Electrical problem with front stabilizers. Update.

[fj12ryder]

Okay, I need some suggestions, hints, or outright solutions.

I have a 2010 Keystone Fuzion 383, a 40' toyhauler. It has been in storage for the last few months. The battery has been on a Battery Tender in the heated garage at home. When I went out to bring it home, I installed the battery and the front stabilizers wouldn't do anything. They are the Bulldog double motor stabilizers. When the rocker switch was moved, nothing happened, no noise, no nothing. Having few tools to work with, I jumped directly from the battery and the motors would then operate as they should. That got me home.

At home I've checked the wiring, and there is 12 volts to the rocker switch, but that voltage drops to 0 Volts when the switch is moved, and then goes back to 12 Volts when the switch is released. But voltage checked directly at the battery doesn't change in the least, steady 12.5 volts. However I can run a wire directly from the battery to the 12 volt terminal on the rocker switch and the motors work as they should. I have the remote control fob for slides, stabilizers, awning, and they all work, but the front stabilizers don't work using the remote. All fuses in the control panel look good.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. TIA.

[fj12ryder]

Yes, I wondered about that, but that was why I went with 2 wires instead of just one and then split off to the other switch. 12 gauge should be good for 20-25 amps. and since I would be running both motors at the same time, I wanted each to be able to handle the load to one motor. Seems unlikely that one motor will get much over 15 amps, so I think I'm good to go. I'll be watching closely for heat too.

I really figured I'd be able to spot the poor connection, but just hasn't happened. Hopefully all will turn out well.

[CA_Traveler]

While I'd probably use 10ga wire you should be OK. My suggestion when you get home is to discharge the battery to 50% - make sure it's at 12.1V after sitting for several hours - then run the leverers for several cycles checking for performance.

[fj12ryder]

Thank you for all the suggestions and advice, much appreciated.

Having a relatively small amount of patience, I gave up trying to trace the problem. I checked to make sure everything that requires 12 V works like it's supposed to, and they do, including the starter for the generator. Even the rear stabilizers, awning, and slides. But no front stabilizers. So I decided I would use the circuit breaker 12 V post to run two wires to the motors. That way the circuit breaker is still inline, and used. I'll do some more searching when I get back from our trip...maybe. 🙂

The motors now work as they are supposed to and I checked the load, and they pull a touch over 3 amps when they are simply moving up and down with no load, and hit 10 amps when actually raising the trailer. I used about 10 feet of 12 gauge solid wire, since I had some left over from a project. I hope that will be large enough, and at 10 amps, I think it will be.

Thank all of you for the help. This is always a good source of good information.

[Njmurvin]

Assuming there is a circuit breaker in the path between the battery and switch as MFL pointed out above, your direct wire from battery to switch is bypassing that breaker. If I had to guess, I would say that the circuit breaker is tripping as soon as it senses a load. I would start by replacing that breaker. And definitely put a fuse or CB in your temporary circuit as pointed out because it's possible that there's a short somewhere in or after the switch that could be causing the existing breaker to trip.

[fj12ryder]

Thanks for replying. I actually ran 12 volts directly from the battery to the positive terminal on the switch. If I do that the motors work fine, and the switch operates like it's supposed to. And it doesn't pull the voltage down on the battery, other than what you'd expect running the motor.

I suspect it is as CA Traveler suggested: a poor connection somewhere. Just finding it will be the issue I imagine.

I do have a wire tracer, so I will give that a shot. Thanks for the suggestion, never even thought about it.

[tommyznr]

You say you have 12V at the switch when it is open and 0V when it is closed. So closing the switch is shorting the circuit to ground. Since you can run a wire direct to the motor bypassing the switch without shorting to ground, I suspect that your switch is shorting to ground.

Can you remove the switch from it's mounting position and let it hang if free air? You could then operate the switch and see what happens.

[CA_Traveler]

A wire tracer or toner device might help track the wire.

[fj12ryder]

Thank you, I've tried to do that, but they don't go directly to the battery. The wires disappear up though the floor, and out through the walls, so it's very tough to see where the wires connect to other wires.

[Flute_Man]

If I were you, I would trace the wire all the way from the battery to the motor to locate corroded or high resistance connection.

[fj12ryder]

Good idea, thank you.

[CA_Traveler]

Add a fuse or CB at the battery end to temp wiring.

[fj12ryder]

Thank you Jerry, I'll give that a check too. We are leaving Tuesday so I've got a few days yet. Worse comes to worst I'll run a wire directly from the battery to the switch. Easy to do, but would rather fix the problem than use a doofer.

[MFL]

Have you checked the breaker near the battery, most often on the inside basement wall? You could bypass that with a jumper, as they can get weak, or fail over time.



Jerry

[fj12ryder]

Thank you. I can do simple electrics, but this kind of stuff just makes me go "Duh".