Curious problem with dc power

[pbitschura]

Hi all. We dry camped this weekend. We experienced intermittent and occasional heavy rain. Ceiling vent in bathroom was open and some rain landed in the shower pan. Twice, we experienced compplete loss of dc. power. Did the checklist, gfi, checked fuses, checked battery contacts. First event, power resumed after jiggling 15 amp bathroom fuse. Second event, power resumed after jiggling battery terminals. I don't know if events were coincidental, or what. Could rain have entered the push button switch in the shower or the exposed twist connectors in the shower fan without tripping a breaker? What else may have caused this problem? The rest of the weekend was dry and all systems were go.

[westend]

Do you have an auto-resetting circuit breaker between the batteries and the distribution panel? The time interval of it's reset may be concurrent with your wire wiggling efforts.

[DrewE]

For a total DC power failure, logically the problem has to be something that's common to all the DC circuits. The individual bathroom fuse wouldn't in and of itself cause power to disappear or reappear to all the other DC circuits.

It sure sounds like you have a loose connection somewhere in the main DC feed circuitry. If the battery cable connections are clean and tight, start working back from them. (Do make sure you verify that the battery cables are not corroded inside their terminals, too. I've seen that at least a couple times; they look fine at a quick glance, but are actually falling apart.) If jiggling the fuse in the fuse panel made things work, then possibly the power connections to the fuse panel are loose.

[pbitschura]

Thanks. Just brainstorming. Amazing how some problems have a simple solution, if you work the problem.

[pbitschura]

MrWizard wrote:
DC power from batteries and/or converter
IF on shore power, you should still have power even if you pulled the batteries
( i dont advise doing this, just a comment about power path )

circuit breakers have nothing to with DC, except for the power from the converter goes off if you turn off the breaker while on shore power, battery will stay on

start at the battery cables

"DRY CAMPING" running off battery.

[pbitschura]

MrWizard wrote:
DC power from batteries and/or converter
IF on shore power, you should still have power even if you pulled the batteries
( i dont advise doing this, just a comment about power path )

circuit breakers have nothing to with DC, except for the power from the converter goes off if you turn off the breaker while on shore power, battery will stay on

start at the battery cables

I jiggled, but all tight and clean. I'm anal with maintenance. The old girl is ....old.

[happycamper002]

MrWizard wrote:
DC power from batteries and/or converter
IF on shore power, you should still have power even if you pulled the batteries
( i dont advise doing this, just a comment about power path )

What's the worst thing that can happen when running on shore power with the house battery disconnected?
Thanks for your help.

[MrWizard]

DC power from batteries and/or converter
IF on shore power, you should still have power even if you pulled the batteries
( i dont advise doing this, just a comment about power path )

circuit breakers have nothing to with DC, except for the power from the converter goes off if you turn off the breaker while on shore power, battery will stay on

start at the battery cables

[rk911]

pbitschura wrote:
Hi all. We dry camped this weekend. We experienced intermittent and occasional heavy rain. Ceiling vent in bathroom was open and some rain landed in the shower pan. Twice, we experienced compplete loss of dc. power. Did the checklist, gfi, checked fuses, checked battery contacts. First event, power resumed after jiggling 15 amp bathroom fuse. Second event, power resumed after jiggling battery terminals. I don't know if events were coincidental, or what. Could rain have entered the push button switch in the shower or the exposed twist connectors in the shower fan without tripping a breaker? What else may have caused this problem? The rest of the weekend was dry and all systems were go.

possibly but since you had to "jiggle" the battery terminals I'd start there. be sure the connections are clean and tight.