Electrical - smoked up the cabin

Pardon my continuing this saga - but I'd just like some more input after a day of troubleshooting.

I ended up re-testing the fuses on the converter using a continuity test - they're both bad. Relaced them and the controller works. ergg

I constructed a matrix to test this thing logically - with and without the controller starting with DC then pairing in AC as each progressive test passed. I finally ended with all systems in place (AC-DC converter + AC shore power + DC batt power), everything is working as expected.

EXCEPT! I didn't yet hook up my solar panel feed to the battery yet. I tested the voltage coming from the panels (after the solar controller) - 18V ?

Q1: Is 18v what I should be expecting from a solar controller? Seems high?

But the solar is the only thing I haven't hooked back up yet - I just don't want to fry anything (more?).

Onto frying things:

Q2: If when I put in the battery backwards, what is the most probable thing that smoked so badly?

If the fuses blew at the DC-AC converter, it seemed that was protected (and it works).

If the solar charger was hooked up backwards to the battery too - I'd think the solar controller would fry (but it seemingly operational, lights on, etc - just 18v output which could have been happening before).

The only other thing I can think of is the Control Center - but it too, seems to be working.

I really want to find out what was smoking- smoke means hot and something somewhere getting converted to heat/soot - meaning less viable. I haven't found burnt wires or boards (tho getting into the components isnt' easy or possible).

Any ideas for some better starting points? Ugh.

Please don't hate on me for my derp'iness, it's been a long day and as a stream ecologist, I have a lot of work to get done out there.

That's embarrassing - I stared at that thing a long time and looked right past the model number on the front. That's my fault for missing that -but thanks for letting me know. Gawd I hope that's not it...

I think you're right on the events happening in sequence. The smell a few weeks ago, I hope, was the converter going bad... then I stupidly hooked the battery up backwards and fried it completely. I *hope*.... I just don't want to buy a new one, replace it and find something else wrong to fry it again... eggggh

thanks again - I do appreciate your help.

M

The reverse polarity fuses are just an attempt to protect the converter, nothing else.

You may have had a few issues that happened in sequence that seem confusing when put together as one event. Replace the converter and battery with special care to verify polarity and get your RV back on the road.

The number on the black board googles into a ATWOOD CAMPER JACK REMOTE CONTROL UNIT 85439 for about $300. Good luck if magic smoke came from this unit. Test your jacks.

Ok, I come with my tail tucked deeply between my legs... Lynnmor was right - I hooked up the battery backwards. Who knew white is ground in an RV?? I guess everyone but me. sigh.

But the specs for my converter (PD 9145A) says it has a built-in reverse battery protection. Should that not have protected the system from a dummy like me?

TESTING THE CONVERTER
I removed the converter from the camper - the fuses are both good - I plugged it into a 120V source in my shop -- the fan does not turn on, nor do I get 12v from the 12v output terminals. Dead, right?

TESTING THE CONTROL CENTER
I have no idea how. When connected to shore power, testing the 120V output receptacle of the control center shows 120v on the meter. How else do I test this.


The thing is, that smoke has a distinctive strong odor - heavy smell under the sink. But doing the sniff test on both the converter and the control center - I don't smell the smoke. I'd think it would be pretty strong in whichever had issue, no? Makes me nervous. I'm not seeing any other burnt components.

In the back of the sink cabinet, there's a black board with all sorts of wires attached.
Picture:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DM4Beez7PHPsvgyDvfkOrBle6WpCUoBM/view?usp=sharing

The technical term for what you are smelling is the "magic smoke:"

Analysis of Magic Smoke

Good luck! I wish I could be more specific as to the exact origin of your smoke. Hang in there.

Just went in there to remove the converter - how the heck do you get it out? It's like it was put together without that in mind. I removed the step screws, the front panel screws - but the corner of the front panel under the sink doesn't show screws. Is there any kind of repair manual for these campers? There seems to be some order of removal that I'm not getting.

I took pretty good care not to hook it up backwards - but that's always a possibility. The thing is, when it was on the generator I smelled that same smell - seems something was going wrong in the first place.

Thanks for the link too, Gary!

Converter.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/PowerMax-RV-Converter-Battery-Charger-PM3-45-AMP-120-V-AC-to-12-volt-DC-Supply/301409709331?epid=1940871615&hash=item462d6b2d13:g:KMMAAOxybqpRgcJW:sc:USPSPriority!89436!US!-1

Any chance that you connected the battery backwards?

Some chargers will not begin to charge a completely dead battery.

A wife of hot wires. Lucky you.