I know this topic has been discussed ad naseum. I keep blowing my 30 amp fuse when utilizing my landing gear, (Lippert). 1.My 12V batteries are new/good2. My landing gear does not need lubrication, nor is it binding in any way.3. My wiring is good.4. I am not retracting or extending gear too far. I recently installed a 12v 30amp circuit breaker, as this has been mentioned multiple times on numerous forums. Problem is, after installing 30a circuit breaker and testing landing gear, it still blew the 30 amp fuse. Perhaps i have installed the circuit breaker in the wrong place, but i don't think so. I would add a picture, but can't seem to figure out how to add a photo.Black(hot) wire leads from battery terminal and in to a circuit board,(not sure of correct terminology). This is where the 30a fuse is located. On other side of circuit board two wires,(white and white with black stripe), leave circuit board and tie in to landing gear motor. I inserted 30 circuit breaker on Black(hot) wire that feed power from battery to circuit breaker.Does this sound like proper location for circuit breaker?Does anyone thing that i need to replace my landing gear motor, as this is the only thing i have not been able to test. Thanks.Jerry

All electrical motors will draw more current when starting especially when loaded. For this reason, a lot of circuit breakers will have a time delay before opening to allow for higher than normal starting current. You may want to replace your fuse with a slow blow fuse that does the same thing. All things being equal, fuses will always blow before circuit breakers because circuit breakers are mechanical and fuses are not.Hard to say if you need new motor, if your starting current is enough to keep blowing fuses, you landing gear may be binding a little or you may have loose or bad connections/wiring. The less load (resistance)it is trying to move, the less current it needs to operate.The only way to truly tell is find out the power rating of your motor and test it unloaded and loaded to see how many amps its pulling.If you know for sure your landing gear is operating normally, and your connections are clean and tight, than its most likely your motor

The breaker should replace the fuse, and should be close to the battery, which is where the fuse should have been.

Do a simple test. Connect the 30A breaker at the battery and using even a cheap jumper cable power the motor at the motor. Does the breaker pop?

The breaker should replace the fuse not be added in series with it. If they are in series it is a **** shoot as to which will blow first.

No one so far has mentioned this so I will. How heavy is your nose. Does the motor sound strong or is it laboring when lifting the trailers nose? While not blowing fuses, my single motor setup always sounded like it was straining when lifting. Swapping to a dual motor setup and adding heavy duty reversing relays took care of my problem.

Installing 12v 30a circuit breaker for landing gear

18 Replies

BarneyS
Explorer III
May 27, 2017
Moved to Tech Issues forum from DIY.
D_E_Bishop
Explorer
May 27, 2017
I agree with replacing the fuse with the breaker, breakers do by design respond slower than a fuse in protecting a circuit.

Also this little goody can help in getting an instantaneous reading of the current flow. I haven't got the test equipment at my disposal like I did when working to verify that the fuses I buy are actually the amperage they are marked to withstand. A few people have mentioned that the HFT fuses are very inaccurately labeled.
time2roll
Nomad
May 27, 2017
What size wire? Maybe you need 40 amp or a slow-blow fuse.
donn0128
Explorer II
May 27, 2017
No one so far has mentioned this so I will. How heavy is your nose. Does the motor sound strong or is it laboring when lifting the trailers nose? While not blowing fuses, my single motor setup always sounded like it was straining when lifting. Swapping to a dual motor setup and adding heavy duty reversing relays took care of my problem.
Roger10378
Explorer II
May 27, 2017
The breaker should replace the fuse not be added in series with it. If they are in series it is a **** shoot as to which will blow first.
Ivylog
Explorer III
May 27, 2017
Do a simple test. Connect the 30A breaker at the battery and using even a cheap jumper cable power the motor at the motor. Does the breaker pop?
Chris_Bryant
Explorer II
May 27, 2017
The breaker should replace the fuse, and should be close to the battery, which is where the fuse should have been.
mbrower
Explorer
May 27, 2017
All electrical motors will draw more current when starting especially when loaded. For this reason, a lot of circuit breakers will have a time delay before opening to allow for higher than normal starting current. You may want to replace your fuse with a slow blow fuse that does the same thing. All things being equal, fuses will always blow before circuit breakers because circuit breakers are mechanical and fuses are not.

Hard to say if you need new motor, if your starting current is enough to keep blowing fuses, you landing gear may be binding a little or you may have loose or bad connections/wiring. The less load (resistance)it is trying to move, the less current it needs to operate.

The only way to truly tell is find out the power rating of your motor and test it unloaded and loaded to see how many amps its pulling.

If you know for sure your landing gear is operating normally, and your connections are clean and tight, than its most likely your motor

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Installing 12v 30a circuit breaker for landing gear

18 Replies

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