# 12 V System Toast



## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Fun times. I got the new camper to my backyard yesterday with everything working. I left the unit plugged into the 110v so that the battery would charge and now today when we went out to show it off, the 12 v system is not working. I disconnected the battery and tested it, it shows 2.6 V. I took the 40 amp fuse out for the battery and it showed 13.6 V output across the fuse holder. I have 110 but no 12 v and test across the disconnected positive connection to ground shows 1 ohms. I really didn't want to have to take a day off to go to the dealer (110 miles away) but it looks like I'm going to have to.


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## DuaneEllison (Feb 26, 2006)

I sure hope you don't have to drag the entire rig down there and can just have them replace the battery, or do you think that there is another problem that killed the battery? Either way what a *PAIN*!


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

First, check all the terminals in the converter box. Do the interior lights work while plugged in to shore power? If so, than the converter is working, and the problem is elsewhere. Check all the fuses, and breakers, and make sure the battery is connected properly.

I'd call the service department of the dealer first, maybe they can help you troubleshoot it over the phone, and save you a trip.

Tim


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> First, check all the terminals in the converter box. Do the interior lights work while plugged in to shore power? If so, than the converter is working, and the problem is elsewhere. Check all the fuses, and breakers, and make sure the battery is connected properly.
> 
> I'd call the service department of the dealer first, maybe they can help you troubleshoot it over the phone, and save you a trip.
> 
> ...


I have to agree with what Tim said

Don


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

hatcityhosehauler said:


> First, check all the terminals in the converter box. Do the interior lights work while plugged in to shore power? If so, than the converter is working, and the problem is elsewhere. Check all the fuses, and breakers, and make sure the battery is connected properly.
> 
> I'd call the service department of the dealer first, maybe they can help you troubleshoot it over the phone, and save you a trip.
> 
> ...


We plan on going camp in two weeks about 25 miles away from the dealer, so it would not be real bad to take it up, but I was hoping to be able to get everything filled and ready before then. With no 12 volt, I can't run the water pump to get that ready and I will have to hand crank the jacks! The price we pay for our toys.

Does any one know if there is curcuit breaker by the battery? I could not see one but I remember the service guy saying there might be one.


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## ARzark (Aug 9, 2005)

I don't recall seeing any circuit breaker by the battery. On mine the wiring was, well let's just say I would have done things a bit neater.

Maybe check all those wiring connections at the battery and wiring terminals. I've noticed that the cutouts for the front jacks could/do allow water inside the area where the battery is when towing in the rain. Not much at all, but perhaps a loose connection or some corrosion? Worth checking out.

Good luck! Hate to think of cranking those jacks manually


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

WAcamper said:


> I don't recall seeing any circuit breaker by the battery. On mine the wiring was, well let's just say I would have done things a bit neater.
> 
> Maybe check all those wiring connections at the battery and wiring terminals. I've noticed that the cutouts for the front jacks could/do allow water inside the area where the battery is when towing in the rain. Not much at all, but perhaps a loose connection or some corrosion? Worth checking out.
> 
> ...


thanks. One of the selling points for us was the electric jacks. We graduated from a pop-up to something that only takes a few minutes to setup and one of the pluses of the Outback was the electric Jacks.

I am conviced my problem is a short some place. I connected my battery charger to the battery and it looks like it is charging ok. I then connected to the disconnected positive wire instead of the battery and the amp meter pegged out. I may just have to let the dealer deal with it eventhough it means having to waste a day of vacation to get it done. I thought that I should be able to get 12 v without having the battery hooked up but can't, so there goes any other work on the camper for now.

Let you all know what I found out. I did notice there was one thread about loose connections in the converter itself. May have to check that out.


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## cookie9933 (Feb 26, 2005)

Check to be sure the battery polarity is correct. As I recall, black is positive and white is negative.

I don't know why Keystone doesn't observe the 12 volt convention of red=positive and black=negative.

Bill


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

cookie9933 said:


> Check to be sure the battery polarity is correct.Â As I recall, black is positive and white is negative.Â
> 
> I don't know why Keystone doesn't observe the 12 volt convention of red=positive and black=negative.
> 
> ...


The system has many wires and can not have just a red for positive. The closest explanation is that they followed house wiring with White being neutral / ground and Black being hot.

You should have a 30 amp auto reset thermal breaker located adjacent to the battery.

Just curious is the break away switch pulled? This is un fused and will pull significant current from the battery.


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

CamperAndy said:


> cookie9933 said:
> 
> 
> > Check to be sure the battery polarity is correct.Â As I recall, black is positive and white is negative.Â
> ...


I don't know, I'll check that in the morning and see is that happened to have been pulled out by some kids or something. Good thought.

Larry


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

You should have a 30 amp auto reset thermal breaker located adjacent to the battery.

Just curious is the break away switch pulled? This is un fused and will pull significant current from the battery.
[snapback]92457[/snapback]​[/quote]

I don't know, I'll check that in the morning and see is that happened to have been pulled out by some kids or something. Good thought.

Larry
[snapback]92460[/snapback]​[/quote]

Just checked. the break away switch was where it was suppose to be. reset it just because. The only thing that I can think of is that I had opened and closed the bumpout yesterday. So I don't know if maybe there was a wire that got caught or something.

Larry


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

If you are camping just 25 miles away...maybe have the dealer come visit you. You never know...maybe the service guy lives in that direction....this will give you more camping time.

Thor


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## Not Yet (Dec 13, 2004)

Had similiar symptoms in my TT last fall. Dealer replaced the 30 amp thermal fuse behind the battery box. Good as new. Maybe the dealer will do that on site.

Jared


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## h2oman (Nov 17, 2005)

I had the same thing happen. I crossed the wires the first time I rehooked my batteries. The manual says that this will blow a fuse. I replaced the blown fuse and the sensor immediately gave me a full charge reading.


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## LarryTheOutback (Jun 15, 2005)

cookie9933 said:


> Check to be sure the battery polarity is correct. As I recall, black is positive and white is negative.
> 
> I don't know why Keystone doesn't observe the 12 volt convention of red=positive and black=negative.
> 
> ...


I believe it's an industry standard. Our Coleman (Fleetwood) tent trailer was wired the same way, as are others I've seen. There is an ANSI/NFPA standard for RV systems that I think all manufactures adhere to ... it's not online so I can't look, but I think it's a pretty good assumption that it specifies wire color.

Ed


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

LarryTheOutback said:


> cookie9933 said:
> 
> 
> > Check to be sure the battery polarity is correct.Â As I recall, black is positive and white is negative.Â
> ...


Couldn't see the thermal breaker. We have a forcast of up to 12" of snow for tonight and cold until the weekend, so I don't plan on doing anything on the camper till then. I emailed the dealer but haven't heard anything back from them. Will call them later in the week. I think that the best thing to do is to arrange to take it up the 31st and while there have them look at the stupid latch on the shower that could ( and will, I tested it on my wife!) lock you in the shower. Maybe they can repair that or at least take it off.

As far as the color of the wires, it is perrty ovious in my 5th. There is a short white wire that goes from the negative of the battery to the frame right beside it and a longer black wire that connects to a bunch of red wires to take power to everything else.

Larry


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## CamperAndy (Aug 26, 2004)

Lmbevard said:


> As far as the color of the wires, it is perrty ovious in my 5th. There is a short white wire that goes from the negative of the battery to the frame right beside it and a longer black wire that connects to a bunch of red wires to take power to everything else.
> 
> Larry
> [snapback]92923[/snapback]​


Where the black wire meets all the other wires is where the 30 amp thermal breaker is located. It is self reseting and looks like a little metal box with 2 threaded studs.


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Where the black wire meets all the other wires is where the 30 amp thermal breaker is located. It is self reseting and looks like a little metal box with 2 threaded studs.
[snapback]93004[/snapback]​[/quote]

My DW told me to NOT work on the camper anymore. So we have an appointment to take it back to the dealer to get some of the problems that we found so far fixed. Besides the 12 V system and the traveling latch on the shower door, we also found a piece of trim that is falling off and the shower hose connection sprays water when the system is pressurized with city water.

I did hook up today to rinse the pink stuff out of the lines with the city water connection and will sanitize the water tank before filling so that we (hopfully) have water along with electricity for next weekend.

Thanks guys for the suggestions. I will have to quiz the repair guys next Friday about how to open the slide out without electricity, or maybe more important, how to close it!


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

Just thought I would let you all know how it went at the dealer. First of all, when I got up there I found out that they had assumed that I was just going to drop off the camper and let them look at it later whereas I had assumed that when I called them I was setting up an appt. I raised a stink enough that they found someone to look at the camper. They didn't find a thing wrong with the electric system but did fix the shower latch and replaced the shower fauct to correct the leak. The only thing that we can figure out on the electrical system is that I had it plugged into a 50' extention cord and either there was not enough power or the outside plug in has reverse polarity so the converter would not charge up the battery. Everything worked find all weekend at the camp ground and even hooked up to the truck. I will check the polarity this week and will be hooking up a 30 amp service behind the house so that don't happen again.

PS it is not that bad to hand crank the legs up on the camper, expecially when the DW does it!

Larry


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## 2500Ram (Oct 30, 2005)

Good to hear Larry, thanks for the update

Glad things are working again







We have a gen and had to wire in a 30A twist lock extension cord and yup been there done that with 4 prongs on the twist lock and 3 wires. Long story short 7:00 (prongs facing away) for power on a 4 prong twist lock plug and white is hot, not neutral.

Bill.


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