Converter Problem? - Montana Owners Club

MAMalody · 05-20-2017, 12:51 PM

I have a 2015 3790RD. I am beginning to have problems having my jacks operate when I am not hooked to shore power. What is happening is that the system will work for 3-5 seconds then cut out. About 45 seconds later it will come back on. The last two set ups it won't even work. There is not sound of any type. My breakers and fuses are okay. I then charged my battery to make sure that was not the problem. Still does not work. When I hook up to shore power, everything works great. Any ideas?

kdeiss · 05-20-2017, 01:35 PM

Check the Battery Voltage in addation have it load tested your Auto Parts store will do that no charge you need to be sure you have a good battery first.
Sounds like your auto reset breakers are tripping and resseting. Lower voltage = higher amps

**DQDick** · 05-20-2017, 04:27 PM

Agree, really sounds like a battery issue. Do as suggested an make sure the terminals are clean.

Golfmedik · 05-20-2017, 08:56 PM

If your battery voltage is good, then the 50A resetting breaker is going bad. About $7 to replace with a like kind, or make a jumper and put two in series to make them last longer. Lippert now recommends an 80A resetting breaker on some of them.

Phil P · 05-21-2017, 05:22 AM

Hi

I agree with the battery probably being the problem. Have someone operate the switch while you hold a volt meter on the battery positive and negative post. If your voltage is dropping to 8 volts or less then you have a discharged battery or a bad battery. If you have no or very little voltage drop you have a bad connection somewhere.

A word of caution on changing the breaker to handle more amperage. The national code calls for a #6 stranded wire for 80 amps on a 10 ft length of wire.

Remember the breaker is there to protect the wire not the appliance.

Phil P

rohrmann · 05-21-2017, 01:58 PM

That year should be wired with #4 copper from the battery, through the breaker to the hydraulic pump motor. Our 2012 is also wired with #4 copper, and the 80 amp breaker replacement fixed the problem. Ours had only a 40 amp breaker installed.

rohrmann · 05-21-2017, 05:03 PM

Most people, including electricians, do not understand the purpose of fuses and breakers. They are actually there to protect the rest of the system from a failure on the circuit they are feeding. If there is a short, or any other fault on a circuit, if the fuse or breaker was not present, the fault could damage the entire electrical system. With the protective device in place, the fault is confined to the circuit beyond the fuse/breaker, that way the remainder of the system is still intact.

MAMalody · 05-21-2017, 08:05 PM

Where do I find this breaker to check? It does not appear to be part of my breaker box. Would a picture from someone help me to identify it? As you can tell, I am not a natural mechanic. I think this is my entire 12v system. I noticed when I came that my backup camera was out....until I hooked up shore power. Hmm. Well, one problem at a time....the breaker?

kdeiss · 05-22-2017, 05:05 AM

You mentioned it works fine when connected to shore power so as all have mentioned it is your battery not the breaker.Get that battery checked out! If defective and a Group 24 replace with a larger Groupe 27 if it will fit in your battery box I would go for even larger Groupe 31.

beeje · 05-22-2017, 07:48 AM

Moving the slides draws a lot of amps from the battery. You really need 2 or more batteries. I have 4. 2 six volt and 2 12 volt. Plenty of reserve power. Even still, the first thing I do before moving the slides or the level up is to plug it in to shore power or a generator.

MAMalody · 05-22-2017, 12:44 PM

I have two Interstate 6v batteries hooked up in series. I am getting ready for a 5K mile swing and am trying to get this resolved. I will be going to a local dealer today and see if I can get the reset breaker. Who else would handle those?

rohrmann · 05-22-2017, 08:07 PM

I purchased mine online, but there is a good chance that an auto parts store might carry them. You can use a manual reset or an auto reset style, as either type will work just fine.

MAMalody · 05-23-2017, 02:57 PM

What do I check next. I put a volt meter on each battery and they read 6.2+ on each one. When I hooked them up in series, they read 12.6. That looks okay to me. These batteries are Interstate batteries only 18 months old. The posts were clean, but to make sure, I detached the cables, cleaned them again, sprayed them and reinstalled the cables. The cable ends are good also (again this trailer is only 18 months old, so this is pretty normal for that age). I did put on a new auto reset circuit breaker. I think the slides will be okay, because you guys are right it is a battery/connection problem somewhere. When I disconnected shore power, nothing DC worked. When I turned it back on, the AC power that is, everything worked. I am unable to find any loose connection that I can see. What do I check next? The converter? Something has got to be loose or broken somewhere. Called Keystone, but of course, they were not open when I tried to call. Will try again tomorrow.

MAMalody · 05-23-2017, 02:58 PM

What do I check next. I put a volt meter on each battery and they read 6.2+ on each one. When I hooked them up in series, they read 12.6. That looks okay to me. These batteries are Interstate batteries only 18 months old. The posts were clean, but to make sure, I detached the cables, cleaned them again, sprayed them and reinstalled the cables. The cable ends are good also (again this trailer is only 18 months old, so this is pretty normal for that age). I did put on a new auto reset circuit breaker. I think the slides will be okay, because you guys are right it is a battery/connection problem somewhere. When I disconnected shore power, nothing DC worked. When I turned it back on, the AC power that is, everything worked. I am unable to find any loose connection that I can see. What do I check next? The converter? Something has got to be loose or broken somewhere. Called Keystone, but of course, they were not open when I tried to call. Will try again tomorrow.

kdeiss · 05-23-2017, 04:58 PM

With shore power unplugged with your Volt Meter follow the Positive to the the Breaker check voltage line side then on the load side then go to your DC fuse block inside you will see a large red (pos) wire place red Meter probe on that wire black on the ground and check voltage at that point if you have voltage their check if you are getting voltage on the load side that is on other side of fuse.
I would check all the terminals in the fuse block and make sure they are tight

beeje · 05-23-2017, 05:55 PM

Good advice from kdeiss, I have found many loose connections in the panel box of the campers I have owned. I check them every so often. Also check the ground to the frame from the battery. Often they are attached to a painted surface on the frame with no star washer producing a bad ground. Remove it and sand/grind down to bare metal are reinstall.

MAMalody · 05-27-2017, 08:20 PM

Got it fixed. You guys were right and I could not read a picture correctly. The auto reset circuit breaker I replaced that did not solve my problem was to my disk break system on my trailer. I finally called a mobile repair dude he did the same thing I did than replaced the correct auto reset circuit breaker and all is good. Jeez. Thanks for the help and pray that I learn how to read pictures correctly.

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