CIRCUIT BREAKER PROBLEM...I THINK - Montana Owners Club

jackel1959 · 10-16-2007, 01:33 PM

We have a 2004 Mountaineer TT with 30 AMP service. The last few times I have extended or retracted the slides, the motor for the slides surges and DC lights will flicker in sync with the surging. If I disconnect shore power and run the slides on battery power alone, this doesn't happen. I also haven't experienced any other electrical problems. I have checked and cleaned the grounds on the batteries and the slide motor. My next thought is that it might be the 30AMP "MAIN" breaker on the circuit breaker panel. Do any of you have any other thoughts? Also, can I get a replacement breaker at any hardware store or is it something I will have to get through an RV parts place? Thanks in advance.

Jack

Ozz · 10-16-2007, 03:17 PM

Jack, I would check all the connections in the panel for loose wires, sounds like you are up to the task, but be sure to pull the plug first.
Good luck.
Ozz

jackel1959 · 10-16-2007, 03:28 PM

Thanks Ozz. I will check all of the connections tomorrow. Of course we are leaving on a 5 day trip on Thursday. I'll let you know what I find.

Wiarton William · 10-17-2007, 01:11 AM

Check the Fusible link that is between the motor and the battery..if that is weak it heats up under use and fails..when it cools down it works again...dont know where it is on Montanas.. I havent got mine yet..but I had the problem with my sprinter...

H. John Kohl · 10-17-2007, 01:21 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by jackel1959

We have a 2004 Mountaineer TT with 30 AMP service. The last few times I have extended or retracted the slides, the motor for the slides surges and DC lights will flicker in sync with the surging. If I disconnect shore power and run the slides on battery power alone, this doesn't happen. I also haven't experienced any other electrical problems. I have checked and cleaned the grounds on the batteries and the slide motor. My next thought is that it might be the 30AMP "MAIN" breaker on the circuit breaker panel. Do any of you have any other thoughts? Also, can I get a replacement breaker at any hardware store or is it something I will have to get through an RV parts place? Thanks in advance.

Jack

Before you replace your main try turning off your converter breaker and see if you get the same results. The converter is the interface between your 110 VAC and 12 VDC systems. I would suggest checking the screws on the 12 VDC connections behind the converter.
As stated make sure the 110 VAC Main is unplugged and the Battery Ground is disconnected for safety.
Good luck and please let us know what you find.
Cheers,

jackel1959 · 10-17-2007, 05:25 AM

John,
I have tried both...disconneting the shore power plug and turning off the 30A MAIN on the converter with the same results. I will pull the converter toady and check all the connections and locate the fusible link. I have another question for any of you. Should the slides still operate "normally" when the batteries are disconnected and you are on shore power alone? When I disconnected the batteries I get the the same surging symptoms only its worse.

ole dude · 10-17-2007, 05:49 AM

I recon you have hydralic slides. This could be a bit off the wall, but is it an electrical problem or could you be low on fluid in the pump chamber causing the surge. When on shore power you may spin the pump faster than when on batteries, which could seem to make the problem more pronounced, just another fly in the ointment.

Ozz · 10-17-2007, 06:11 AM

No on the disconnected batteries, you have to have them in and charged to operate the slides.

mtpocket2 · 10-17-2007, 06:12 AM

If the breaker is square D brand or another name brand you can usually find them at a local HW store. If it's a mixed amperage breaker (30and a 20 in one breaker) the only place I have found them is an RV store. The local electric supply house didnt have them and couldnt get them.

jackel1959 · 10-17-2007, 06:13 AM

Thanks Ole Dude. I did place some reference marks on the reservoir about a year ago after reading another post here. I just checked and the levels are the same as then....about 1 inch from the top when in and it drops 1 -1 1/2 inches when out. Thats what I like about this site though. Everybody contributes something and I would have never thought to check the fluid level.

Jack

jackel1959 · 10-17-2007, 06:16 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by mtpocket2

If the breaker is square D brand or another name brand you can usually find them at a local HW store. If it's a mixed amperage breaker (30and a 20 in one breaker) the only place I have found them is an RV store. The local electric supply house didnt have them and couldnt get them.

I'm pretty sure it is a 30/20A mixed breaker. I am going out to pull the converter now and will check to make certain. I'll let you know what I find. Thanks for all of your inputs.

Jack

jackel1959 · 10-17-2007, 01:13 PM

Well, I just got in from a good day of troubleshooting this problem and I think I have it fixed. First, I pulled the converter and checked and cleaned all the connections, put everything back together and still had the same problem. So I decided to try turning off other circuit breakers, other than the MAIN, one at a time to see if I could isolate the cause further. When I tripped the 15A breaker for the electrical outlets that are not GFCI, I was able to eliminate the problem. I traced the hot lead coming into that breaker and it is wired into the inverter. I pulled the converter again to gain access to the inverter and checked and reseated all the connections there with no luck. I then went outside and checked the two 50A self resetting circuit breakers coming from the battery compartment into the rig (I believe this is what Wiarton William referred to as the "fusible link"). On our trailer they are located on the inside of the tongue close to the battery compartment, which means they are exposed to the elements. What I found under the "cheesy" weather resistant covers were two very badly corroded and cracked breakers. Sorry I couldn’t figure out how to insert a picture or I would have include one. After a trip to NAPA for two replacements and some cleaning of the connections, I put it all back together and everything now seems to work fine. I also sealed the new breakers completely in silicone to provide better protection (I hope) from the elements. We are leaving on a short 5 day trip tomorrow so we will see if the repair holds up. And I did all of this without getting electrocuted!!

Thanks for all of your inputs and advice.

Jack

H. John Kohl · 10-17-2007, 01:42 PM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by jackel1959

-snip- Should the slides still operate "normally" when the batteries are disconnected and you are on shore power alone? When I disconnected the batteries I get the the same surging symptoms only its worse.

I know OZZ said "NO" to this question, however, I feel the answer is yes and you indicated it does. The difference is with the batteries disconnected and the shore power on you are using 12 VDC only from the converter. If it does not have a strong enough amperage it will cause more problems. The good news seems you have isolated the problem and hope it does not come back. The 15 AMP breaker to the converter was the one I was talking about when I reference other than the MAIN breakers.

If anyone operates without batteries make sure you insulate the battery cables so they do not short out because the converter is sending 12 VDC down them to try and recharge the battery.

Ozz · 10-17-2007, 02:08 PM

The reason I said that, is that I was working on a Cardinal, the slides would not fully close with shore power alone with the converter power. Once the battery was installed, everything worked as it should.
Obviously, there is a difference in all makes and converters, so we do have to factor this in.
Jack, glad you got it fixed, you are an inspiration to us fix it people.

jackel1959 · 10-17-2007, 02:49 PM

John,
After I re-read you original post and then this one, it is now clear to me what you meant by checking other breakers besides the MAIN. Sometimes us retired USN types are a little slow on the uptake

.

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by H. John Kohl

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by jackel1959

-snip- Should the slides still operate "normally" when the batteries are disconnected and you are on shore power alone? When I disconnected the batteries I get the the same surging symptoms only its worse.

I know OZZ said "NO" to this question, however, I feel the answer is yes and you indicated it does. The difference is with the batteries disconnected and the shore power on you are using 12 VDC only from the converter. If it does not have a strong enough amperage it will cause more problems. The good news seems you have isolated the problem and hope it does not come back. The 15 AMP breaker to the converter was the one I was talking about when I reference other than the MAIN breakers.

If anyone operates without batteries make sure you insulate the battery cables so they do not short out because the converter is sending 12 VDC down them to try and recharge the battery.

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