Help-12 Volt Problem

[Bruce Lenhardt]

While in route to Saint John, New Bruinswick I noticed the backup camera had quit and on a rest stop noticed that the frig was off. Had no battery power. Got set up in Saint John and do have 12 volt from converter but not battery. The only thing that will really effect is frig while traveling. While doing some troubeshooting I discovered the DC fuse panel was very hot when the converter was on. I finally disconneceted the line from the battery to to fuse panel and things work with the converter OK now. Further trouble shooting tells me that one of the fusible links is blown.(still can run jacks and slides with the battery) and that the line from the battery to the DC fuse panel is shorted!!!! Anyone have any answers for this problem?????

[Ozz]

I may be thinking wrong, but could the battery be shorted? If it was the line shorted somewhere from the battery to the converter, just dis-connecting the battery would not matter with a short in the line.
??? Wish I could put a meter on it.
I am confused about the part that you can still use the landing gear, if the battery was shorted, you couldn't, but if it was unhooked, the converter may have enough power to activate them. Not usually, the battery is needed in most trailers..
At Noon today, I will be working on a power problem with Driftwood Gal's Half-Time oven, Colleen and Bob are here in K.C.

[Bruce Lenhardt]

Thanks Ozz. Spent all morning trouubleshooting. Found that the large wire from the battery disconnect switch to the 12 volt fuse panel was indeed shorted. During build they had strung the wire (#4 AWG) over the top of a cross member of the frame and then put the floor on. During some bumpy roads getting here it shorted to the frame. Couldn't pull it out soooo I had to drop part of the under belly, cut it on both sides of the frame and splice it back together. Quite a job, but it is working. This could have been serious. When I got to the campground, and applied 120 volt AC I just happened to feel the DC fuse panel. It was getting very hot quickly and would have probably burned something up. Was very lucky. The reason it was getting hot was because the shorted DC line was ground and the 12 volt line from the converter was positive 12. A direct short through the circuit board of the fuse panel!!!!! Surprised it didn't take out the converter.

We will be back in KC area around the 22nd.

[stiles watson]

Bruce,

So glad you were able to trace the issue down and fix it. It is a bit scary when you think about what might have been, but it wasn't. Happy RVing.....

[Ozz]

Wow, glad you ran down the problem, and were able to fix it.
Colleen had a power cord back out of the socket during travel. They are popping popcorn now...

[MacDR50]

Makes you wonder what other hidden rubs are waiting to spring up down the road. I have already put some foam around a pipe that was laying over an edge that had no protection. On top of my list is to put protection on the exposed connections in the battery compartment. I bought a small aluminum ladder and hung it on the brackets in the front compartment. The end of the ladder is inches from the connections. As soon as I get the right covers I'll post a photo.