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06-16-2008, 05:17 AM
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#1
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New Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Lillington
Posts: 9
M.O.C. #8566
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Flickering Lights
On our 2005 3400RL the lights will flicker after dark once we are set up. I think my 12 volt battery needs replacing but don't want to spend the money if I don't have to.
Has anyone experienced this and have an answer to the flickering lights?
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06-16-2008, 05:28 AM
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#2
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Marshfield
Posts: 158
M.O.C. #886
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Does the flicker coincide with something, like the water pump or converter kicking on? Usually the flicker is associated with a sudden change in voltage caused by something else kicking on and dropping the voltage. Have you looked at your battery indicator to see how the voltage is doing?
There are a lot of places that will test your battery at no cost if you think you have a bad battery.
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06-16-2008, 05:46 AM
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#3
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Fort Myers
Posts: 5,933
M.O.C. #4282
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Are you hooked up to the park's 30/50 amp service? Or just running on batt? Could be a loose wire behind your fixture(s). Are all 12v lights flickering? Could also be a bad GFI outlet. Well, that's enough for now.
*On Edit~ The REAL electricians should be by shortly...
Also, the campground electric could be bad. We had this happen to us. Took the CG mgr a long time to fix it. Monty, you should have a digital or analog meter that can plug into your wall outlet that measures volts that you can monitor easily all the time. Ours, a Kill-A-Watt digital has been invaluable - especially while running our 3400RL on 30 amp power supplies.
Others should be by with some ideas to check out also...
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06-16-2008, 05:49 AM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Leona
Posts: 6,382
M.O.C. #2059
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From the get go, we have had occasional flicker in the 12 volt system. It is not consistent nor can we associate it with events or cycling of other equipment. It just happens. My battery is good and fully charged. It seems to have only occurred once since my converter was replaced. The phenomenon seems inexplicable.
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06-16-2008, 07:36 AM
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#5
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New Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Lillington
Posts: 9
M.O.C. #8566
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Thanks for all the info.
Generally nothing is on,(except the lights), or is turned on when the lights start to flicker. I can turn a few of them off and then turn them back on later and all seems to be fine until the next night.
My GFI has tripped a couple of times,it may be the culprit. I'll check it out with a meter.
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06-16-2008, 09:31 AM
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#6
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Bakersfield
Posts: 5,316
M.O.C. #15
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There often are loose ground wires. I checked all of mine when I had this problem. Found a number of them loose. Tightened them all down. Only problem I have now is if I'm running my fireplace and or the hot water heater comes on. I will sometimes get a little flicker. This is usually only when the CG power is marginal. I did change out one of my GFIs. Didn't seem to make any difference.
Good luck.
HamRad
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06-16-2008, 09:41 AM
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#7
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Fort Myers
Posts: 5,933
M.O.C. #4282
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Monty, if your GFI is tripping frequently, I believe that would indicate a short inside your Montana somewhere (as Dennis described above). There are experts here that can help out in this area better than I, but my GFI has rarely tripped - and only when I did something I shouldn't have. Even bad CG power supply will not trip your GFI - I don't think.
One thing that many of us MOCers have done is to pull the main breaker panel - after disconnecting all CG power and after disconnecting your battery power - and tighten every connection back there. Many of us have found multiple loose wiring problems back there.
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06-16-2008, 01:19 PM
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#8
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Santa Fe Springs
Posts: 4,189
M.O.C. #639
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__________________
Pulling a 2004, 2980 RL an oldie but goodie.
Tow vehicle is a 2009 RED RAM 3500 DRW.
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06-16-2008, 01:55 PM
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#9
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Bakersfield
Posts: 5,316
M.O.C. #15
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Don,
Wow! Good pictures. Nice to see the evidence. Was something actually shorting out or was there just a loose connection? Was it just a sloppy fitting blade?
Thanks,
Dennis
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06-16-2008, 11:21 PM
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#10
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,294
M.O.C. #311
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The trailer has both 12VDC and 120VAC lights which ones are flickering?
Good luck. Nice photo Don.
Cheers,
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06-17-2008, 04:21 AM
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#11
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Santa Fe Springs
Posts: 4,189
M.O.C. #639
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Quote:
quote:Originally posted by HamRad
Don,
Wow! Good pictures. Nice to see the evidence. Was something actually shorting out or was there just a loose connection? Was it just a sloppy fitting blade?
Thanks,
Dennis
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Hi Dennis,
If you look at picture #3 you will see that the wire in the supply box is where the truble started there were loose wires in there at the reciptcal, and then the arking started. this is my oppion on what caused it...... I believe that at one time a camper was using more current probably more than the plug was rated for, or low voltage in the park, causing the internal wires to get hot expand then when the demand stoped the wires cooled down causing a loose connection and the results are seen. or the park maintenance person didnt tighten the screws very good when box was serviced last.
Don
__________________
Pulling a 2004, 2980 RL an oldie but goodie.
Tow vehicle is a 2009 RED RAM 3500 DRW.
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06-17-2008, 05:26 AM
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#12
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Bakersfield
Posts: 5,316
M.O.C. #15
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Don,
Thanks. I did see the toasted wire on the inside! Didn't know if that was where it started or simply a result. I hope you were on hand when this thing lit up so you could see all the smoke escaping! Sure is hard to get all that smoke back in there isn't it?!
Later,
Dennis
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06-17-2008, 05:54 AM
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#13
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Montana Master
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: South Shore
Posts: 6,009
M.O.C. #7110
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Ruff, did you ever get your lights figured out as to what was causing the flickering?
__________________
2011 GMC 4X4 dually CC, 6.6 Duramax with Allison Transmission. Formally 2001 Montana,2007 3400RL Montana, presently 2018 3401RS Alpine.
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06-17-2008, 05:57 AM
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#14
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Santa Fe Springs
Posts: 4,189
M.O.C. #639
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For sure Dennis on the smoke.
As for being there when it happened, I just lucked out on discovering it, I was working around the driver side slide and I smelled ellectrical smoke, it's a different smell from other smoke, I followed it right to the power tower and saw my plug starting to smoke. now this has happened to Georgia and I two times now at the same park different spots though, so now when we see the lights flickering the first thing I check is the plug I make sure it's slamed in good after I inspect the plug blades.
__________________
Pulling a 2004, 2980 RL an oldie but goodie.
Tow vehicle is a 2009 RED RAM 3500 DRW.
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06-17-2008, 07:14 AM
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#15
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New Member
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Lillington
Posts: 9
M.O.C. #8566
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John,
The 12V lights are the ones that flicker.
I've checked ground on the battery and it was OK. I'll start a process of elimination for loose wires.My GFI tripped when my wife had a supplemental heater plugged in and turn on the coffe maker at the same time. She soon found out you can't have the supplemental appliances running at the same time.
Nice photos of the plug.
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06-17-2008, 11:47 AM
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#16
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Montana Master
Join Date: May 2003
Location: New Bern
Posts: 4,294
M.O.C. #311
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Monty,
Now to start isolating. Is it all the 12 VDC lights at the same time. Suggest you actually turn them all on and let them run for a while. As long as you are 120 VAC and the converter is working you will have 12 VDC. If it is a selected few then start pulling fuses one at a time and document which lights are on which fuse. That is a smart thing for all of us to do "especially me". If it is only one string off one fuse then I suggest pulling the fuse panel and tighten all screws. (OH - Safety - Do this with the negative led to the battery disconnected and the 120 VDC turned off.)
Good luck and let us know what you find.
Cheers,
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