new battery but no 12v working ?

[Gertrude]

hi all,
So as some of you may have seen in my first couple of posts, I have just purchased a 2007 Montana 3600RE from a private seller. It will be getting moved to a 55+ park tomorrow where I will be living in it for at least 1 year.

Yesterday I purchased a new battery, (Group 27, 12v, Deep cycle, RV/Marine), and installed it . (yes I have it in correctly).
The rig was not hooked up to shore power, and I could not get anything to power up.
No lights, and no slides would operate.
I admit I am unfamiliar with this particular RV, but I have been around RV's all my life and am quite familiar with most components common to RV's... but this IS my first experience with slides.

Anyway, once the battery was installed, and nothing powered up, I started looking for a "Main battery power switch", and I could not find one.
I looked in the battery compartment as well as at the control panel for the slides.

The control panel DOES have what looks to be a standard light switch (toggle type), and then this panel has the slide switch and a couple of other switches. (I should have taken a pic of this panel, but I did not think to do so).

When I could not get the slides to move or any lights to come on, I looked at all the circuit breakers and fuses which all looked fine.

So I guess my questions for anyone familiar with this particular model is -

1- IS there supposed to be a main power switch for the battery power to be turned on/off?
(and if so, then where is it ?)

2-when NOT plugged into shore power, what functions are supposed to work/operate ?
I.E.- what functions/components is the battery supposed to provide power to ?

for what it's worth,... when the rig WAS plugged into shore power, the slides DID work, and the lights (including the 12v lights) DID come on.

(and also, if it makes any difference), This rig Does NOT have an onboard Generator.

Thanks for any replies and insight you may have.

I'm sure I will have a lot more questions as time goes along, and I try to get familiar with this (new to me) rig, and get settled into it as my new home.

Cheers, Ron

[RichR]

Sure sounds like your battery disconnect switch is off- should be around the batteries. All 12v appliances should work when not plugged to 120V

[Carl n Susan]

I assume you were doing this without shore power.

You are at the time period when Montana added a battery disconnect switch in the convenience center. It is a big red key. The labeling sucks. If you can remove the key, the battery is disconnected. There is no reason to do this. Turn the key such that it can't be removed and leave it there. There is no disconnect in the battery compartment (unless a previous owner added it). And the Red Key disconnect doesn't disconnect power 12V power to everything.

The battery serves all the 12V components even when there is no shore power. That includes lights, slides, jacks, furnace, refer, water heater, etc.

There are two 12V self-resetting circuit breakers on the wall behind the battery. They have red plastic covers. Here is a pretty inclusive Thread with everything you ever want to know about theses CBs. https://www.montanaowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78438

You should check, with a VOM, that there is 12V on both sides of both CBs.

Anytime someone changes a battery I have to ask, "did you accidentally connect the battery backwards, even if for just a second?" In your case had someone previously done this? There are four 20 amp (maybe 30 amp?) reverse polarity fuses in the converter which protect it from this mistake. Check them to ensure they are OK. Theoretically the 12V system should work without the converter but it doesn't hurt to check.

And that paddle switch in the main control panel is the power to the 120V fan/light combo in the Living Room.

Once you check all these connections and you still have no 12V power, come on back and we can discuss the next steps.

[Gertrude]

Originally Posted by RichR

Sure sounds like your battery disconnect switch is off- should be around the batteries. All 12v appliances should work when not plugged to 120V

My sentiments exactly, otherwise, how would the fridge keep tings cold (running on propane), while traveling ?

Oops, I forgot to mention in the first post, that YES, I did also try to power up the fridge, (with the switches on the "eyebrow panel"), to no avail.
the fridge indicator lights did not come on either .

So if anyone here knows where a main battery power switch would be on this model, would it be possible for you to post a pic of it and tell me WHERE it is ?

Thanks

[Gertrude]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

I assume you were doing this without shore power.

You are at the time period when Montana added a battery disconnect switch in the convenience center. It is a big red key. The labeling sucks. If you can remove the key, the battery is disconnected. There is no reason to do this. Turn the key such that it can't be removed and leave it there. There is no disconnect in the battery compartment (unless a previous owner added it). And the Red Key disconnect doesn't disconnect power 12V power to everything.

The battery serves all the 12V components even when there is no shore power. That includes lights, slides, jacks, furnace, refer, water heater, etc.

There are two 12V self-resetting circuit breakers on the wall behind the battery. They have red plastic covers. Here is a pretty inclusive Thread with everything you ever want to know about theses CBs. https://www.montanaowners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=78438

You should check, with a VOM, that there is 12V on both sides of both CBs.

Anytime someone changes a battery I have to ask, "did you accidentally connect the battery backwards, even if for just a second?" In your case had someone previously done this? There are four 20 amp (maybe 30 amp?) reverse polarity fuses in the converter which protect it from this mistake. Check them to ensure they are OK. Theoretically the 12V system should work without the converter but it doesn't hurt to check.

And that paddle switch in the main control panel is the power to the 120V fan/light combo in the Living Room.

Once you check all these connections and you still have no 12V power, come on back and we can discuss the next steps.

Thank you very much for your reply. I will check the thread that you linked.
I did check the reverse polarity fuses, which did appear to be fine, but I will check them again tomorrow when I have the rig in front of me. (it's 20 miles away right now). I will also check the CB's for power at both sides.
Is there a reset button on the CB's themselves ?
I did feel around them yesterday, but I did not find/see/feel one.

My old Lance cabover DID have a similar CB, (unbeknownst to me, and under the sink), and I about went banana's trying to figure out why I had no power then too. LOL !
Then I just happened to find THAT CB, and it DID have a tiny rest button popped out the side of the CB. I pushed that button back in and all was well.

I did not find/see a "Red Key" type switch anywhere in the battery compartment, (but then again, I did not know to look for one).
I will look again tomorrow for such a switch. I believe I know what type of switch you are reffering to.
Similar to a battery power switch on most Boats, correct ?

[Carl n Susan]

I think a 2007 is too early for the battery disconnect key in the convenience center (where the water hook ups and dump handles are located. But if you have one, this is what it looks like. This is not in the battery compartment. Montana has never seen fit to install a true battery disconnect switch on the battery. If a previous owner had installed one, it would be obvious.

[Carl n Susan]

The self-resetting Circuit Breakers are a simple bi-metallic device. There is no reset button. Here is what one (well used) looks like with the cover removed.

[Gertrude]

Ahhhhhh!
I did not think to look in the convenience center .
I will look for that.
And yes, that is what my CB's look like.

I'm am now pretty confident there is no "added on" battery disconnect switch in the battery compartment.
The positive battery lead goes straight to the CB, and the negative battery lead goes straight to the frame rail of the rig.

[team bradfield]

the battery disconnect in my 2006 was in the basement, curbside, on the back wall

[Gertrude]

Originally Posted by team bradfield

the battery disconnect in my 2006 was in the basement, curbside, on the back wall

Thanks, I will look there too.

[Carl n Susan]

Originally Posted by team bradfield

the battery disconnect in my 2006 was in the basement, curbside, on the back wall

That was probably added by a previous owner. Montana wouldn't put a disconnect there as that is where their generator prep option goes and you would not be able to find the disconnect switch.

[team bradfield]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

That was probably added by a previous owner. Montana wouldn't put a disconnect there as that is where their generator prep option goes and you would not be able to find the disconnect switch.

I bought it new, I should clarify, the belly basement, not the front basement, it was a Mountaineer, no gen prep for this unit.

[Carl n Susan]

Thanks for the clarification. I was unaware Mountaineer even had a battery disconnect switch.

[team bradfield]

this is the location, its the only picture I could find, sorry its so grainy, you can make it out. I remember the location as it was a PITA, always hitting it

[Gertrude]

Thanks for all the help folks,
I found it in the convince center just as previously suggested.

[bcrvman]

Originally Posted by Gertrude

hi all,
So as some of you may have seen in my first couple of posts, I have just purchased a 2007 Montana 3600RE from a private seller. It will be getting moved to a 55+ park tomorrow where I will be living in it for at least 1 year.

Yesterday I purchased a new battery, (Group 27, 12v, Deep cycle, RV/Marine), and installed it . (yes I have it in correctly).
The rig was not hooked up to shore power, and I could not get anything to power up.
No lights, and no slides would operate.
I admit I am unfamiliar with this particular RV, but I have been around RV's all my life and am quite familiar with most components common to RV's... but this IS my first experience with slides.

Anyway, once the battery was installed, and nothing powered up, I started looking for a "Main battery power switch", and I could not find one.
I looked in the battery compartment as well as at the control panel for the slides.

The control panel DOES have what looks to be a standard light switch (toggle type), and then this panel has the slide switch and a couple of other switches. (I should have taken a pic of this panel, but I did not think to do so).

When I could not get the slides to move or any lights to come on, I looked at all the circuit breakers and fuses which all looked fine.

So I guess my questions for anyone familiar with this particular model is -

1- IS there supposed to be a main power switch for the battery power to be turned on/off?
(and if so, then where is it ?)

2-when NOT plugged into shore power, what functions are supposed to work/operate ?
I.E.- what functions/components is the battery supposed to provide power to ?

for what it's worth,... when the rig WAS plugged into shore power, the slides DID work, and the lights (including the 12v lights) DID come on.

(and also, if it makes any difference), This rig Does NOT have an onboard Generator.

Thanks for any replies and insight you may have.

I'm sure I will have a lot more questions as time goes along, and I try to get familiar with this (new to me) rig, and get settled into it as my new home.

Cheers, Ron

FYI, that is probably not a true deep cycle battery. It is important to have one if you plan to use the rig off grid. If you are never going to use the rig off grid it doesn't matter but if you do get a real deep cycle. Golf cart batteries are deep cycle. Made by Trojan, Crown, Interstate (Trojan) and perhaps others. If the battery has the word crank anywhere on it as in CCA (cold cranking amps) MCA (marine cranking amps) then it's NOT a deep cycle battery, it's a hybrid.

[Buckfisher]

I would check to see if the battery cables are clean and making good contact with the battery. Also sometimes the cables are corroded enough such that the cables must be replaced.

[Ml barber]

My rig is new
But i have 2 disconnects
1 by the battery and 1 is a red key where the water supply hooks up and the black and gray water valves are. Too me a while to find the key one but that cuts all 12 volt power the other one keeps landing gear and cord reel hot

[dfb]

May be a bad converter/...

[Ml barber]

Ac electric to rig only runs a battery charger. Which runs all the 12 volt.stuff. so if it where bad it would still work until the bat dies.
There is an inverter that takes dc to ac current for refrigerator while traveling but has nothing to do with 12 volt panel. Seems 12 v battery power isn't making it to the 12 volt panel. Must be a switch .maybe a bad ground. Or a wire brake but a break wouldn't be a that common . Check grounding to rig or shut off. Or wires feeding panel