Stumped

[pinheadgraham02]

2015 Montana 3610RL, with shore power everything works. Disconnect and only 12v at the Level Up display and no power to any interior lights nor any basement lights. Level Up shows jacks down however the jacks are up. Push the button to extend the jacks and it just clicks at the connection box in the battery compartment. What’s wrong?

[scottz]

Thread moved to technical help section.

[Carl n Susan]

It sounds like either the battery disconnect switch in the convenience center (it is a big red key). If you can remove the key, the batteries are disconnected

*OR*
the 50 amp self-resetting circuit breaker on the wall behind the battery is shot.


The slides/jacks/hydraulic pump are wired direct from the battery and not affected by the disconnect Switch. The clicking noise when depressing the button indicates a low battery condition. The batteries are charged by the converter on a different 12V circuit than what the hydraulic system uses.


Here is some diagnostic info from a previous post that may help. Since the 12V system works with shore power, it is safe to assume the converter and its Reverse Polarity fuses are good.


============================

The 12V flow from the converter to the batteries is pretty straight forward. As others have pointed out, here are the places to look. All connections should have 13.5 +/- Volts if the converter is working.

• The converter is part of the power distribution panel -Ensure the CB for it is On
• There are Reverse Polarity Fuses on the converter which protect against connecting a battery backwards. - Ensure they are not blown.
• Check the output voltage at the converter. - it should be in the 13.5V DC range.
• The power then runs to the Disconnect Switch in the Convenience Center. - Ensure the Red Key is in the position where it can *NOT* be removed. If removed, this interrupts the power charging the battery. The Disconnect Switch is not know to fail, but you can remove it to check there is power in and out of it just to be sure.
• The power next flows to the group of 50 amp self-resetting CBs behind the battery. We all know about the one that hiccups and interrupts the hydraulic system. That one also passes power to/from the converter and batteries. You want to check it and it's brother (it is in the current flow to the battery) to ensure there is 13.5V on *EACH* side of the CB.
• The last connection is the one from the 50 amp CBs to the batteries. Ensure you have clean connections and the cables are not corroded (watch out for internal corrosion under the shrink wrap).

Somewhere along this path there will be the problem. A simple VOM should find it. I hope this helps.

The full blown discussion is *Here* The most common causes are :
o - the Battery Disconnect Switch in the convenience center is in the wrong position (the Red Key should be in the position where it can't be removed)
o - The red plastic covered self resetting 50amp circuit breakers behind the battery have failed.

[pinheadgraham02]

ralajado@comcast.net

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

It sounds like either the battery disconnect switch in the convenience center (it is a big red key). If you can remove the key, the batteries are disconnected

*OR*
the 50 amp self-resetting circuit breaker on the wall behind the battery is shot.


The slides/jacks/hydraulic pump are wired direct from the battery and not affected by the disconnect Switch. The clicking noise when depressing the button indicates a low battery condition. The batteries are charged by the converter on a different 12V circuit than what the hydraulic system uses.


Here is some diagnostic info from a previous post that may help. Since the 12V system works with shore power, it is safe to assume the converter and its Reverse Polarity fuses are good.


============================

The 12V flow from the converter to the batteries is pretty straight forward. As others have pointed out, here are the places to look. All connections should have 13.5 +/- Volts if the converter is working.

• The converter is part of the power distribution panel -Ensure the CB for it is On
• There are Reverse Polarity Fuses on the converter which protect against connecting a battery backwards. - Ensure they are not blown.
• Check the output voltage at the converter. - it should be in the 13.5V DC range.
• The power then runs to the Disconnect Switch in the Convenience Center. - Ensure the Red Key is in the position where it can *NOT* be removed. If removed, this interrupts the power charging the battery. The Disconnect Switch is not know to fail, but you can remove it to check there is power in and out of it just to be sure.
• The power next flows to the group of 50 amp self-resetting CBs behind the battery. We all know about the one that hiccups and interrupts the hydraulic system. That one also passes power to/from the converter and batteries. You want to check it and it's brother (it is in the current flow to the battery) to ensure there is 13.5V on *EACH* side of the CB.
• The last connection is the one from the 50 amp CBs to the batteries. Ensure you have clean connections and the cables are not corroded (watch out for internal corrosion under the shrink wrap).

Somewhere along this path there will be the problem. A simple VOM should find it. I hope this helps.

The full blown discussion is *Here* The most common causes are :
o - the Battery Disconnect Switch in the convenience center is in the wrong position (the Red Key should be in the position where it can't be removed)
o - The red plastic covered self resetting 50amp circuit breakers behind the battery have failed.

[pinheadgraham02]

Thanks. This helps a lot. If the battery voltage is only 12.5 will that be enough to provide power to the lights that are in the underside storage area? This is my last question.

[Carl n Susan]

12.5V at the battery is basically a full charge. If the 12V lights, including the ones in the underside compartment, don't illuminate, then look at the disconnect switch or the self-resetting circuit breakers.