No 12 volt charge power at 7 way plug.

[Wharfcat]

I've got a 2019 Ford F-350. So I decided to cut the Lance propriety plug off the camper and wire up a bargman. I had a cord I bought from Torqelift many years ago, just in case I bought a new truck. The Torqelift cord was wired incorrectly, which is another story. All the lights work correctly but I have no power to the 12 volt charge line, Running or stopped. Looked at the fuse box and in the #27 slot there is a 30A fuse so I'm thinking I'll go talk to the Ford dealer tomorrow unless someone already knows the answer.

[mkirsch]

Wharfcat wrote:
Just checked my charge numbers on the truck camper battery. I got 12.77 volts unplugged from the truck. Then I got 12.84 volts plugged into the truck with the truck at idle. Not as much as I had anticipated but it is charging. I suppose that number increases as truck engine RPMs increase.

No. The alternator has a voltage regulator, which keeps the voltage stable regardless of engine RPM. If the voltage is going up and down with engine RPM, you have a faulty regulator.

Your truck should go one step further and have an "adaptive" alternator that only charges based on demand. That is if the battery is charged and the demand of the vehicle is low, the alternator will lower its output voltage.

What you should be reading is roughly what's indicated on the voltmeter on the dash, or what you measure at the truck's starting battery.

[2manytoyz]

Glad you got it answered. My F150 included the "heavy duty tow package", but the relay and fuse were in a bag located in the glovebox, as others have also mentioned. There's been a few times the battery was dead on our previous travel trailer, and the electric tongue jack wouldn't work until I connected the 7 pin cable to the truck. There are some losses due to the distance from the truck battery, to the towing jack, but should be good enough to charge your battery. Go rest those eyeballs...

[Rustofer]

Wharfcat wrote:
Just checked my charge numbers on the truck camper battery. I got 12.77 volts unplugged from the truck. Then I got 12.84 volts plugged into the truck with the truck at idle. Not as much as I had anticipated but it is charging. I suppose that number increases as truck engine RPMs increase.

That's good news that you have power there! Voltage should increase with RPM.

[Wharfcat]

Just checked my charge numbers on the truck camper battery. I got 12.77 volts unplugged from the truck. Then I got 12.84 volts plugged into the truck with the truck at idle. Not as much as I had anticipated but it is charging. I suppose that number increases as truck engine RPMs increase.

[Wharfcat]

Rustofer wrote:

Thanks I'll check that. Right now the camper is unloaded and bad weather rolled in.

The volt reading on the camper should be something above 12 volts, 13 or 14 when being charged?

Yes, the truck should be pushing 13 - 14 volts to the camper batteries. I connected the cable without the camper loaded and got a 13.2 reading at idle.

Great, I've got a new digital volt meter (a whopping $10) on the way from Amazon. I've got a dime store analog meter and it's too hard to read.

[Rustofer]

Thanks I'll check that. Right now the camper is unloaded and bad weather rolled in.

The volt reading on the camper should be something above 12 volts, 13 or 14 when being charged?

Yes, the truck should be pushing 13 - 14 volts to the camper batteries. I connected the cable without the camper loaded and got a 13.2 reading at idle.

[SoonDockin]

Frank Mehaffey wrote:
Does the F350 have the camper package which includes the relay installed for that plug to have the 12v working?

Is that a actual thing the camper package adds? I know on Fords, the 5th wheel hitch prep adds the in bed trailer socket. I believe without that feature, you don't get a plug in the bed.

I am not an expert when it comes to this.

[Wharfcat]

AnEv942 wrote:
Also a large relay in slot #37 (Trailer tow battery charge relay (only on non-trailer brake controller vehicles).)

Thanks, I'll look when the weather clears.

[AnEv942]

Also a large relay in slot #37 (Trailer tow battery charge relay (only on non-trailer brake controller vehicles).)

[Wharfcat]

deltabravo wrote:
It's common for the factory to leave the fuse out.

If the fuse diagram says slot 27 is where the fuse goes for the 7 pin plug, put a fuse in. That's what I'd do instead of going to the dealer and have them give me a "deer in the headlights" look when I ask them about it.

On earlier GM trucks, the wire wasn't even hooked up to the power stud.

The fuse was there, if I'm seeing it correctly. I've had eye surgery so I'm not 100% confident in anything I look at though.

[Wharfcat]

Rustofer wrote:

Wharfcat wrote:
I've got a 2018 Ford F-350. So I decided to cut the Lance propriety plug off the camper and wire up a bargeman. I had a cord I bought from Torqelift many years ago, just in case I bought a new camper. The Torqelift cord was wired incorrectly, which is another story. All the lights work correctly but I have no power to the 12 volt charge line, Running or stopped. Looked at the fuse box and in the #27 slot there is a 30A fuse so I'm thinking I'll go talk to the Ford dealer tomorrow unless someone already knows the answer.

My 2017 F-350 requires the camper to be plugged in, so it senses the load, then with the truck running press the brake pedal for >3 seconds to activate the power circuit. If I remote-start the truck, I don't get power back there until the key is in and on.

Thanks I'll check that. Right now the camper is unloaded and bad weather rolled in.

The volt reading on the camper should be something above 12 volts, 13 or 14 when being charged?

[Wharfcat]

Frank Mehaffey wrote:
Does the F350 have the camper package which includes the relay installed for that plug to have the 12v working?

I ordered it with the camper package. I thought it was just heavier front springs.

[Frank_Mehaffey]

Does the F350 have the camper package which includes the relay installed for that plug to have the 12v working?

[Rustofer]

Wharfcat wrote:
I've got a 2018 Ford F-350. So I decided to cut the Lance propriety plug off the camper and wire up a bargeman. I had a cord I bought from Torqelift many years ago, just in case I bought a new camper. The Torqelift cord was wired incorrectly, which is another story. All the lights work correctly but I have no power to the 12 volt charge line, Running or stopped. Looked at the fuse box and in the #27 slot there is a 30A fuse so I'm thinking I'll go talk to the Ford dealer tomorrow unless someone already knows the answer.

My 2017 F-350 requires the camper to be plugged in, so it senses the load, then with the truck running press the brake pedal for >3 seconds to activate the power circuit. If I remote-start the truck, I don't get power back there until the key is in and on.