Electrical Problem - where to start looking?

[salrianna]

We opened up our 2008 Mountaineer this morning. Plugged into the shore line and then the trouble began. All of our outlets work, the TV works,the microwave works,the 2 "hardwired" lights work - and nothing else! The refrigerator didn't work from the start or the furnace fan; however, the rest of the lighting DID work - for about an hour, now they don't work either. We really don't know where to start looking! Is it a dead battery, or the power converter? Could it
be a problem in the electrical box at our site? Any suggestions would be appreciated!
thanks,
barbara

[vangoes]

It sounds like you have the 110v circuits but not the 12v. Even the refrig requires 12v to its circuit board to work even though it cools with 110v. Odds are your problem is with the converter or the converter fuses that are in the converter. It also could be a main ground wire not making good contact somewhere but I would check the converter first.

[Tom S.]

If you didn't have it plugged in during the winter, your battery is either dead or the battery disconnect switch is on. Start by checking the battery, then the switch. Then as vangoes suggested, check your power supply.

My money is on the battery or the switch. Hopefully you just need to turn on the switch and charge the battery.

[Alwims]

Definitely sounds like the 12 volt side of your rig is............ I would first check the battery. The converter is supposed to run 12 volt to the rig, but I have found if the battery is dead the converter doesn't seem to work that good at supplying 12 volt all by itself. Don't make much sense, but............ Bottom line, I'd make sure the battery is good. After learning how these rigs work, I have learned that there is enough phantom loads to run a battery dead from setting too long between shore power hook ups.

[racerjoe]

did you put the battery back in? If it is, then it is dead. hook up a charger to the battery and get it up to charge. the converter might take forever if the battery is dead.

[Champ_49]

I agree, betting it's the battery!

Dave

[salrianna]

Thanks for the replies! My husband is charging the battery now - question - where would the battery switch be? Also, where is the power converter located? I have the WFCO installation and user manual, but I cannot find any literature that tells me where it actually is in the camper!

[racerjoe]

my guess is if you don't know where the batt switch is,you did not shut it off. So I would go with the dead battery

[Tom S.]

The battery switch is located in the same compartment your water hook up is in.

[salrianna]

Well, we found the power converter and discovered that both fuses are blown. We just spent 2 hours trying to find 35 amp fuses. Any suggestions? Tried Home Depot, Lowes, auto zone, advance auto, radio shack, best buy.
Looked on the website of a camping store. Nada!
Frustrating!

[Carl n Susan]

According to the WFCO manual, you need an ATC Style “Littelfuse ” Type 257 fuse.

These blow when you hook the battery up backwards.

[Alwims]

http://www.wfcoelectronics.com/UI/ContactUs.aspx

[Fireater99]

I have blown several (at-least 10) fuses while hooked up to 50 amp and or 30 amp services. The fuses seem to blow at different times while camping. I know that the manual states that these fuses will only blow because of hooking the batteries up wrong, but I have never been messing with the batteries when these fuses blow. I have taken this problem to my dealer and they never can duplicate the problem (go figure right). I plan on calling tech support tomorrow and see if they can help. Please advise if you figure out what is causing your problems. Thanks

[racerjoe]

I see you have two postings on this converter problem. The only thing I don't see is if you have eliminated any battery issues. Is the battery powering anything?

[Fireater99]

I have to batteries for my coach, they tested both batteries and found them to be functioning fine. They ran them both down and tested the converted with different loads and found everything to be normal. But of coarse, I picked up our camper and went to the lake and blew yet another fuse. This has happened on several different occasions, we are getting very frustrated with this problem. I asked the dealer if we could just replace the converter under warranty, and they stated no since they never witnessed the problem on their lot. I was able to provide them with video of us camping and having this problem, but still no help. When we experience the blown fuses, we have dim lights and the radio would turn itself on and off, but we could run both of our AC's along with everything else not requiring 12 volt, but the 12 volt lights were dim and the charging light indicator would show depleted. Not sure if this helps you but this is one of our ongoing issues.

[Fireater99]

And to answer your second question, yes the batteries work until they are dead because the converter is not charging them. Then once I replace 1 of the blown fuses, the batteries charge up just fine.

[salrianna]

Ok, here is the sequence of events:
2008 mountaineer travel trailer 31rld
We have seasonal site in southeast Connecticut -
Trailer stays there in winter.

1) 4/6 no power yet to campground but we went there to uncover camper and put out slides. ( battery comes home with us in winter, so we hooked that up on order to work slides. Left the battery in but made sure everything off.

2) 4/12 power available at campground. We went up late on that cold and wet night - our first mistake! But we've been doing this at this campground the last 6 years- always relatively painless!

3) plugged camper into shore power.
Worked:
All outlets
Microwave
Hard wired light fixtures in living room/ kitchen
Overhead switch type lights
Didn't work:
Radio
Fridge
Furnace
TV booster
4) at this point we knew we had issues but it was late and we were hungry, cold and tired. We went out to grab something to eat and get a little heater from 24 hr Walmart. ( really cold!)

5) returned to campground to find all if the overhead lights out snd an angry pug (she doesn't like the dark!) Did some reading on this forum, figured it might be the battery and went to bed.

6) 4/13 brought battery to auto zone. We were going to buy a new one, but man in store suggested charging. So we did. While we were waiting, Sal ( my husband) did some yard work and I did some more reading. Thought the converter might be the problem, but hoped not since I didn't know where it was. Not to mention that we don't have much experience with electric issues ( could you tell?!)

7) picked up battery and a tester, installed and everything worked! Hallelujah!
Fridge working, furnace, all lights, booster. We got the hot water heater going. Tested battery throughout day - all is good!
***radio still wasn't working - pulled that out and found blown fuse and changed it- all better.

8) another cold night, so we turned heat on at night. Woke up to- you guessed it- a dead battery!

9) bought a new battery from auto zone. Installed - everything working again.
Went home that afternoon praying that issue solved.

10) pessimist that I am, I called keystone to find out where the converter is. Also called campground to have them test shore power from our box.
(All good on that end)

11) went up last night to check up (4/17) another dead battery!
Found converter and discovered the 2 blown 35 amp fuses.
Brought battery to auto zone to have it charged and buy the fuses. Battery charged fine but cannot find 35 amp fuses anywhere!

12) came home very frustrated. Will be calling some rv stores today to try and find the fuses.

There you have my long and dismal saga!
Thanks for letting me vent!
Barbara

[hookman]

Is the repair shop using the same amperage as you are when you plug in. If they are using 30 amp to test it and at your site you use 50 amp they would not create the same situation as you. When testing have I always tried to do the same thing as when the problem occurred.
Most shops only use 30 amp when they are plugging units in.

[salrianna]

Update!

We ordered the 35 amp fuses online but are using 30 amp fuses in the meantime. Put them in Friday afternoon and all is well. Since it is quite cold still (33 degrees last night) we had the furnace on as well as all the usual stuff running. Battery still at full charge, no blown out fuses. Once the 35 amps get here we will switch them out.

Just curious - the converter is a 55 amp output so why is there 2 35 amp fuses installed? Guess I just get confused when it comes to electricity. Just when I think I get it - I realize I don't!

Thanks for all of the suggestions and comments - this forum is really helpful to us!
barbara

[H. John Kohl]

You ask a great question. I looked at the IOTA web page and those fuses are listed as "REVERSE POLARITY PROTECTION" fuses. With that being said I am guessing they are wired in parallel so 35 + 35 = 70 amps of protection. With out doing some tests or seeing a wiring diagram I can not be sure.
This is one of my posts where I have to put what I think so it is IMHO not what I know and can prove.