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..

[enblethen]

Neil Nitro: The ones under the tongue are normally for protecting the battery feed to converter. This is common place in trailers for fuse or circuit breaker.
Op:
In your 12 volt DC distribution panel check for any 12 DC voltage with battery disconnected.
What color wires are going from the battery to the 12 volt distribution panel?
Did you have time to look for make and model of distribution panel?
What kind of tow vehicle do you have?
I think you are fighting two problems. One is the trailer and one is the tow vehicle.

[BurbMan]

Opnspaces, if he had 6v batteries wired in parallel, then the a/c and fridge never would have worked at that low voltage. Besides Group 24 is a 12v deep cycle/marine battery.

Sounds like the converter is not charging the batteries. The fridge and a/c need 12v to power their control boards even when they are running on 120v from the power pole. The polarity protection fuses on the converter are a pair of 30a (green) fuses that protect the converter/charge if you connect the battery backwards. Look where you see the automotive-type 12v fuses. If you post a pic of the converter we can point them out for you.

From what you say, it sounds to me like the converter/charger is shot. Progressive Dynamics makes converters that install in your existing power center...you don't have to replace the whole thing, just the converter/charger section. Progressive units also have a good charge profile that will go into 14.4v "boost" mode to give you a quick recharge when camping and also a good "float" mode that won't boil the water out of the batteries if left plugged in at home for long periods.

Get the make and model of your existing unit and look for a replacement on Best Converter.

Note that units are sized based on DC power...so even though you plug in for 30 amps a/c power, the converters in trailers are usually either 45 or 60 amp models. The model # sticker on your unit will tell you.

[Neil_Citro]

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.

[newtojayco]

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

[newtojayco]

going to try to answer everyone at once.
Thanks for the help by the way.. It's all new to me.

I disconnect both batteries.. Then measured the volts to the wiring in at the batteries.. 0.00 volts.

I put one battery on a trickle charger. I only have a trickle charger, my big charger died on me.

When the battery on the trickle charger got to 12.6 volts, I threw it back in the camper.
Wiring is as follows
Neg to Neg bridge
Pos to Pos Bridge
Postive from camper to pos on one battery
Neg from camper to Neg on the other battery

Went inside, battery monitor read 2/3 battery life.
Fridge is working on AC now.
Forgot to check the air conditioning and the furnace, but I'm going to guess they are both working now.

I left the trickle charger on the batteries in the camper for the night.

Yes they are deffinitely 12 volt batteries.. I'm new to campers, not to batteries!

[opnspaces]

Yes the poster said two 12 volt batteries. Yet he also said each battery measured 6.35 volts which could be a pair of 6 volt batteries incorrectly wired. Which is why enblethen and I are questioning what the OP actually has. If he truly has 6 volt batteries then he is wired incorrectly.

OP I would strongly suggest you verify the batteries are 6 or 12 volts and that they are wired correctly per the diagram I posted.

[enblethen]

Yes, "WNJJ" group 24s are 12 volt batteries. I missed OP posting that.

[wnjj]

I’m not sure why everyone is assuming 6V batteries. The OP said it worked previously which means it cannot be a wiring issue. It sounds like REALLY dead 12V batteries and for sure the converter/charger isn’t working. It may be as simple as blown fuses on the converter itself or just a failed converter.

They are also group 24 which implies 12V, right?

[opnspaces]

newtojayco wrote:


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).

It sounds like you have two 6v batteries wired incorrectly (parallel)

If you truly have 12v batteries then the two batteries should be reading 12v each not 6.35. Take a picture of your battery wiring and then disconnect all the wires off the batteries. Wait a few minutes and take voltage readings again.

If you have 12v batteries (6 cells per battery for adding water) and reading 6v then your batteries are dead.

If you have 6v batteries (3 cells for adding water) then your batteries are wired up incorrectly.

Check this diagram carefully against your batteries taking note of the number if cells per battery. Then wire your batteries accordingly.


Once your batteries are wired correctly you can check the voltage from the converter. But it's entirely possible that you did blow some fuses.

[enblethen]

Check the panel for make and model.
I am not sure you have a bad converter.
Voltage readings say they could be wired wrong.
Look in 12 volt distribution panel and look for fuse marked Bat. Remove it, check each side for DC voltage.

[time2roll]

Yes you probably need a new converter. s/b about 13.6 volts output.

Yes you need a solid 10+ volts for the thermostat and other controls to work even if the main power is 120v.

If you have a portable battery charger... get it right on the battery asap or you will be buying a battery also.

[enblethen]

The amperage of shore power at 30 amp does not mean a thirty amp converter is the size. That is the rating of the power at 120 volts AC. I would check what size the current one is. I would not go anything smaller then a 45 amp. That amperage is the rated output at 12 volts DC.

[Boon_Docker]

newtojayco wrote:
All my fuses are good.. BReakers aren't flipped.

I pulled the batteries out and measured the voltage from the pos/neg wires that go to the batteries--> 0.00 volts.. So I have nothing coming from my converter back to the batteries. Camper is plugged into a 110outlet and there is nothing on inside the camper except the display on the microwave.

Must be my converter...

I tested all the blade fuses with a voltmete and they are good. no breakers flipped, so unless there is a inline fuse I can't find (I traced all wires by feel from the converter to the fuse box/breaker boxes)..

So you did find the 30 amp or 40 amp fuses?

[enblethen]

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.

[newtojayco]

Before I go and order a new converter... What converter should I get?

IT's a 30 amp service on the camper, so I am assuming 30amp converter is good enough?