Newb here and have some questions

[Rock_jeep]

I have had two pop-ups and a homemade camper but just bought a 09 skyline nomad. My first self contained travel trailer. Got a pretty good deal at an insurance auction because of some water damage but nothing i don't think I can handle. But as with most things that are totaled everyone thinks they need to keep the owners manual and all paper work. grrrrrrr!!

I noticed when I first got it I pluged it into my shops 110 with an adapter ( assuming that was ok) and noticed that the lights were really dim and the more I turned on the brighter the bulbs got and when I ran the slide out out or in they got really bright. I found out the battery was dead and when I put another one In it doesn't do it as bad. Why is that? Does all power go through the inverter? Also after a few days my new battery was dead again. All the lights were off but what else could have been draining it and is it normal to have to keep disconnecting it when not in use?

Also my last pop-up had a toilet with a cassette or what ever so this is my first dealing with all the tanks and such. What are some tips and pointers on the waste tank use? When you empty it how do you clean it out? It didn't come with any hoses so is there anything inpitcular to look for in that or should I just go to my local camper dealer and buy what he recommends?

Thanks for any help and I am sure I will have lots more questions. Lol.

[TacoPuller]

I also just bought a used Nomad, very happy with it. But its battery goes from full charge to 1/4 charge in just a few days. There are a lot of battery drains in the system, so I physically disconnect the battery once I am off the road. I will look into the battery disconnect switch mentioned above; it sounds like a winner, and should help keep the battery from discharging completely.

[westend]

You need a handheld meter to complete diagnostics but it sounds like you have a weak battery. The converter is probably keeping 12V system voltage above 12 V but when off, the battery voltage is lower. The situation could also be from corroded or loose connections, a failing circuit breaker in the converter-> battery circuit, or a very discharged battery.

[Rock_jeep]

Thanks

[Rock_jeep]

Ok we are ready to make a trip. I think the problem with the lights was the battery.

[chr_]

I have a 2010 nomad. Good units.

Your converter is probably a WFCO. If your converter is dying, Progressive dynamics makes one that fits in the hole where the WFCO one sits inside the bottom of that brown cabinet with the breakers and fuses. I'd replace it with the PD unit. Amazon sells them.

Everything will run off of shore power so long as the converter is good. A battery with a dead cell will load the converter and cause the dimming you see. A new fully charged battery will not. No battery will not load it, but you need to ensure that if you disconnect the battery, the cables are not shorting on the frame or to each other.

Converters in RV's are really just 12VDC power supplies to run everything and overcharge your battery anyway.

[asullivan920]

I'm not 100% but I don't think you can run everything off shore power (110V). I think the lights and outlets will work but I think the control panels for things like the fridge and furnace need the 12V from the battery system.

Also I believe those control panels to include the LP gas detector (mine is hard wired to the 12V) are always pulling juice from the battery. Putting in a battery disconnect should help with your battery going dead while in storage.

[Rock_jeep]

Thanks Roy that helps. I think that was my problem was a dead battery. After I put a differant battery on it it did it slightly at first probably because it was topping off the charge.

Will it hurt anything to run it without a battery in it an just on shore power?

[RoyB]

This is a typical 30AMP Wiring configuration on what does what.

The 12VDC items like your ceiling lights all work from both the CONVERTER when plugged in and the BATTERY.

You first need to determine if the batteries are any good. If they are bad then the converter/charger unit may be loading down trying to re-charge the batteries.



Roy Ken

[Rock_jeep]

Clean title no salvage or rebuilt brand. The front plastic cap had a crack at the water run channel right before the peak so as the water ran down it would go in the crack and inside the wall into the floor. Part of the floor and a little up the wall is soft. The converter is in the back of the trailer so no water damage there but I will check all of the connections. I have fixed the crack and sealed up any of the seams that looked like they needed it so it will stay dry inside it. While we camp in it a few times and decide if we even want to keep it. We were really wanting one with bunks but the wife liked this one enough to try it and I know I could get more back out of it than I paid.

I know after I dumped the cassette tank in my popup I rinsed it a few times with some pinesol Do you do the same here or??

[donn0128]

You have a CONverter, not an INverter. One makes 12 volts the other makes 120 volts. Generally speaking you need a good battery in the system, one to provide 12 volts, and two to provide a buffer. I guess first off, you need to start checking voltage from the converter to see if it is putting out voltage. A decent volt meter is invaluable to troubleshooting. I suspect depending on type of water damage, meaning flooded the converter could be toast.
Holding tanks are simply that. A place to hold waste until you can dump it.
Dont worry about too much until you assess the water damage. There might be so much rot or mold damage that it is not worth trying to fix up.

[Dakota98]

First off, you don't have an Inverter, it's a Converter. Get all the info on it you can & know how it works.

It sounds to me like the Converter is having some problems, but is obviously working or you wouldn't have anything.Inspect the 12 volt fuse panel & clean all the contacts. Check the output voltage also. When the battery is connected, there will be drains on the system, some normal & maybe some not. Install something like a Blue Seas battery disconnect switch to solve the issue while stored & not being used.

Another thing since you purchased it at auction, does the title read "salvage" or anything like that ?