need help with electrical

[newtojayco]

I just bought a used 10998 Jayco travel trailer last week. Owner said everything worked etc..

Got it home and checked everythig and it seemed to function fine. I checked furnace, air conditioner, fridge etc.. I plugged it to 110 and air conditioner worked, fridged worked on AC etc

I plugged it in 110 for 24 hours to charge batteries and went camping for 3 days/2 nights.

When I got to the site, I pushed the battery level light and it showed the batteries were at 1/3 power.

I figured since its my first camper I screwed something up. We used the batteries sparingly.

By the second morning the battery had dropped to last bar.


Drove home (2 hours) and the battery monitor said back to 1/3..

First question, does the camper charge when I drive???


I parked it at my house, plugged it into 110.. I figured while it was charging I would clean it out. It was hot so I tried to turn the air conditioner on, but it wouldn't work. Other 110V outlets/microwatrer would work, but the air conditioner, heater and fan wouldnt.


No fuses/breakers blown. I also checked the GFC outlet in the bathroom and it wasn't tripped.

I went and checked the voltage of the batteries (2 deep cycle new batteries).. They read 6.35 volts. I unplugged the 110 power and they still read 6.35 volts. i did this several times and it seems the voltage doesn't change wether they are plugged in or not?


Again, checked fuses/breakers and all good.

I checked the outlet that the converter plugs in, 118volts.

I checked the power leaving the converter and it was 6.35 volts (same as power at the batteries).


I'm assuming the reason my batteries are not charging is my converter is junk?

Is there a fuse for the inverter itself?


Also, is the reason my air conditioner/furnace/fan/ fridge AC not working is also because of my faulty converter?

Thanks..

I'm new to this..

[newtojayco]

enblethen wrote:
Yes, I saw that here. People do not understand what is happening. They think they can go to Alaska through Canada stopping at all tourist locales.
So for the ignorance of your southern neighbors.
Been in your back country up at Cold Lake!

Cold lake is 2 hours from me... Love it here.. Raw nature.

[enblethen]

Yes, I saw that here. People do not understand what is happening. They think they can go to Alaska through Canada stopping at all tourist locales.
So for the ignorance of your southern neighbors.
Been in your back country up at Cold Lake!

[newtojayco]

enblethen wrote:
Thanks for the update!
Wish we could come north to visit Jasper, Lake Louise and Icefields this fall. Doesn't sound like border will be open.

I don;t live too far from jasper, but I've never been myself.. We do all our camping up in northern Alberta in the bush.

But your right, doesn't sound like the borders are going to open this year.

I heard BC is actually booting out AB travellers from camp grounds

[enblethen]

Thanks for the update!
Wish we could come north to visit Jasper, Lake Louise and Icefields this fall. Doesn't sound like border will be open.

[newtojayco]

Put in a 100amp converter that has a 4 stage charging function.

Everything works 100% now. 14.7 volts on the leads going to the battery and 14.71 volts off the DC side of the converter itself.


Thanks so much for the help!!!

[wa8yxm]

newtojayco wrote:
quick question... the trailer batteries were charging while driving..
I'm not sure how it could charge while driving, but not while plugged into 110? Does the 12 volt from the tow vehicle not go through the converter before charging the batteries?

Gemerally: NO

[craz_z]

If you want to check if its charging from the tow vehicle and have a modern 7 way plug. open the flap on the vehicle. with voltage meter check top right blade (12v+) and other lead in bottom left blade (12v-)

If 12v is present your good if not most trucks have a spot somewhere in the distribution panel for a maxi fuse 40-50amp.

On the converter side if your comfortable working with live voltage check your input 120v for present voltage (breakers can go bad) Listen for a high frequency noise or fan spin

If good move over to the output side. 12v some go out directly out to a circuit breaker before continuing on to the battery. (these also can go bad)

they look like this breaker

Your batteries are shot new or not they are gone. you might think you have some capacity left and they may very well have some but they are goners. If possible add a LVD to the system to prevent future damage to expensive batteries.

this is my favorite one you can control with a smart phone. LVD

Converters dont run when not plugged in to a 120v source. so your truck if equipped will supply voltage. A even faster check then the one i mentioned earlier. is check battery voltage not plugged into the truck. say 6-12v then plug in the truck and start it and do another voltage check on the battery. should be 13.8-14.1

[time2roll]

newtojayco wrote:
quick question... the trailer batteries were charging while driving..
I'm not sure how it could charge while driving, but not while plugged into 110? Does the 12 volt from the tow vehicle not go through the converter before charging the batteries?

Not through the converter.
Alternator power is 12v DC and goes direct to the RV battery to give some charge same as your vehicle battery.

[newtojayco]

I pulled out the converter and opened it up. It has a 25amp fuse inside. The fuse was good and I tested it just to make sure.

It was full of dust, so I blew it out with air compressor.

Reinstalled and still no voltage on the DC side.

Ordered a new converter. SHould be here Monday.


quick question... the trailer batteries were charging while driving..
I'm not sure how it could charge while driving, but not while plugged into 110? Does the 12 volt from the tow vehicle not go through the converter before charging the batteries?

[CavemanCharlie]

Give these guys a call. They sell replacement converters and can answer your questions. I think it's owned by someone named Randy Here us a link to their site.

http://www.bestconverter.com/

[Neil_Citro]

If you had nothing right at the terminals on the converter then yes you’d need to pull the converter and look for fuses on it somewhere.

FYI those batteries are probably toast now if they got down to 6v. Even if brand new lead acid batteries don’t do well when discharged that far.

[newtojayco]

Neil Citro wrote:

newtojayco wrote:

enblethen wrote:
Travel trailers in most cases do not have battery switch.
The reverse polarity fuses vary per type of converter. A stand alone style have the fuses in the DC end of converter. Converters that are integral to the power distribution panel are located in the 12 volt DC power distribution panel. Next to the 120 volt circuit breakers is a small plate held on by thumb screw. Fuses are behind plate.
Some AC units use 12 volts DC for control, so it is possible that is why it doesn't work.
Your power problem maybe that the batteries are not wired correctly. Two six volt batteries should be wired in series. The positive of one battery should be connected to negative of the other battery. The positive of second battery goes to DC panel through a fuse or 12 volt circuit breaker. The negative of the second battery should be connected to frame of trailer.
I would stay away from using 12 volt DC for the refer. Draws a lot of power at 12 volts.
Make of Tow vehicle GM products, you need to look in owner's manual on ho to connect charge circuit to trailer connector.

I've looked all over and I can't find a reverse polarity fuse.

I see lots of converters have a fuse right on the converter itself, mine doesn't. Mine is a 45 amp and looks rather out dated and small

I am thinking my converter doesnt even have a reverse polarity fuse.

I have about 8 blade fuses and about 4 or 5 110 breakers. Im sure one of those blade fuses is the converter, but they aren't labelled. I'll check for a 30amp fuse tomoorrow.

Thank you

On my previous trailer the reverse polarity fuses were in a bundle taped up under the tongue. I have never seen a trailer that did not have them somewhere, I assure they are there somewhere. The way to be sure is to check the voltage right at the converter output. If they’re external to the converter then you should have voltage there and not at the batteries. If you don’t have voltage right at the converter then the fuses could be in the converter.

I had 0.00 volts at the converter on the DC end. So can I assume they are in the converter itself? And can I open it up to replace them?

The guy I bought it from JUST replaced the batteries before I bought it so I'm guessing theres a good chance he hooked them up wrong and blew the fuses.

[wnjj]

enblethen wrote:
I think you are fighting two problems. One is the trailer and one is the tow vehicle.

Based upon the first post where the battery gauge recovered some in two hours it’s likely the tow vehicle charging (what little there usually is) is working.

[BurbMan]