I just purchased an older Coachmen travel trailer and found that I can not get anything to work from the battery connection. I hooked up a known working battery to the connections and still could not get any lights or the water pump to work. Everything works when it's hooked to A/C but I can't get anything to work from D/C. I checked to make sure all the breakers and fuses at the converter were on and not blown and all that seemed to be fine. I even turned off all the breakers and moved around some fuses and still could not get it to work.
Any suggestions on where to start looking for this problem???
Use a volt meter to check that you have power from the battery connections. You may have a battery disconnect switch somewhere near the battery. Just a thought. Good luck.
Ok, first the list of suspects:
Many rigs have a battery disconnect switch, The control for this switch can be some distance from the actual switch (For example on the rig below the control is in the step well.. The switch is in front of the driver under the "hood" on the engine side of the firewall.. That's my rig, not yours) It may be OFF.
Moving on, The schematic for said switch on my rig shows a pair of 30 amp breakers, manual reset (NOT present, which goes to show that rigs are different) In your case, Tripped is possible.
Many trailers use a converter which has fuses in it.. These fuses are designed to protect the rig if a battery is installed backwards (Very possible on RV's as the color codes are NOT always what you expect) They may be blown
In all 3 cases,,, If this should happen, what you get.. Is exactly the symptoms you have. So check for switches, fuses or manual circuit breakers in the line.
Nothin adds excitment like something that is none of your business John is Near Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377
Since your DC devices work when on shorepower, the converter is providing power to the DC fuses, and those fuses are all good.
Check the battery connections, in particular the negative cable connection to the frame - corrosion can make an open circuit.
Trace the wire that goes to the converter/DC fuse panel from the battery positive terminal (on a trailer, the breakaway switch power is usually connected to the battery terminal, and there may be other circuits connected there). You should find a fuse or circuit breaker a short distance from the battery. If it is a breaker, look/feel for a very tiny reset button on it - some are very hard to see.
Please post the make and model of the converter/power center as there is one design that uses a relay to change from converter power to battery power and there could be an internal problem in it.
Mel & Mary Ann; Mo'Be (More Behave...) and Bella
"If you have an RV, you don't need another hobby." Comment from a friend...
73 Kountry Aire 31.5 ft (semi-retired) TT
90 Champion LaSalle MH 29 ft P30 (89 Chassis)
Ok, did a little more checking. Found the fuse link coverd in plastic wire trace was completey melted and was not letting any power past it. So my question is what type of fuse link do I need here? Is this something with a replaceable fuse that I can get at the local auto parts store. I hate to drive the 30 miles to the camper supply place if I can get what I need right here.
Thanks for the help thus far,
Randy
If it's burnt, there may be a short circuit somewhere.
Chop the wire, crimp an eyelet on both ends, install a circuit breaker (CB) from your auto supply to match the size of the wire,...
10 ga = 40 amp CB
8-6 ga = 50 amp CB
If the CB pops on and off, you have a short circuit somewhere that must be found and repaired.
Rich
'98 Flair, 454, Onan Microlite 4k, Intel PD 9155 w/ wizard, Sta-power 1500 watt Inv, 2 6v batts, ammeters, KingDome/sat, Oly Catalytic Heat, hauling 2 Bent Bikes and sometimes towing a Tracker F&S boat.
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