No battery or shore power

Kiki · 07-12-2018, 01:25 PM

I've done a search for my problem but to no avail.

I have a 1996 pop-up (1005) that was working fine last year (we don't use fridge or h20 heater, just lights & heater). This year we have been unable to get any power via shore nor brand new battery.

We took it out fully charged last week and came home with a nearly dead battery although none of the lights nor heater had power. So something is draining the battery.

Cleaned the connectors to the battery and the ground, checked all fuses (in line and lights).

We've plugged it in directly to shore power but still nothing works.

I'm clearly a newbie but have been reading all I can to try and educate myself but I still need help and would appreciate any direction! Thank you!

ALJO · 07-12-2018, 02:01 PM

Well start testing everything special the out put of the converter. Also your TV should charge to. You can buy testers for your 7 way plug. Multi-meters come in handy.

Kiki · 07-12-2018, 02:15 PM

Thanks for your reply. I plugged in to shore power, turned the switch to convertor to test the output. Nada - as I expected. The 7-way plug is also working. Not sure what a "TV" is, sorry

ALJO · 07-12-2018, 02:27 PM

Yeah we use abbreviations on the forums TV = Tow Vehicle.

When you loosen your battery connections and are on shore-power (all fuses are OK), you should have 12 volt at the remove connections at the battery, if not there is an open connection. Fuse or converter doesn't put out.

What model converter is installed?

bankr63 · 07-12-2018, 02:44 PM

Just a thought, but when you hooked up the battery is it possible you reversed polarity? For a NewB it is easy to do as the wire color is different from home wiring. If this is the case, you may have blown the reverse polarity fuses. This would block power from all sources until fixed. Depends on your trailer, but these are sometimes hidden behind the panel on or near the converter.

A couple of things to look for to understand if you reversed. The positive wire usually has a 20-30A fuse mounted very close to the terminal connection. If you have electric trailer brakes, that wire is always attached directly to the positive battery terminal only. The negative wire will usually run to an attachment point directly on the frame.

Another thought is to take a close look at the wiring runs in the trailer. If it stopped working over the winter, there is a distinct possibility mice have chewed through a wire somewhere.

Kiki · 07-12-2018, 02:47 PM

Gotcha. Would an "open connection" cause the battery to not provide power as well? Attached are pics of my convertor.

Kiki · 07-12-2018, 02:51 PM

Apparently I don't know how to attach a photo. It's a Carson Model CP12 FKN*
Input 120VAC 60HZ 2.3 amps

Click image for larger version

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Kiki · 07-12-2018, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bankr63

Just a thought, but when you hooked up the battery is it possible you reversed polarity? For a NewB it is easy to do as the wire color is different from home wiring. If this is the case, you may have blown the reverse polarity fuses. This would block power from all sources until fixed. Depends on your trailer, but these are sometimes hidden behind the panel on or near the converter.

A couple of things to look for to understand if you reversed. The positive wire usually has a 20-30A fuse mounted very close to the terminal connection. If you have electric trailer brakes, that wire is always attached directly to the positive battery terminal only. The negative wire will usually run to an attachment point directly on the frame.

Another thought is to take a close look at the wiring runs in the trailer. If it stopped working over the winter, there is a distinct possibility mice have chewed through a wire somewhere.

That is VERY possible. We got a new battery and I'm pretty sure it was hooked up several different ways. (clearly newbie) I'm going to look into those things now. We haven't seen any evidence of mice but that doesn't mean there weren't any.

**Mustang65** · 07-12-2018, 02:56 PM

Check all fuses with a multimeter, looks can be deceiving.
Don

My Registry

RVing with SOLAR

Kiki · 07-12-2018, 03:00 PM

I'm going to apologize in advance for my ignorance but I don't even know where all the fuses are! Is there a resource that could help me figure out where to start? This is all Greek to me but I'm trying to learn. Thank you!

ALJO · 07-12-2018, 03:43 PM

Most of the fuses are on a fuse block by the converter. It is also possible on the converter there are a couple of fuses and at the battery should be a 30 amp fuse or circuit breaker.

**Mustang65** · 07-12-2018, 04:12 PM

To start there should be the MAIN 30 amp TT fuse located near the battery. (See the picture below).

The fuse panel that you show in the picture, is that switch marked Batt and I assume (hate that word) AC input. Have you tried it in both positions?

Try this first.
- Unplug the TT from your 110VAC source.
- Remove the main 30Amp Main Fuse by the battery. This will disconnect the battery and AC110VAC power from the TT.
- Now verify the fuses are all OK (with a multimeter), replace any blown fuses with an EXACT replacement of 7.5 amps, you can get them at the local auto parts stores.
- Verify that the 110VAC breaker(s) are set. You may want to trip them a few times to ensure that they have been reset.
- Plug the TT back into 110VAC
- Do your lights have power? If not flip the switch marked BATT/(AC?) back and forth a few times to see if you get lights.
- If you do GREAT, if not let us know.

Now, go to the battery. Look at the NEGATIVE terminal (-)of the battery. Follow the cable and make sure it goes to the FRAME of your TT. IF not, the battery terminal cables are reversed, and need to be switched. USUALLY, but now always, the cable on the NEGATIVE battery terminal should be WHITE, and the POSITIVE battery terminal cable should be BLACK. I know, if you know anything about electricity this does not seem correct, but this is the RV industry standard.

OH... verify that the 110VAC cord powering your TT actually has power coming from the house on it.
Let us know what you find
Don
My Registry

RVing with SOLAR

Kiki · 07-12-2018, 09:29 PM

Thank you banker63! You solved at least one of our issues. The only reverse polarity fuse I found was on the what I now know is the positive wire. I replaced the fuse and voila! We really only dry camp and have a battery charger so a converter isn't a necessity but I'd like to have it working just the same.

Thank you for your helpful reply Mustang65. It looks like the GFCI receptacle could be an issue - the reset button isn't working so I planned to replace it...However, when I tested it with my multimeter there wasn't any power. So maybe another issue??

Thanks for the education, everyone!

Kiki · 07-14-2018, 08:54 PM

Thought my problem was solved...

Replaced the GFCI but still no power via converter.

Switched over to batt just to be sure that was still working but nothing. The inline fuse was "blown" again and the battery drained after sitting with my switch in the off position. So back to no power. Any ideas?

Kiki · 07-14-2018, 08:57 PM

Pic if fuse

Kiki · 07-14-2018, 09:33 PM

So now I have shore power after messing around with the GFCI so that's something! However, we always dry camp so I still need to figure out what is drawing on my battery and why I'm blowing fuses.

bankr63 · 07-16-2018, 10:38 AM

Where is the fuse in the picture located? Most fuses on a trailer are standard automotive blade type fuses. I'm thinking that the fuse in the picture is from the converter, and may be the reverse polarity fuse? In that case, check your polarity carefully as Don (Mustang65) explained above. Knowing which fuse is blowing will certainly help diagnose.

You indicate that you are getting 110v at the GFCI now which is great. When you are plugged into shore power, do any of the 12v fixtures (basically any of the lights) work? If they do then your converter is working, if not, then that is suspect. The converter also charges your battery when plugged in to SP, but if it is not working your battery is not charging.

A battery will discharge over a few days due to parasitic loads in the trailer. In a pop-up this is generally only the LP/CO2 detector that remains on in storage, so that should take a fair bit of time to discharge the battery. Considering how quickly yours is discharging, you may have some sort of short in your wiring system.

It really comes down to taking some time with a multi-meter and a bit of logic to find and correct this kind of issue.

RoyBraddy · 07-16-2018, 11:36 AM

The IN-LINE FUSE MUSTANG65 shows above is not the REVERSE PROTECTION FUSEs. This in-line fuse is a protection from short circuit between your battery and where the long cable connects to your Power Distribution Panel on the 12VDC side.

My REVERSE PROTECTION FUSES are located on my 12VDC Power Distribution panel where the ATC TYPE fuses are located. They are two ATC type RED COLOR fuses with a high rating on them and are off to them self on my ATC panel... All setups are a bit different but my WF-8900 Series Power Distibuton Center looks like this...

Google image

The TWO RED ATC type fuses are my REVERSE PROTECTION fuses. They are in the same line feeding the larger cable going to the the BATTERY POSITIVE terminal. The IN-LINE FUSE shown by MUSTANG65 is very close to the POSITIVE 12VDC Battery terminal. This is there to keep the BATTERY cable from catching on fire if it is shorted to frame ground closer to the Converter/Charger unit. Sometimes when you have connected your cable in the reverse order all three of these fuses may blow... I am not familiar with your Converter/Charger unit...

ADDED NOTE - After looking up your CONVERTER/CHARGER unit ON-LINE I did not see any mention of REVERSE POLARITY protection so your older model converter may not have one and the only protection you will get is that IN-LINE fuse close to the battery terminal that you found blown... Check out your model number one line - they have a PDF drawing of your converter to view

Roy Ken

RoyBraddy · 07-16-2018, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kiki

I'm going to apologize in advance for my ignorance but I don't even know where all the fuses are! Is there a resource that could help me figure out where to start? This is all Greek to me but I'm trying to learn. Thank you!

Hey no need to apologize for anything this is how I learned.... Push the button and see what blows hehe... My 2008 Model is a keeper for me with large tires and lots of storage area with my front deck so I upgraded everything I could to new and more modern electrical items... I also am running a big BATTERY BANK as camping off-grid is what I do 90 percent of the time...

The older models converter/charger units only have a couple or three fuses for everything...

Roy Ken

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