Halp! No 12 v power

[Weavery]

Hi
We just set up camp in my new to me 2002 19' Scamp. Have used it several times this spring with no problems. The 12v stuff worked just fine when we set up 2 hours ago and now nothing works and the power converter fan is off. Have checked breakers, replaced fuses, checked battery connections.??

What to do? 4+ hours from home. Never used the crank for the front legs.
Jean

[Jack L]

Are you connected to 120 volt power ? Is any of your 120 volt appliances working

[Weavery]

Yes, all that works fine and apparently the front legs are wired into the battery as they still work so we can get home.

[rainjer]

Sound like a fuse someplace blew.

Jeremy

[Weavery]

I replaced the 4 fuses in the converter and flipped the breakers. Are there more fuses?

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Weavery

... Are there more fuses?

Usually one under front bench, often wrapped up and hard to find. And of course the one very near the battery.
See also this: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post590893

[Jack L]

A 14 year old trailer could easily have some modifications. The electric jacks or stabilizers could be wired directly to the battery thus avoiding the main fuse panel. A fuse to the supply to the 12 volt distribution panel could be bad. If it was owner modified, it's any ones guess.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jack L

A 14 year old trailer could easily have some modifications. The electric jacks or stabilizers could be wired directly to the battery thus avoiding the main fuse panel. A fuse to the supply to the 12 volt distribution panel could be bad. If it was owner modified, it's any ones guess.

In fact the electric jacks are a dead giveaway that something has been changed or added. If one knew how they were wired (and one should know if they have them), then you might be able to get closer to a conclusion. In fact, it could be nothing more than the converter 120 VAC plug fell out, if there is one... more info needs to be known and some testing with a meter will reveal the problem.

[stevebaz]

Did you run your fridge on 12 volts and leave it on? Running the fridge on 12 volts on a poorly set up tug during travel will drain the battery while the fridge sucks the life out of the battery.

[Weavery]

Frig is 120v or propane. No 12v option. I found the fuse under the bench and changed it was no luck. I don't have the right size for the in-line fuse at the battery. Since the legs work we can get home. Will hope the repair shop at home can solve it before our next trip.

[Weavery]

Just noticed a tiny red light on the power converter that says "overload". It appears to be glowing. I pulled the 4 fuses and a couple were warm. And clues?

[gordon2]

This is like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle with only a quarter of the pieces.. but there might be a few clues in your postings.

1. You sound almost sounded surprised that the converter fan was not running (first post). Normally the converter fan runs only when the converter is under heavy load, and that is normally the exception and not the norm. If your converter fan runs continuously or nearly so then I would suspect that it is being overloaded and I would want to know why.

2. Warm fuses are unusual but I suspect that they were warm just because the thing they were plugged into was warm. If the converter is warm it could be normal or it could be a sign that it is being overloaded.

3. The jacks are a complete wild card. They might have nothing to do with your problem, or they might have everything to do with your problem.

In all of the above cases, I would want to see the camper inspected by a qualified and experienced person to make sure there is not a dangerous situation present.

[steve dunham]

Some of the older Scamp converters have two relays . When you plug into shore power the relays are energized and one of the relays transfers your 12VDC loads from the battery over to the converter's
12 VDC power supply . The other relay connects the battery to the converter's battery charger. The relays have both N/O & N/C contacts which have been known to fail or make poor contact.
One of the relays failed in my 1999 Scamp and I lost my 12VDC.
Repairing the converter is not difficult but it is not a job I would tackle without proper tools , a meter and a schematic.

[Weavery]

I called a local rv service shop. My big concern was safety. They assured me the camper was safe, no fire risk. After 14 years of service I am happy to replace the converter. I have a Tuesday appt to drop it off at a shop at home to replace the converter and check the wiring. Our next outing is June 22 and they promised to have it done then.

I really appreciate sveryone's comments. I feel like I understand the problem better.
Thank you!

[Ttocs M]

On a kayak trip last fall to the Washington coast, I picked up my recharged battery and was surprised to find I had no 12v power upon arrival. Discovered the serviceman hooked up the battery to the wrong terminals, blowing the inline fuse. I now carry lots of extra fuses.
Still learning ow to troubleshoot my FRG.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by M Scott

On a kayak trip last fall to the Washington coast, I picked up my recharged battery and was surprised to find I had no 12v power upon arrival. Discovered the serviceman hooked up the battery to the wrong terminals, blowing the inline fuse. I now carry lots of extra fuses.
Still learning ow to troubleshoot my FRG.

After reading all these posts about batteries being hooked up backward , I marked the position wire to the battery with red tape and the negative wire to the battery with black tape then sprayed both wires with clear spray paint. I then painted the top of the battery post red for positive and black for negative..