Question about small fan/noise running in Octane 222

[pcurtiss]

We just bought a 2018 Octane 222 toy hauler, and I have a question about a sound I keep hearing when the lights are off. We have the TT plugged in to our garage right now so that I can clean, etc. When I turn the lights ON, the fan/noise stops. When I turn OFF lights, the fan/noise starts again.

However, in our previous camper (Starcraft AR-One 17thx), the fan thing worked just the opposite way. If we turned two or more lights on, the fan would start. If we didn't have any lights on, there was no fan running.

This bothers me because I'm wondering if something was hooked up wrong. It doesn't bother my husband, but I am puzzled and clueless. I wondered if any of you know what's up.

Thanks!

[oldmanAZ]

Welcome to the forum.

I'm puzzled, too.

The fan in my converter/charger runs with lights and/or converter running. When the battery is charged and no lights on, the converter/charger fan is OFF.
Can you pinpoint which fan is running? Is it the converter/charger? (The converter/charger is usually in the area behind the circuit breakers.)
Can you check the voltage at the battery(s) when you hear the noise and when you don't?

(From a former MI resident from just south of GR.)

[pcurtiss]

You asked:
Can you pinpoint which fan is running? Is it the converter/charger? (The converter/charger is usually in the area behind the circuit breakers.)

Yes the sound/fan I hear is coming from where that circuit breaker panel is on the floor. I didn't know that's called a converter/charger. (I am a retired English teacher. I know grammar and literature--but almost nothing else. lol.)

You asked:
Can you check the voltage at the battery(s) when you hear the noise and when you don't?
How do I check the voltage at the battery? I assume I need some kind of voltage meter for that, right? I don't have that, but I could get/borrow one. The battery on the TT should be fully charged, though, because it's a new battery and we drove a long way to get it home. Plus, we haven't drained it in any way because we plugged the TT electric into our garage outlet almost right away.

Thanks for trying to help me.

[JFlightRisk]

You can buy a digital VOM (volt ohm meter) pretty cheap these days. It'll come in handy many times. You should have a Harbor Freight store near you, and they have one for $6.00 that will suffice.

[WinnieView]

Chances are (if you have one) it's the inverter's fan noise you hear.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by WinnieView

Chances are (if you have one) it's the inverter's fan noise you hear.

I agree, but in her post she said the noise when the lights are OFF; the noise stops when the lights are ON. That is just the opposite from when she heard the noise in their previous trailer and the opposite of when I've heard our converter/charger fan running.

With a voltage reading at the battery, it should confirm if the converter/charger is charging the battery and if that is when the fan is running or not. That's not a solution, but a piece of the puzzle.

There is a breaker that could be turned off to shut off the power to the converter/charger. Turning that breaker off and having the fan noise stop, it would indicate the noise is from the converter/charger fan. Again, not a solution, but another piece of the puzzle.

[pcurtiss]

I am 3 hours north of the Twin Cities and we are in the middle of a bad snow storm here right now. But when it settles down tomorrow, I will get a voltage meter.

Then I will check the battery to see if it is fully charged. (I don't know how to do this, but hopefully the directions will tell me.) I will let you know what it says when the fan/noise/inverter thing is running, and then I will turn the lights on for awhile (which stops the inverter fan) and see if the reading on the battery goes down.

Thanks to all for the advice. I will let you know what happens.

[oldmanAZ]

Be safe whatever you do! The roads could be treacherous tomorrow.

[travelingjw]

My suggestion would be to try to test the battery first. If this doesn't work, stop and ask someone who understands basic electricity before you try and test in the area where the fan is. Since you have the TT plugged in, you also have 120 volts in the area. Electricity can be dangerous if you are trying to learn by yourself.

[norty1]

Agree with the call for caution. Poking around in a hot circuit can do it and you some damage! Look at some youTube videos on basic electricity or better get a friend who has some knowledge to help.

It does not sound like something that is life or death, so don't make it one.

[pcurtiss]

So, I checked my Octane 222 battery and it's fully charged. (I unplugged from shore power first to check it.)
I don't hear the inverter/noise anymore at all. I left the lights on for several hours (unplugged from shore), and still it didn't run. I checked the battery again and leaving the lights on didn't really change anything. I guess I should have left them on longer.
So my husband said, "You are worrying about nothing. Forget about it." He's probably right.
He and I both know the inverter/noise used to run constantly unless we turned the lights ON, but now it has suddenly decided to "behave." I will just keep monitoring things for awhile until we actually go camping. Still too much snow here to do anything outside.
Thanks for all your concern and advice. You are good people! I appreciate you all.

[oldmanAZ]

Thank you for getting back to us.