Battery Power Issue

[Dampogue]

Sorry if this is the wrong location for this thread.

I have a 2017 Jayco Jay Feather X213 (BH).

I have mostly used this trailer at sites where there is power plug ins, so I haven't used the batteries much at all. I had one battery stolen a few months back, but the thief didn't cut any wires or anything (I have since installed a security lock on it). At any rate, I went and purchased the same kind of battery and installed it.

I have been on one camping trip with it since that time where we had no power plug ins, and we didn't use much of the batteries, but they worked fine. This last trip we took (no power outlets so only battery power) I opened the awning, then the back bed slide. At the very end of the bed sliding out, the battery power was completely gone. Zilch. I couldn't even fire up the LED battery check light.

I thought that was strange and plugged my truck connector into it for a few hours, even trying to have it plugged with motor on, nada. Struggled through that trip and came home, plugged into house outlet for a couple of weeks, I still get absolutely nothing when I unplug it. I checked all breakers and fuses on panel. I mult meter tested the batteries and they both reading over 12V. I am at a loss as to what the issue is now, and Camping World (the retailer I bought it at) doesn't have an opening to look at it for a MONTH. I have a big dry camping trip in less then 2 weeks, so I'm scrambling.

Any suggestions? Thank you so much in advance, this keeps me up at night.

[Seann45]

Check the fuse at the battery.. sometimes it is hidden.. if you have a breaker it could be bad

[Dampogue]

I just cannot see any fuse near the battery. I've traced the wires through the junction box into the sealed undercoating. I have not taken that off however. Then at the breaker box, there is a 30amp fuse, that appears fine also.

[oldmanAZ]

Welcome to the forum.

One issue; '... purchased the same kind of battery and installed it.' You have two batteries, one old and one new. It's best of both batteries are the same type and age.

Were both batteries on some type of charger before you left on the trip where '... opened the awning, then the back bed slide. At the very end of the bed sliding out, the battery power was completely gone. Zilch.'?

You plug the trailer into the house outlet, right? Have you measured the converter output/charging voltage?

If your batteries measure 12v, that's only 25% charged and leaving them at that voltage will seriously damage them.

I suggest that...
1) Get both batteries tested to see if they are still good.
2) Measure the converter battery charging voltage.

That's a start. There are folks here that live and breathe 12v but will need to know the above to get you on track.

[Dampogue]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

Welcome to the forum.

One issue; '... purchased the same kind of battery and installed it.' You have two batteries, one old and one new. It's best of both batteries are the same type and age.

Were both batteries on some type of charger before you left on the trip where '... opened the awning, then the back bed slide. At the very end of the bed sliding out, the battery power was completely gone. Zilch.'?

You plug the trailer into the house outlet, right? Have you measured the converter output/charging voltage?

If your batteries measure 12v, that's only 25% charged and leaving them at that voltage will seriously damage them.

I suggest that...
1) Get both batteries tested to see if they are still good.
2) Measure the converter battery charging voltage.

That's a start. There are folks here that live and breathe 12v but will need to know the above to get you on track.

To clarify, both batteries are new. I just bought the trailer, and the 2nd battery I purchased was brand new also.

If I did it correctly, the coverter battery charging voltage was very low.

As to the batteries only reading a bit above 12v, that is what it said they were supposed to measure at on the instructions I had found. Are they supposed to measure differently?

[oldmanAZ]

If you Google 'battery state of charge voltage' you'll see that ~12.7v is fully charged when the battery is is not being charged or discharged.

Miss-matched batteries can be a problem because their unequal internal resistances can goof up the discharging and charging rates.

If you don't keep your trailer on a charger of some kind, or totally disconnect the batteries from the trailer, the batteries can be totally discharged due to 'parasitic' draws (CO/propane detector, for example). Once that happens, a battery can be ruined. So, IMO, the first thing to do is to remove them and take them to be tested to be sure they are OK to use.

Your converter should be charging at ~14.7v (bulk mode) to ~13.6v ('trickle charge' a fully charged battery).

[Dampogue]

Woohoo. Found a hidden 30amp fuse that was blown. Hard to find but that solved it. Thank you all!