Electrical Head Scratcher

[larchambeau]

I have been seasonal camping for a while, but recently encountered a puzzling event.

A little background, first. I have been in a site with 30-amp power, and it has been very stable and reliable. I also have fairly new battery, having been purchased May, 2015. Under normal circumstances, all systems run optimally.

A couple weeks ago, the CG experienced a short power outage. No problem, I'll run on batteries for a while till power is restored. But for whatever reason, I had no battery power, either. Power came back in a short time, so there was no cause to worry. But I did.

Since then, I've run a couple tests.

I turn off the breaker, and I have no lights anywhere in my unit. Using a meter, my battery is fully charged and appears capable of generating full output.
I checked all fuses and found none of them that I am aware of, to be defective. This includes all fuses in my main 12 volt box and two fuses in my converter.
But wait, while I have no lights in the trailer, I AM able to retract and extend my slideout. How is that possible? Is there something that prevents power from getting to my lights but allows the battery to work the slide?
Of course, all the lights that don't work on only the battery, work fine when my shore power is turned on.

What am I missing here? Do any of you have any ideas.

BTW, I am home for a few days and cannot test any of your ideas, but I will as soon as I get back out there.

[TenOC]

Get a 12 Volt DC tester and start probing.

12 Tester

[time2roll]

My fuse block is 20 amp max for any branch circuit. Slide comes off the battery.

[mgirardo]

Joe417 wrote:
Also, the slide and jack are connected to the battery through separate auto resetting breakers. They don't go through the fuse box.

Our 2009 Class C has 2 slides, both have 30 AMP fuses in the fuse block with everything else.

-Michael

[larchambeau]

Battery cutoff switch - If you are talking about the knife-like switch in my 12 volt fuse box, that is connected.

I'm not aware of any fuse near my battery, but I'll look for it when I get out there.

My neighbor checked for me after I left for home and he said that there is no current running from the converter to the battery. That tells me that maybe the converter is the culprit.

He and a couple of my other neighbors say they don't even use a battery, so maybe I can live without battery power to the lights. I have no expectation of ever moving the trailer again, and the only issue appears to be maintaining the battery enough to sometimes run the slide in/out to clear water off the awning. I have a battery charger, so that is also not an issue.

Anything else I should consider?

[rstanek]

I had a similar problem a few years ago, I disconnected the power and the batteries, then went into the fuse box and checked all 120 and 12 volt connections , found a couple that were loose, fixed the problem, now I do this about every two years and some always need to be snugged up again. Hope this helps....

[stevenal]

As suggested by smkettner, my old Magnetek ran the lights from a section of the converter that is isolated from the battery. Interrupt the AC, and the lights (and anything else connected on that side of the converter) would switch over to battery power with a blink. A faulty switching mechanism in the converter could cause the problem described. Might be time for a new converter.

[bob213]

MEX...can you give us more details on that circuit breaker? Is it a direct replacement for the pile of snot?

[MEXICOWANDERER]

THIS! Is a circuit breaker





This! Is a pile of snot that will ruin your day or vacation.




I had to drive nine miles on a rutted dirt road last week to change one. The owner yelped at the price but then when he damned near burned down his house bypassing it into a short, then suddenly it all became clear to him.

[time2roll]

Slide is connected separately direct to the battery.
Lights connect at the fuse panel.
most likely an open circuit from battery to the fuse panel.
Any chance you have an old magnetek with a relay to use battery power?

[Joe417]

What Murphsmom said.

Also, the slide and jack are connected to the battery through separate auto resetting breakers. They don't go through the fuse box. The battery disconnect should only disconnect the fuse box.

The main line to the fuse box may also have a resettable breaker or fuse, but I'd check the battery disconnect. If you don't have a battery disconnect, then the resettable breaker has a problem or the wire from the battery to the fuse box is open.

Since you don't have 12V power when disconnected from shore power, you also aren't charging the battery.

[nineoaks2004]

Some also have a fuse in line or a circuit breaker mounted usually on the frame not far from the battery.

[Murphsmom]

Have you checked the battery cutoff switch?