Forum Discussion

saintsfanfl's avatar
saintsfanfl
Explorer
Jun 03, 2016

12V Question

I just bought a used 2005 Starcraft Homestead 24RKS. I am not getting any 12V power from the battery except for a utility light in the storage compartment. The manual says there is a breaker right behind the front wall and also an inline fuse. I took some stuff off underneath and there is no breaker or inline fuse. Just a junction plate and a bunch of wire nuts. I have not plugged it in yet but I am going to wire an RV outlet this evening to see if I get 12V from the inverter but I really want to know why the breaker isn't there when the manual says it is. It really doesn't look like it was removed.

I haven't checked the power at the power converter yet but I will do that soon.

Thanks for any advise.
  • mbopp's avatar
    mbopp
    Explorer
    Jun 03, 2016
    Om my '05 Starcraft hybrid there was a junction box inside the pass-through. Never had a reason to open it though.
  • saintsfanfl's avatar
    saintsfanfl
    Explorer
    Jun 03, 2016
    2oldman wrote:
    Advise: verb
    Advice: noun

    12v from the inverter?


    No power to anything except to the one utility light while connected to 12V battery only. I will check the 12V once I get it plugged in.
  • saintsfanfl's avatar
    saintsfanfl
    Explorer
    Jun 03, 2016
    mbopp wrote:
    Om my '05 Starcraft hybrid there was a junction box inside the pass-through. Never had a reason to open it though.


    I don't even have a junction box. The junction is just sitting there with no box and no cover. You can't get to it though unless you take off the cover underneath. I haven't seen any other way to get to it. The manual says it is behind the "front wall under a plastic cover". It is supposed to have a self resetting breaker according to the manual.
  • Old-Biscuit's avatar
    Old-Biscuit
    Explorer III
    Jun 03, 2016
    This is what a DC circuit breaker looks like that is commonly used on trailer battery positive cable going from battery to converter.

  • schlep1967's avatar
    schlep1967
    Nomad
    Jun 03, 2016
    Being this is a used trailer .... Black wire should be hooked to the positive post and white to negative on the battery. If not you will have some fuses to find when you get it hooked up right.
  • saintsfanfl's avatar
    saintsfanfl
    Explorer
    Jun 03, 2016
    Old-Biscuit wrote:
    This is what a DC circuit breaker looks like that is commonly used on trailer battery positive cable going from battery to converter.


    Ahhh that is what I have. I think there are actually two of them. I did not realize they were circuit breakers but I am a neophyte. Is the second one maybe the charge being sent from the 110v?

    schlep1967 wrote:
    Being this is a used trailer .... Black wire should be hooked to the positive post and white to negative on the battery. If not you will have some fuses to find when you get it hooked up right.


    I have a red and white wire with the red on the positive. I bought a brand new 12v battery before I towed the trailer home.
  • handye9's avatar
    handye9
    Explorer II
    Jun 03, 2016
    The breaker (pictured above) may be an auto reset or it may have a manual reset button. Sometimes, the auto reset type will reset itself when you disconnect and re-connect the battery. The manual reset needs to have the button pushed. If the breaker won't reset, replace it.

    You can test them by checking (with a test light or meter) for voltage from the posts to ground, if you have voltage on one post (the one nearest the battery) and no voltage on the other, the breaker is tripped. They are available at most auto parts stores.

    Note !!!

    Those breakers come in various amp ratings (as do fuses). If you need a replacement, do it with one rated for same amperage as the old one.
  • saintsfanfl's avatar
    saintsfanfl
    Explorer
    Jun 07, 2016
    I appreciate all the help. I am an idiot though. It turns out it was just the 30amp fuses at the panel. They were blown. I obviously should have checked those first but I do not regret the trouble shooting because I learned where the circuit breakers and wires are. Not sure why they made it extremely difficult to get to them.

    Now it is on to the next item...
  • jarata1's avatar
    jarata1
    Explorer
    Jun 07, 2016
    2oldman wrote:
    Advise: verb
    Advice: noun

    12v from the inverter?

    why are you always a wise guy its getting old

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