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Electrical Gremlin?

tuna_fisher
Explorer
Explorer
Just recently this started after owning this TC for 10 years. Whenever I plug into shore power(110) or use my genny, after I unhook and go to battery power my water pump and overhead lights don't work. The control panel lights,and the range hood lights still work. After time all works again, like resetting its self. Have checked everything, Breakers, fuse, and battery, all appear good. I don't know how long until it starts to work as I've never watched it. any ideas? It's a 95 Lance Squire Lite.
2001 GMC DM, 1995 Lance Lite, @005 Eclipse Toyhauler, Toy's!;)
17 REPLIES 17

tuna_fisher
Explorer
Explorer
Pulled the cover and it was fairly dusty but not to bad, vacucmed it out the best I could. Did find a stick in there about 6" long like a popsicle stick, don't know where it came from and got it out. Looked for the fan and cooling fins but didn't see them(?) All vents were clear. Did find a very small button on the back of the battery box on the circuit breaker, didn't see before as It was covered by foil insulation. I haven't plugged it back into shore power as I really didn't do anything that I feel will fix the problem. Where would the fan be?
2001 GMC DM, 1995 Lance Lite, @005 Eclipse Toyhauler, Toy's!;)

tuna_fisher
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks guys, going to remove the cover and see what I see. Figured that it started after installing the LED's was just timing and nothing more.
2001 GMC DM, 1995 Lance Lite, @005 Eclipse Toyhauler, Toy's!;)

ticki2
Explorer
Explorer
tuna fisher wrote:
OK, just got some time to look into this, here's what I found.Have had it on shore power all week. unplugged and no 12v, Checked the panel, had power to it, ck'd fuses all good, ck'd power at the fuses and only 3 were hot the other 4 were not & of course there the one's I need. Then I started the truck and went inside and turned a couple of lights on, nothing, then about a min. later the lights came on, water pump worked with the truck still running. Are you confused yet? Went out turned the truck off, lights stayed on. I then turned all my interior lights on as there all LED, then was going to flush the toilet to use the water pump, when I flicked the bath light(is not LED)everything went off, nothing worked again, weird. Tried to repeat by starting truck but nothing happened this time and I let it run for 10 minutes. I was trying to see if it worked again. Obvious I am not elect.smart just trying things as to try to figure out where the problem might be. What's strange is I never had this problem till I switched to LED inside the TC. Any ideas?


I have experienced similar problems in the past with a TT . It turned out to be a bad bulb . Since you say it didn't start until you switched to LED's ( you didn't say if the LED's are bulb or fixture replacements ) you could try putting the old bulbs back in and see what happens . What puzzles me is that 4 of the fuses are not hot when this happens . This would suggest that the problem is somewhere between the fuses and the battery . Seems remote but could it be the fuse panel ?
'68 Avion C-11
'02 GMC DRW D/A flatbed

S_Davis
Explorer
Explorer
There should be openings in the case for air flow, you could try and shine a flash light into them and see if it looks dirty inside. If not then I would guess either a failed cooling fan or the heat switch that turns it on.

tuna_fisher
Explorer
Explorer
Never messed with a inverter, what's involved to check the cooling fan and fins?
Again Magnetek model 6325
2001 GMC DM, 1995 Lance Lite, @005 Eclipse Toyhauler, Toy's!;)

S_Davis
Explorer
Explorer
I think I would check to make sure the cooling fan on the inverter is working, also I would make sure the cooling fins are not plugged up with lint or dirt. The inverter could be overheating and tripping a internal thermal overload.

jimh406
Explorer III
Explorer III
Good luck.

'10 Ford F-450, 6.4, 4.30, 4x4, 14,500 GVWR, '06 Host Rainer 950 DS, Torklift Talon tiedowns, Glow Steps, and Fastguns. Bilstein 4600s, Firestone Bags, Toyo M655 Gs, Curt front hitch, Energy Suspension bump stops.

NRA Life Member, CCA Life Member

tuna_fisher
Explorer
Explorer
All is right this morning. There must be something that's tripping and when it cools it re-sets. only thing I can think of. The 4 fuses are all hot now. I just don't understand why this started all of a sudden after yrs. with no problems.

MagneTek 6325 might be the problem, have never heard a fan run.
2001 GMC DM, 1995 Lance Lite, @005 Eclipse Toyhauler, Toy's!;)

tuna_fisher
Explorer
Explorer
OK, just got some time to look into this, here's what I found.Have had it on shore power all week. unplugged and no 12v, Checked the panel, had power to it, ck'd fuses all good, ck'd power at the fuses and only 3 were hot the other 4 were not & of course there the one's I need. Then I started the truck and went inside and turned a couple of lights on, nothing, then about a min. later the lights came on, water pump worked with the truck still running. Are you confused yet? Went out turned the truck off, lights stayed on. I then turned all my interior lights on as there all LED, then was going to flush the toilet to use the water pump, when I flicked the bath light(is not LED)everything went off, nothing worked again, weird. Tried to repeat by starting truck but nothing happened this time and I let it run for 10 minutes. I was trying to see if it worked again. Obvious I am not elect.smart just trying things as to try to figure out where the problem might be. What's strange is I never had this problem till I switched to LED inside the TC. Any ideas?
2001 GMC DM, 1995 Lance Lite, @005 Eclipse Toyhauler, Toy's!;)

Bedlam
Moderator
Moderator
Since this is a repeatable problem, try troubleshooting where you are losing power or ground. After removing shore power, do you still have 12vdc at the distribution box? if not, trace back to the battery. If input power to the box is fine and fused outputs are fine, it is a grounding issue like others have pointed out - Start at battery and work your way forward. Once power restored on its own, plug back into shore power to trigger this problem again until you find the fault.

Host Mammoth 11.5 on Ram 5500 HD

tuna_fisher
Explorer
Explorer
Bedlam wrote:
Look for an auto reset breaker between your battery and power distribution panel. Are your batteries charging properly off shore power?
Yes, charging as they should
2001 GMC DM, 1995 Lance Lite, @005 Eclipse Toyhauler, Toy's!;)

ticki2
Explorer
Explorer
narcodog wrote:
Check your grounds.


x3 , especially ground to camper chassis . Connection might not be loose but has some corrosion .
'68 Avion C-11
'02 GMC DRW D/A flatbed

Wardster
Explorer
Explorer
narcodog wrote:
Check your grounds.


X2
2016 Northern Lite 8'11" Q Classic Special Edition
2003 GMC 2500HD Crew Cab 4x4 - Duramax/Allison

Bedlam
Moderator
Moderator
Look for an auto reset breaker between your battery and power distribution panel. Are your batteries charging properly off shore power?

Host Mammoth 11.5 on Ram 5500 HD