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Old 07-20-2017, 07:55 AM   #1
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Got Juice with No Battery

I just went to the RV storage to check on things and found that the 12v system was operating just fine. Lights worked, Fantastic Fan worked, water pump worked, so I assumed that I had forgotten to disconnect the battery when I parked it last. So I checked the batteries (in parallel) and found that the negative was disconnected. Trailer was not hooked up in any way. How can this be?
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:05 AM   #2
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Unless you have another battery somewhere or you are connected to 120 volt power your batteries are still connected in some way to your 12 volt system. Do you have a solar panel?
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:08 AM   #3
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I would also check the flux capacitor. Lol.
I thought the fan only worked when plugged in to shore power? Unless you're in heat mode.

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Old 07-20-2017, 08:18 AM   #4
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You have 2 batteries. Which neg cable was disconnected?
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:27 AM   #5
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Second battery is connected to the first, N toN, P to P. The knife switch essentially disconnects both at the negative post.
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:29 AM   #6
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No solar panel, no 120v, not sure where a 3rd battery would be. I bought the trailer last year... Used.
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:31 AM   #7
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Not sure about the flux capacitor... Lol
Could there be a battery charger somewhere that holds a charge?
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:37 AM   #8
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You've got to have another ground somewhere that's allowing it to ground itself
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:38 AM   #9
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Quote:
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You've got to have another ground somewhere that's allowing it to ground itself
Tongue jack maybe?
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Old 07-20-2017, 08:45 AM   #10
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I'd disconnect the positive side to just to confirm you are able to isolate your batteries. If that doesn't cut all power to the camper then at least you'll know those batteries aren't in play. Sounds like right now it's a 'maybe they are, maybe they aren't' supplying power. Best way to find out for sure is to disconnect them completely. Assuming that cuts off the power (as expected), you can focus on what's wrong with your wiring.
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Old 07-20-2017, 09:07 AM   #11
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Is there more than one wire connected to the negative battery cable? Maybe one wire has the knife switch, and another goes (for example) to the brake magnet ground for the emergency disconnect wiring??
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Old 07-20-2017, 11:46 AM   #12
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So if I disconnect the tongue jack's negative connection, then that may stop the flow of current?
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Old 07-20-2017, 11:55 AM   #13
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You are still connected to a (the) batteries somewhere, even if you don't know it. Unless, of course there is a solar panel on the roof that you are not aware of, or you are plugged into either the tow vehicle or shore power and don't realize it.
Bottom line, there is nothing that will hold enough of a charge to do things like run a fan. You have power connected somewhere.
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Old 07-20-2017, 12:20 PM   #14
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So if I disconnect the tongue jack's negative connection, then that may stop the flow of current?
IF the tongue jack ground is still connected to the battery and that ground wire is common with the case of the tongue jack, yes it would complete the ground connection of the battery(s).
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Old 07-20-2017, 12:56 PM   #15
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RV hiker... I'm going to double check.
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Old 07-20-2017, 02:13 PM   #16
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How are your batteries hooked up?

Find the 30 Amp main fuse located by the battery and pull it, everything in the TT should go DEAD. It the power is still able to light your lights, you have another battery source (without Shore power). If they do not work, you have your batteries wired improperly.

Is the switch in between the two batteries?

I could not locate my other picture of 2 batteries in parallel and both grd and positive connections on one battery.


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Old 07-23-2017, 11:02 PM   #17
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So this weekend I disconnected both batteries completely, then reconnected just the positive lead from the trailer to one battery, and the 12v dome lights worked. I then disconnected it and connected only the positive lead from the tongue jack and the lights worked. So what I am wondering is -- if the tail light I replaced last month might have something to do with it? If I mistakenly flip flopped the wires on the tail light, would it even work? Could it be my problem?
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Old 07-24-2017, 04:51 AM   #18
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So this weekend I disconnected both batteries completely, then reconnected just the positive lead from the trailer to one battery, and the 12v dome lights worked. I then disconnected it and connected only the positive lead from the tongue jack and the lights worked. So what I am wondering is -- if the tail light I replaced last month might have something to do with it? If I mistakenly flip flopped the wires on the tail light, would it even work? Could it be my problem?
Are you saying that with just one battery with just one positive wire hooked up and NO GROUND hooked up, you still had lights?!?!

Do the tail lights work as they should?
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Old 07-24-2017, 07:28 AM   #19
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Mustang65: my batteries are hooked up like your diagram. The switch is not between the batteries. Trailer is not plugged into the tow vehicle or the 110v system.
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Old 07-24-2017, 07:35 AM   #20
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NismoGriff:. Yes just one battery, hooking up the positive from either the tongue jack or the trailer positive cable, or both I can turn on 12v lights in the trailer and they light up. Not the tail lights, although I did replace one earlier this summer.
I do notice when I connect the positive side there are "mini" Sparks when lightly touching. Is this normal? Again, the negative post is bare.
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