Jayco Novices with no light needing help

[Ash34]

Hi everyone, I'm travelling around Oz with the wife and our young son - we have been on the road for 10 days so far. We have a Jayco Swift. While camping at a c.van park in Margaret River this evening, our ceiling lights just went out. We still have power to the van and I've checked the fuses - all good. When I flick the battery switch the lights go on for a while - 5 min and then they cut out - this has not happened before. I'm confused and do not know where to go from here. So we are sitting in the dark - with a small torch - any ideas ? Thanks.
Ash

[WinnieView]

When is the last time the battery was charged?

[Ash34]

Thank you. I was (maybe wrongly) under the impression that each day when driving, the car is charging the battery. At night in the caravan park we are plugged into mains power and with the battery switch on (is this wrong?) we thought the 240v is also charging the battery ?

Currently we are in the dark. If I turn the battery switch off and on again the lights come on for 5 minutes or so and then go off again ??

Arghhhh !! Any ideas ???

[Jagiven]

I see you are down under! Which tells me your systems may not be exactly like ours are here in the USA. I bet you do not have a multimeter with you to do any diagnostic work.

Have you plugged into the TV (tow vehicle) and verified that you can run the lights off the TV's power source? If the TV powers the light, then your light switch is good, and we can narrow down the issue to your on board power system.

Some vehicles can be configured to charge the TT battery while driving. Have you verified the fuse in the TV is good, for the AUX pin on your trailer wire harness?

You mention that you are connected to shore power at night. Do you have 240 power to your outlets? Does your microwave, AC, or other outlet based components work? Have you verified all the circuit breakers are not tripped? Also verify the one at the shore power post. The converter has its own circuit breaker, verify that circuit breaker.

I am sure this is not the issue; but I am not sure what the standard battery is in Australia, here in the US, TTs batteries are not maintenance free. How old is the battery? have you ever done any maintenance on it? With that said, if you are plugged into the shore power post, you will have 12 volts for the lights due to the converter.

[Ash34]

Hi thank you. We have checked that we have power to the van as we can plug into 240v outlets and these work (eg iPhone, electric blanket).

We have a maintenance free battery ie this is wired into what I'm assuming is a charging system that operates when connect to mains power. In addition, I'm assuming (?) that this charging system also charges the battery when driving. Interestingly this is the first stop of 3 nights - prior stops were only 1 or 2 nights,so it's hot me thinking about the way the battery is charged. Correct I don't have any equipment on me to check this - will need to take it into Perth on route tomorrow. Cheers Ash

[Ash34]

Yes - ah the fuses are ok.
Circuit breaker Also ok.

[Mustang65]

Do you have a 30 amp fuse or breaker between the battery and the TT?
Does your radio display stay lit, when the lights are off?

There is electrical box (mine was on the frame and was a 4x4 electrical box) where the TV 12Volt wire terminates with the battery supply wire and the TT 12Volt power wire. Take the blank cover plate off and check to see if your wires are tight in the crimped connector. When I checked my connections the break-away switch wire fell out of the crimped connector, so I re-terminated in a wire nut.

If you have a 30 amp fuse by the batteries, when the lights are out again, go outside and pull the fuse and put it back in, see if that works. Also, check the fuse holder to see if the connectors may be corroded in the case.

If you have a breaker, manually switch it back and forth (open./close) a bunch of time and see if the lights come on. Check the wire connection there also.

Check your ground connection from the battery at the TT frame, also check the battery cable connections on the battery.

One more idea, disconnect shore power, take the front panel off of the AC/DC service control panel (breakers). Check the 12 volt side. Tug on the wires, there may be one that is not tightened in the buss.

If you shake the TT back and forth do the lights come on (loose connection check)

Don

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