No Battery Power

[mrp116]

Last month my wife and I picked up our new Jayco White Hawk 28dsbh. When we got home from the dealer, I attempted to lower the tongue jack and had no power from the battery. I noticed it, but was kind of lost in the moment of bringing home our first new TT. Due to a variety of circumstances, we weren't able to get out on first trip until last week where we had full hook ups. When we arrived at home, I still had no power from the battery. What could be the cause of this? I know I could take it in, but the dealer is a solid hour and a half away.

[opnspaces]

Yep I've had a box full of rain water. Now I have a box with holes drilled in the bottom. I've also popped a 25 amp fuse just plugging the umbilical into my Suburban.

I'd say mark the wires and pull the battery out. Check the electrolyte level in the battery. If it's overfilled you'll need a new battery. Drill holes in the box and put the battery back in. Replace the fuse and see what works. If there is a problem the fuse will blow again. If there is not a problem you'll be good to go.

[handye9]

RoyB wrote:
Its pretty hard to pop the 30AMP fuse. I would definitely look on the case case and find the WORD "NEG" or the SYMBOL "-" and make sure this is the battery cable that comes from the trailer FRAME GROUND which will be real close to the battery. If it does not come from the frame ground then your battery has been connected backwards- This is about the only thing that will blow the 30AMP fuse.

The next thing you to check is where all of your 12VDC FUSES are located inside the trailer look for two fuses that will be off to them self and maybe labeled REVERSE POLARITY and see if they are blown as well. They are in the same line the blown 30AMP fuse you have found already. If they are alos blown then they will need to be replaced as well. However you must correct the cables first at the battery otherwise it will just blow the same three fuses again "instantly"...

I have a small hole in the bottom of my two plastic cases to drain off the water. You wouldn't think water would get in there but it does.. It could also battery fluids as well. Probably a good idea to pop the battery vents and check for proper distilled water level inside the battery. If a battery cell becomes shorted then the 13.6VDC coming from the converter/charger may boil out your battery fluids. This may not be water you see in your case. It could be battery acid ?????

You also really should purchase an inexpensive multimeter and leave it in the trailer. They cost $7 to $20 dollars from LOWES-WALMART-Any Auto parts store.
looks like this


A charged battery should read around 12.6VDC. When hooked up to shore power the DC Voltage on the battery terminals should read 13.6VDC indicating your converter/charger is working. The 13.6VDC will keep your battery charged up when you are running from shore power.

Also another quick test is both the battery and the converter is feeding the 12VDC Power Distribution Panel where all of your 12VDC fuses are located.

This means you should have ceiling lights inside your trailer if the battery is good and your are not connected to shore power. If you don't see the ceiling lights working then your battery may be dead or a bad fuse or bad connection between the 12VDC Power Distribution Panel and the battery.

These are the little things you have check everytime you walk around the trailer. Your battery is your lifeline.

Since you obviously had a bad setup battery wise before your last trip you actually towed your trailer with a 12VDC working battery which is required by DOT to have in case your trailer becomes disconnected from the truck when being pulled. Your working battery will then apply 12VDC to each of the trailer electric brakes and hopefully stop your run-away trailer before it does anyone any damage.

The bad thing here was you were doing an unsafe practice and could be fined or your insurance could elect not to cover any loses and more important you could have been the cause of real harm to other people along the way...

Got to be safe and learn all the things associated with your trailer...

I would take pictures of the reverse connection and make sure the dealer knows what you found. If they did this and if your battery is toast now then you might get all of that replaced for free...

Roy Ken

OP did not say the battery cables were reversed.

He said "fuse was blown and box was full of water".

If box had enough water to submerge the battery, that could cause a short and blow that fuse.

OP should check that battery for possible damage, check level of electrolyte in battery, check state of charge in battery, and maybe, have battery tested.

If all is well, put some weep holes in the box, re-install the battery (connected properly), replace the fuse, and carry on.

[RoyB]

Its pretty hard to pop the 30AMP fuse. I would definitely look on the case case and find the WORD "NEG" or the SYMBOL "-" and make sure this is the battery cable that comes from the trailer FRAME GROUND which will be real close to the battery. If it does not come from the frame ground then your battery has been connected backwards- This is about the only thing that will blow the 30AMP fuse.

The next thing you to check is where all of your 12VDC FUSES are located inside the trailer look for two fuses that will be off to them self and maybe labeled REVERSE POLARITY and see if they are blown as well. They are in the same line the blown 30AMP fuse you have found already. If they are alos blown then they will need to be replaced as well. However you must correct the cables first at the battery otherwise it will just blow the same three fuses again "instantly"...

I have a small hole in the bottom of my two plastic cases to drain off the water. You wouldn't think water would get in there but it does.. It could also battery fluids as well. Probably a good idea to pop the battery vents and check for proper distilled water level inside the battery. If a battery cell becomes shorted then the 13.6VDC coming from the converter/charger may boil out your battery fluids. This may not be water you see in your case. It could be battery acid ?????

You also really should purchase an inexpensive multimeter and leave it in the trailer. They cost $7 to $20 dollars from LOWES-WALMART-Any Auto parts store.
looks like this


A charged battery should read around 12.6VDC. When hooked up to shore power the DC Voltage on the battery terminals should read 13.6VDC indicating your converter/charger is working. The 13.6VDC will keep your battery charged up when you are running from shore power.

Also another quick test is both the battery and the converter is feeding the 12VDC Power Distribution Panel where all of your 12VDC fuses are located.

This means you should have ceiling lights inside your trailer if the battery is good and your are not connected to shore power. If you don't see the ceiling lights working then your battery may be dead or a bad fuse or bad connection between the 12VDC Power Distribution Panel and the battery.

These are the little things you have check everytime you walk around the trailer. Your battery is your lifeline.

Since you obviously had a bad setup battery wise before your last trip you actually towed your trailer with a 12VDC working battery which is required by DOT to have in case your trailer becomes disconnected from the truck when being pulled. Your working battery will then apply 12VDC to each of the trailer electric brakes and hopefully stop your run-away trailer before it does anyone any damage.

The bad thing here was you were doing an unsafe practice and could be fined or your insurance could elect not to cover any loses and more important you could have been the cause of real harm to other people along the way...

Got to be safe and learn all the things associated with your trailer...

I would take pictures of the reverse connection and make sure the dealer knows what you found. If they did this and if your battery is toast now then you might get all of that replaced for free...

Roy Ken

[mbopp]

Yup, I drill a few 1/4" holes for water drainage.

[mrp116]

Opened battery box and found the 30 amp fuse in there was popped. Also, battery box was full of water. Does anyone put holes in the bottom of the battery box so the rain water will drain.

[thomasmnile]

mrp116 wrote:
Last month my wife and I picked up our new Jayco White Hawk 28dsbh. When we got home from the dealer, I attempted to lower the tongue jack and had no power from the battery. I noticed it, but was kind of lost in the moment of bringing home our first new TT. Due to a variety of circumstances, we weren't able to get out on first trip until last week where we had full hook ups. When we arrived at home, I still had no power from the battery. What could be the cause of this? I know I could take it in, but the dealer is a solid hour and a half away.

Anything here is speculation and conjecture. If you don't have an installed battery disconnect (and you probably don't unless you paid for one to be installed by the dealer), your 12v fuses starting with the tongue jack fuse would be the place to start looking (would also use the continuity function on a volt/ohm meter to check the fuses, visual inspection isn't always reliable). Your statement about no power and plugged in needs clarification. No 12v power, no 110v power, or both and a dead battery? If you suspect anything beyond a bad fuse, I'd bite the bullet and take in to the dealer and let them check and repair it under warranty.

[handye9]

mrp116 wrote:
Actually, it's not just the jack. It's plugged in right now, and if I unplug it, I have no power to anything. Supposedly a brand new battery was installed when bought the trailer.

Check for good connection on battery terminals.

Make sure battery is connected properly.

Follow the positive battery cable to where it is connected to the trailler (most likely in an electrical junction box, under the trailer), look for an inline fuse or a circuit breaker (like this) that may be blown. The fuse or breaker will be outside of the junction box.

Fuses and breakers are available at most autoparts stores. They come in various (20,30,40, etc) amperages. Replace a bad one with same amperage as what you took out.

Check fuses in trailer fuse panel.

If all fuses / breakers are good, follow negative battery cable to where it connects to the trailer. Check for loose or corroded connections.

[WayneAt63044]

Measure the battery voltage, should be 12.6v when trailer is unplugged from shore power and raise to 13.+v when the trailer is plugged in and charging. If all the 12v lights and such work when plugged in, then it would appear the battery is disconnected or has a bad connection. Does your trailer have a battery disconnect switch that is turned off? That would explain your problems and the battery would not charge either. You could avoid the 1-1/2 hour drive by calling the dealer and/or the manufacturer.

[mrp116]

Actually, it's not just the jack. It's plugged in right now, and if I unplug it, I have no power to anything. Supposedly a brand new battery was installed when bought the trailer.

[Atlee]

I presume it's the power tongue jack that has no power, correct?

I'd say the two chief culprits might be the in line fuse or bad ground connection.

There should be a fuse in line between the electric line from the jack motor and the battery.

You may also want to check to make sure there is a good ground connection. On my Barker the ground comes when 3 special washers, with lots of sharpe edges are pressed through the paint on the tongue to contact bare metal as the tongue is tightened on the tongue.

One other thing you may want to check. Make sure the electric line running between the motor and the battery (a positive line only) is securely tighten to the positive side of the battery.

mrp116 wrote:
Last month my wife and I picked up our new Jayco White Hawk 28dsbh. When we got home from the dealer, I attempted to lower the tongue jack and had no power from the battery. I noticed it, but was kind of lost in the moment of bringing home our first new TT. Due to a variety of circumstances, we weren't able to get out on first trip until last week where we had full hook ups. When we arrived at home, I still had no power from the battery. What could be the cause of this? I know I could take it in, but the dealer is a solid hour and a half away.

[Peg_Leg]

Does it have a battery disconnect switch?
The converter's 12v panel could have 2 fuses for reverse polarity protection. May they had the battery cables reversed.

[robsouth]

Battery disconnect turned off?
Dead battery?
Inline fuse blown for power jack?