in for the Clipper. 

Now, I have great power.  I can run my house lights and water pump for days without putting a drain on the battery.

[Clipper Joe]

Hello Toedtoes,
I Have The Orig. Power Converter That Came out of Our 1977 Dodge Rear Kitchen
I Have Installed A New Progressive Dynamic Unit & Transfer Switch,
It Should Be Good For Parts, the Problem I Was Having Is It Sometimes Would Not Give Me 12Vdc, There Is A Relay That Makes Contact That In Turns, Put Out The 12Vdc To The House.

Have It In A Box In Garage, PM Me If You Need Some Parts. For Members Only

Joe

[Toedtoes]

Thanks.  My RV guy (versus my mechanic or my boss  ) was able to easily fix the original converter to run everything off battery power.  He was going to have to dig deeper and look for parts to get the charging functional.  So, he just added the "new" (I only had it in the TT for a year) Progressive Dynamic to charge the battery.  It really works great now!

And if the old converter dies, I will be able to just switch to the PD that's already there.