Electric problem while camping

earl9653 · 04-06-2011, 07:08 AM

I could use some help. I am currently at a campsite hooked up to shore power. Last evening the lights began to dim and continued through the night. I run a Surge Guard protector and it says all is well with the shore power.

This AM I wake to a microwave and 110V outlets that work but nothing that is associated with the 12V system. The TT (2011 JayFlight 22FB) battery is drained and the shore power is not recharging. No breaker is tripped but I can't be sure of the fuses just yet.

Is this likely a fuse issue or is the "part" that converts the 110V to 12V the issue? Thoughts please.

Spike99 · 04-06-2011, 09:14 AM

.

My previous 1993 19ft Prowler TT did the same thing. re: It was plugged into 110/120V shore power but none of its 12V items worked. Tested its onboard 12V battery and it was dead. Very weird.

Luckily, a fellow camper brought over a simple 12V tester (simple off/on light pen). We found the TT's 110/120V to 12V Convertor and tested its 12V "output" ports. Convertor was plugged into 110/120V, its fuses were good and its 12V output ports were dead. Flat dead. We tested the 12V battery and it was dead. We then re-charged the 12V battery (fully charged and tested with a 12V light pen) and TT's 12V lights worked again. After all these tests, the conclusion was a broken "old age" 110/120 to 12V Convertor. The next weekend, I replaced with a Progressive Industries 45A model (factory was 40A) and its 12V inner lights suddenly worked. Even with its onboard 12V battery disconnected, its inner 12V lights worked. Thus, problem was from broken Convertor.

Perhaps you have a broken 110/120V to 12V Convertor within your TT as well? Perhaps the 110/120V "dimming lights" was from its Covertor shorting out? Sometimes, these Convertors blow (just like any electronic item).

Hope this helps...

earl9653 · 04-06-2011, 10:19 AM

Thanks for the info. I bought a $30 battery charger and the 12V system now functions. It appears as you suggested, the 110V to 12V converter is not functioning which allowed the battery to discharge during the night. The TT is only 7 weeks old and the converter already gone.

Amazing how many systems in the TT need the 12V power. Even though the shore power works the AC/heater thermostat needs 12V so no AC or heat without the converter, the refrig on gas or electric won't work without sufficient 12V supply, the CO detector chirps without 12V power, and of course the lights.

The battery charger will get me through the trip and then to the dealer for repair it goes.

Terry · 04-06-2011, 02:44 PM

There should be a 30 amp fuse at the battery, as well as two in the converter. Before you go to the dealer I would check them and replace it if it is blown. It is not that hard to blow one of those fuses and could be a simple fix.

Terry · 04-06-2011, 03:05 PM

Ok..was not thinking all the way through on this....I think you are right it probably is the converter. If you are using a charger directly attached to the batteries then the battery fuse is good. I think the two fuses on the converter would also be good...only other thing could be the 120v breaker has tripper but if that is the case you would also have lost a few outlets.

earl9653 · 04-06-2011, 04:07 PM

I did change the two 30A fuses on the converter, no fix. I changed the one on the battery even though I knew it was good, you could see the lights slowly dim over 4-5 hours as the battery discharged. No breakers were blown. I even pulled the electric box to look at the converter for evidence of a reset button or internal fuse and there was none.

I talked with the dealer where I bought the 22FB 7 weeks ago and they quickly confirmed it was the converter and applying a battery charger would be a stop-gap fix while at a campsite with shore power. So far so good and we can finish our trip.

KathyDiane · 04-06-2011, 06:33 PM

We are picking up our new 22FB tomorrow and I've never camped in a TT before. So excuse me for asking what might be a silly question, but what is shore power?

Terry · 04-06-2011, 06:45 PM

Not silly at all!

Shore power is just when you are plugged into a 120 volt outlet (either 30 amp for the smaller campers or 50 amp for the big boys -- or even a 15 amp outlet with an adapter). I imagine the term came from boats when they plugged in when docked....Crabman is the one to answer that!

You will also hear people say they are on a pedestal. That is just the electrical box and breakers where you plug in.

KathyDiane · 04-06-2011, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tafische

Shore power is just when you are plugged into a 120 volt outlet

That's what I thought, but the term had me a bit confused. I thought it was better to ask and find out for sure. Thanks for explaining it to me.

CraigA51 · 04-06-2011, 07:49 PM

I also just purchased a 2011 Jayflight 26RLS and had converter problems. The connections on the 12volt side of the converter were not crimped well and actually caused one wire to overheat. The new progressive dynamics converters have multiple outputs from 13 volts to 14.4 volts dc. Because of the excessive resistance created by the bad connectors my converter would not go into the 13.6 or 14.4 boost mode to charge the battery. After I repaired the wiring the converter started working the way it is supposed to. I have disscussed this with Jayco and they said that the assembly line as been notified of the wiring problem. I am still not a big fan of this converter and all of it's cycling. I also have the 45amp converter. Tell your dealers to check the 12volt pigtails coming from the converter to the trailer wiring at the connectors also.

clutch · 04-07-2011, 10:06 PM

If you are plugged in a lot the batteries will loose a lot of water. They need to be checked monthly.

RV4Fun · 04-11-2011, 09:26 PM

I have a 2008 Designer 35' and earlier this year I had a similar problem. After checking the batteries and finding them full of water. I looked for other issues.....the converter had to be the culprit.
I was plugged into shore power and the outlet plugs 110v worked great....but anything that was 12v was working correctly. So I did what I thought was the obvious.....I found the converter....and unplugged it from the 110 v outlet....waited about 5 seconds and plugged it back in......and guess what.
Everything worked just find. I sorta thought of it as a computer just had to be rebooted. Probably not correct...but what I did.\
This was about 60 days ago.....and have been out a couple times since.
I have since used the trailer for both boondocking....and plugged into shore power. Thankfully No problems since. Not sure if I am lucky or just have not really found the real problem. But for now.....I am happy.

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