JayFeather Lite Furnace/Refrigerator Won't work

[SabandTy]

About a month ago, our trailer started beeping. My husband and I bought a new battery and seemed to get things going, EXCEPT except the lights and it seemed that the convertor wasn't working. We bought a new convertor box and got everything installed. Lights, plugs, fans, AC all work BUT now the Fridge, heater, and radio do not work. We have checked all of the fuses, tried looking for reset buttons, but can not figure out what is going on. Do any of you have any ideas on what else could be going on? We have a JayFeather Lite 2005. Thanks!!

[tlhdoc]

Is the battery charged? There are "phantom" drains, like the propane detector, that will drain the battery, IF the battery is connected.

[muelldawg]

Last summer an electrican I hired found a loose connection at our battery. Not at the battery terminal, but one of the twist on connectors that connect two (maybe 3) wires together in the battery box. The loose connection was not allowing our new converter to charge our new battery. The result was dim lights and refrig shutting down. The electrician also found that my new battery was shorting out.

[SabandTy]

We currently have everything plugged in. We have tested the wires, fuses on the battery, fuses in the trailer. The battery is fully charged now, but I think that there is a short somewhere or a missing connection for the fridge/heater/radio. Those are the only three things in the trailer that do not work. I just checked the twist on connectors in the battery box. Still nada.... Anymore ideas? I am desperate and cannot afford the trailer repair prices!!

[tlhdoc]

In your first post you said your camper was beeping. I am sure that was your propane detector. They beep when your battery voltage is low. Your camper has 2 electrical systems. 120 AC and 12 volt DC. The majority of the electrical items in your trailer run on 12 volt DC power. Lights, furnace, fans, propane detector, water heater on gas, refrigerator on gas, antenna booster, slideout, water pump, electric tongue jack, radio, electric awning, etc. The 120 AC runs the microwave, air conditioner, and anything you plug into the outlets like you have at home. The when the camper is plugged in to "shore power", the converter, converts 120 AC power to 12 Volt DC power. Most converters also charge your battery. Have you tried running your refrigerator on AC power? I should have 2 or 3 settings propane, AC power, and some have 12 volt power. The propane setting also needs 12 volt power to run. The furnace needs propane and 12 volt power. The lights run on 12 volt power. Do you know what the voltage is on the battery? Are the battery wires connected to the correct terminals?

[SabandTy]

Okay, so I have replaced fuses, checked the battery connections, and now have come to the conclusion that it is one fuse. I bought a new fuse and put it in, and it blew immediately. I am 99% sure this section is the cause to my problems. I think that there is a short on that line. I have a Jayfeather Sport. This fuse is a 125v appliance fuse and it is located behind the radio. I am not sure how to check for a short, but I think that it is the next step. Anyone else have any ideas? Or are there any electicians on here that want to tell me the best way to get this taken care of?

[Doug]

Building on tlhdoc reply.
1. The fuse you state is blowing is a 125V fuse, assuming that is the 120V ac circuit for the frigerator running on ac.
Can you see if the refrigerator will run on 12 volt setting? This would tell you the refrigerator is working and short is external to refrigerator motor etc.
The fuse blowing could be a short or something wrong with the motor and the motor/compressor is pulling too many amps.
2. I am assuming this wire with the fuse is black and is the hot wire for this circuit.
If I was trying to see if it was shorted, I guess I would take a volt meter and see if there is continuity between ground and this line.
On a volt meter, there is a setting for continuity that when you touch the two leads together, you get a beep signaling that there is direct flow between the two leads.
The hot wire should not have direct connection to ground. Ground being the ground terminals on the breaker box and usually all the main fram components are grounded.
So, if you can get to one end of the wire, connect one lead of your volt meter to it. Connect or touch the other lead to ground (ground on breaker or frame etc.) You shouldn't get a beep.
3. If it is a short, then you'll have to try to find where the wire covering is violated and making connection with a metal part taking the current to ground and blowing your fuse.
When you have a direct short to ground, it will just take all the amps possible until the fuse blows.
I would start at the refrigerator and see if you can see this wire size and color and see if you see any danmage anywhere. Then I would check the other end behind the radio.
Again, I guess I would make sure the refrigerator is working on 12V before chasing shorts.

4. If your refrigerator will not work on 12V, then you may have a motor or compressor that is bad and this is drawing too many amps and blowing fuses.

Shorts in electrical systems can be very diffcult to find. Don't let the fact that you haven't corrected the problem get you down. It's a tough one.

Keep us posted as to what you are finding. Maybe together, between you and the forum resources you'll get to the bottom of it.

Sounds like we still have the radio and heater to address at some point too. Those should be 12 volt circuits.

I would also Google how to test for an electrical short and see what you learn there.
Best regards,
Doug

[Doug]

Step 1 – Check Appliances

When I Googled "How to find an electrical short, I found this.

The first thing to do is to check the electrical appliances you were using at the time of the short. Unplug the appliances that are connected to the circuit, then reset the breaker or change the fuse. Energize the circuit. If the breaker or fuse does not blow, then an appliance is most likely the cause. Test each appliance to see which one is the culprit. It should then be repaired or replaced. If the circuit trips out or blows the fuse again when the appliances are unplugged, then there is probably a short in the wiring or the receptacle.

So one more thing you could try is to find the 120V ac plug for the refrigerator. Unplug the refrigerator and see if the fuse still blows.
I just bought a 2007 165 Sport, but it's in storage and I am not certain there is a plug or if it's hard wired.

Untimately, if you have a shorted wire, you'll have to trace the wire the best you can and repair where the short is.


Read more: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how...#ixzz2CcnpynSn

[tlhdoc]

Originally Posted by dougtoms01

Step 1 – Check Appliances

When I Googled "How to find an electrical short, I found this.


So one more thing you could try is to find the 120V ac plug for the refrigerator. Unplug the refrigerator and see if the fuse still blows.
I just bought a 2007 165 Sport, but it's in storage and I am not certain there is a plug or if it's hard wired.

The refrigerator is not hard wired. Normally the 120 volt plug is in the refrigerator compartment on the outside of the trailer.