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Steeljag's avatar
Steeljag
Explorer
Apr 17, 2014

Rushing yourself hurts

Was in a rush when I got home from work tonight and while installing the battery from batt charger I reversed the cables ( I was on the work cell talking and not paying attention) NO excuse....just dumb! I hooked to the truck and pulled over to my driveway.

Anyway, I washed the TT and then entered the TT to find "some" lights worked and the stove worked on gas, but I had no power to fridge. Played with it and had nothing. Ran extension cord from house to TT and still no power to fridge and " some lights.

Checked fuses and found two blown 40 amp fuses and one blown 15 amp.

Thought about the battery and reopened the batt box to find the reversed cables.

I corrected that and replaced the fuses. The 15 amp is marked TV booster, but the two 40 amp fuses are unmarked. Everything "seems to be working" at this time. Fridge light is on and I'm waiting to make sure it gets cold.

AC fan runs ( cant check AC ) at this time.

Anything I should be checking on?
  • TucsonJim's avatar
    TucsonJim
    Explorer II
    Apr 17, 2014
    Your 40amp fuses protect you from just this error. You should be okay.
  • Mr__Dan's avatar
    Mr__Dan
    Explorer
    Apr 17, 2014
    I've seen some RVers post that this battery cable reversal also blew a fuse for their radio. Seems they had to pull the radio to replace an inline fuse behind it. I have no personal experience with that.
  • Steeljag's avatar
    Steeljag
    Explorer
    Apr 17, 2014
    Keeping my fingers crossed the blown fuses did their job and saved my azz!

    What about damage to the battery? The TT has been plugged in now for about 3 hours and the TT monitor is showing batt staying at half charged?

    .....and I thought my only concern this long weekend would be rain!!
  • Grodyman's avatar
    Grodyman
    Explorer
    Apr 17, 2014
    I did the same thing in the Lance. Hows your radio working? My Jenson cd/dvd/radio had a fuse in it that had to be replaced as well, took awhile to figure that out.

    Gman
  • westend's avatar
    westend
    Explorer
    Apr 17, 2014
    Steeljag wrote:
    Keeping my fingers crossed the blown fuses did their job and saved my azz!

    What about damage to the battery? The TT has been plugged in now for about 3 hours and the TT monitor is showing batt staying at half charged?

    .....and I thought my only concern this long weekend would be rain!!
    Keep charging. After the reverse polarity fuses blew the lights were maybe the only thing powered. Be sure to check your breakaway brake system after the battery is charged.

    BTW, if you don't have a cheap hand-held meter, get one. The idiot light monitors are not very accurate.
  • wa8yxm's avatar
    wa8yxm
    Explorer III
    Apr 17, 2014
    40 amps are reverse polarity fuses for the converter, It will work till battery dies.

    SUGGESTION: Get a couple of small cans of spray paint,, One red, One black.

    On the POSITIVE end of things.. Spray red, over-spray onto the battery is actually a good thing in this case.

    On the Negative end.. BLACK. Likewise on over-spray.

    Then next time you pull the battery

    RED to RED, Black to Black.

    Does not get much easier, or harder to screw up, than that.
  • Steeljag's avatar
    Steeljag
    Explorer
    Apr 17, 2014
    Thanks for the replies! The fridge is working and I will check the radio (on wall behind slide) at the campground.

    Rolling out around 10:00 am, should the converter be buzzing or anything to show it is working?
  • MEXICOWANDERER's avatar
    MEXICOWANDERER
    Explorer
    Apr 17, 2014
    Krylon makes a special aerosol paint just for plastic.

    It'll stick to a cleaned battery case better. Three cans are always at my fingertips. Red, black and green. I paint the end of white negative wires black. The paint also sticks to cleaned off wire insulation better.

    Your point illustrates perfectly why cell phones and driving don't mix. You weren't driving. When I am working around electrical my cell phone is made deader than a stick, for a reason.
  • Steeljag's avatar
    Steeljag
    Explorer
    Apr 20, 2014
    Well the trip was great, and even with the overcast weather we had a good time. Unfortunately, I believe I have a converter issue. The converter did not charge the battery while plugged in, and I slowly lost batt power, until the battery went dead.

    Replaced the battery Saturday morning ( bought new one) hoping the original battery was damaged. Plugged in the new batt and it read 3/4 full. It remained showing 3/4 full until we left Sunday afternoon ( at one point it read 1/2) and then moved back to 3/4.

    Everything electrical in the TT seems to be working fine, however the converter is not charging the battery.

    While plugged into shore power and no battery attached, should all electrical work? Without battery attached I have no fridge, no AC, and "some" kitchen area lights will not function. All other electrical seems fine.

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