Forum Discussion

0rion's avatar
0rion
Explorer
Oct 29, 2014

what is this? (landing gear related)

I'm not exactly sure what this is or what it's purpose is. It has a wire coming off the battery, one to what I assume is the inverter, and the other to the landing gear switch. Is it just a junction so the gear will run from the battery or inverter? I think I'm having an issue due to it. My landing gear will sometimes stop for a second and start again. I had this problem a while back and thought I had it licked by pumping a few shots of grease into the zirx fittings on the legs. I now think it's related to this doomaflatchey. Also, when on 12v power sometimes the 12v will cut out and back on immediately...similar to what the legs are doing. Makes sense that they could be related since they both wire to this doomahickey. Trying to decide if the doohickey is bad or perhaps I have a battery with a bad cell or something. Battery seems to do fine as far as charging and holding a charge though which is why I'm starting with this.



  • whiteeye42's avatar
    whiteeye42
    Explorer
    Oct 29, 2014
    that looks like it is self resetting breaker to protect the landing gear motor it might be going bad i would replace it
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Oct 29, 2014
    YES that is a DC auto resetting circuit breaker.
    It is the in-line fuse for lading gear motor protection.

    Do not know WHY inverter would be connected to it.
    Inverter should have it's own dedicated 12V DC feed separate of this connection.

    Look on the CB for amp rating....probably 30A
  • BurbMan's avatar
    BurbMan
    Explorer II
    Oct 29, 2014
    0rion wrote:
    Is it just a junction so the gear will run from the battery or inverter?


    You wouldn't want the landing gear motor to run from the inverter since the inverter puts out 120v, not 12v like the battery. The doomahickey in your photo is a 12v circuit breaker, sounds like you may need a new one.

    I would also check the connections to the motor and switch for corrosion. The job of the circuit breaker is to cut out in an overload condition. If it were a fuse it would blow and then the landing gear wouldn't work until you replaced the fuse. Here, it sounds like you are getting a current overload, the circuit breaker cuts out, then power is restore when the circuit breaker resets.

    Corroded connections on the motor and switch can create high resistance and cause an overload...so can a motor going bad. I would start by replacing the least expensive part, ie the circuit breaker, and see if that solves your problem.
  • 0rion's avatar
    0rion
    Explorer
    Oct 29, 2014
    thanks for all the replies.....I'm going to replace that asap.

    Burbman, I don't think there's an actual overload going on because it shuts the camper down when not even using the landing gear. Just having a bunch of lights on causes it to shut off and come back on. As far as it going to the inverter I just assumed that's where the other wire went.....it's the 12v feed from the battery to the camper. That doesn't go through the inverter at all? Or maybe it goes straight to the breaker panel or something?
  • midnightsadie's avatar
    midnightsadie
    Explorer II
    Oct 29, 2014
    clean all connectors from the breaker to the battery, could just be a dirty connector.
  • Mile_High's avatar
    Mile_High
    Explorer
    Oct 29, 2014
    Silly as it sounds - but Keystone recommends replacing that with a parallel fuse setup they came up with when experiencing similar symptoms of the slides stopping, cooling, restarting.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Oct 30, 2014
    0rion wrote:
    thanks for all the replies.....I'm going to replace that asap.

    Burbman, I don't think there's an actual overload going on because it shuts the camper down when not even using the landing gear. Just having a bunch of lights on causes it to shut off and come back on. As far as it going to the inverter I just assumed that's where the other wire went.....it's the 12v feed from the battery to the camper. That doesn't go through the inverter at all? Or maybe it goes straight to the breaker panel or something?


    Separate the two different circuits (landing gear on it's own auto reset cb) and trace/identify that other wire.

    Each of those should have their own fused protection....with appropriate sized fuse/cb
  • kroghville's avatar
    kroghville
    Explorer
    Nov 01, 2014
    Yes, It is a thermal auto reset breaker. Keystone customer service told me that if it has tripped and reset 5 or 6 times it is time to replace it. They are readily available at Napa for about $9.00 and simple to change. Mine is a 50 amp. The amp rating will be printed or stamped on the side of the breaker. Be sure to get one with the mounting bracket attached as they are available without the bracket as well.

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