Help! I'm a newbie.

[Katespak]

I just purchased a 2005 Jayco Jay Feather X23B. I put in a new 12V battery and it sparked. I thought I had the positive and negatives correct. The lights come on but nothing else. I may have blown a fuse, but I cannot find the fuse/breaker box. The manual says I have one but doesn't provide a diagram of the electrical system. Can someone help me out?
Thanks for any help you can give me.

[BeeJay]

I'm no expert but I think RV batteries are only 6V. My x17z hybrid had a fuse just behind the battery box. Had to replace it after I connected the the cables backwards. Can't recall which color goes where, I think white goes to ground.

[schrederman]

NO------ RVs are 12 volts, direct current. When you hooked up the battery you hooked up to the things that work on 12VDC. There will be a place to hook up a power cord that works all the rest of the stuff and charges the 12V battery. That cord is a large, 30-amp cord with a plug like an old dryer plug. What all does it have? If it has an air conditioner, microwave oven, television, and the like, those things will only work on 120VAC (house current)... though some of the televisions will work on 12VDC. Did the previous owner not show you how things work? A lot of it isn't self-explanatory. Good luck.

[scottyt24]

Our fuses and breakers are behind a panel below the back bed.

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by scottyt24

Our fuses and breakers are behind a panel below the back bed.

Yes, this is where it's located on a 23B. It's a black panel that is not readily evident that's it's a breaker box. The inside of the cover should be labeled for what each breaker is.

The battery connections on my X20E are not intuitive. The second summer we had it, when I put the battery in I got the same spark. Once I knew which was which I labeled them. You think POS would be red? Nooooo.....

[Seann45]

Originally Posted by Katespak

I just purchased a 2005 Jayco Jay Feather X23B. I put in a new 12V battery and it sparked. I thought I had the positive and negatives correct. The lights come on but nothing else. I may have blown a fuse, but I cannot find the fuse/breaker box. The manual says I have one but doesn't provide a diagram of the electrical system. Can someone help me out?
Thanks for any help you can give me.

What else do you have in there that operates on 12V? The fridge is 120V or propane. In the RV world Black is + and white -

[Jagiven]

If you connected the battery backwards, even for a moment, you will blow the fuse for reverse polarity. You may need to replace it.

If you do not have an in line fuse (30 amp) at the battery I would recommend adding one. It protects the wire between the battery and fuse box. Also you can use it to disconnect the battery from parasite battery drains while the tt is not being used.

[bansai]

Plug it into shore power and retest. The battery system doesn't run everything and you'll need to plug it in *soon* anyway if you want to keep your battery charged. Sorry, no idea on the location of the breaker / fuse box on that model. Most of them have a black cover FWIW.

[DadRich]

Looking up the 2005 manual it looks like you should have a iota converter charger. Looking at the manual there should be two fuses on the back. (on the progressive they are on the front) the are your revers polarity fuses. They will be the fuses blown if you connected the battery backwards. The location will be most likely near where the shore power connects.
Because the lights work, I would guess that you did not hook it up backwards since if the reverse polarity fuse blew, then nothing would work. But to verify, the leads to the battery the one connected to the negative (-) should be connected to the wire that somewhere is screwed to the frame of the trailer.

As far as the spark when connected, because there is always a draw on the system, you will get a spark (small spark) when you connect the wire to the terminal.

As far as nothing other than the lights working can you be more specific? Like the radio and the CO detector don't come on?

[bankr63]

And to avoid sparking the next time you connect the battery, remove the main fuse from the holder generally located on the main battery lead. That will disconnect all loads and you won't get sparking while attaching the wire. But you may hear a zap when you put the fuse back in the holder.


I agree you did not reverse the polarity if the lights are working. There isn't much more than the lights that do work on 12V. Your radio should work if installed (but not the TV), your pump should run if switched on, your bunk end and bathroom fans will work (not the a/c unit though), awning will work if equipped, fridge will light on propane. Your TV, Microwave, 110V Outlets, electric water heater element, electric fridge will not work unless on shore power.
Note that if your battery is not fully charged (how was it stored before you installed it? On a trickle charger?) then there may not be enough juice to run higher draw loads although your incandescent lights may glow. Try charging the battery (just plug in the trailer for a day) to see if more things start working.

[tjpolsin]

Originally Posted by Katespak

I just purchased a 2005 Jayco Jay Feather X23B. I put in a new 12V battery and it sparked. I thought I had the positive and negatives correct. The lights come on but nothing else. I may have blown a fuse, but I cannot find the fuse/breaker box. The manual says I have one but doesn't provide a diagram of the electrical system. Can someone help me out?
Thanks for any help you can give me.

If all your lights, ceiling and range fans, furnace, and reefer were off before you connected your battery, then the spark was probably caused by your 12v gas detector. This detector is usually located near the floor (mine is by the entry door), and is always on. Having an appliance on will cause a spark when you hook up your battery. Also, this detector will cause your battery to drain in the off-season if you leave the battery connected to the trailer.

Tim
2008 26BHS