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07-29-2016, 12:28 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Name: Lorie
Trailer: Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 21
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Help for a newbie?
I'm on my second trip in my 2004 Scamp and have suddenly lost power to my 12-Volt electrical items (dome lights and water pumps). It doesn't look like I've lost any fuses or tripped any circuits. Can anyone help me troubleshoot?
Thanks very much!
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07-29-2016, 12:35 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Name: Jon
Trailer: 2008 Scamp 13 S1
Arizona
Posts: 11,925
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Are you running them off a battery or shore power through a converter?
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07-29-2016, 12:45 PM
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#3
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Junior Member
Name: Lorie
Trailer: Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 21
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I'm plugged into a 30Amp, so I should be charging the battery, right?
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07-30-2016, 09:37 AM
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#4
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Junior Member
Name: Kate & Mark
Trailer: 16' Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 23
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finding the lost 12 volts
Did the 12 volt power suddenly go out? Check the connections at the battery, ours suddenly went out a few road trips ago, the problem was a broken wire connection at the battery. And yes if you are on shore power the battery should be charging.
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07-30-2016, 09:48 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp 16 ft Side Dinette
Posts: 1,279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorie Q
I'm on my second trip in my 2004 Scamp and have suddenly lost power to my 12-Volt electrical items (dome lights and water pumps). It doesn't look like I've lost any fuses or tripped any circuits. Can anyone help me troubleshoot?
Thanks very much!
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Look for a fuse inside the front closet, or under the gaucho, where the wires from the battery enter the shell. Also, check for bad connectors in that area.
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07-30-2016, 10:07 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2014 16 scamp side dinette/Rav4 V6 Tow pkg.
Pennsylvania
Posts: 578
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Check to see if your converter is plugged in
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07-30-2016, 10:12 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Name: John
Trailer: 2000 16ft Scamp
Minnesota
Posts: 189
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another thing to check.
I had a similar issue this spring and the trouble was disconnected wires under the front bunk. I had overstuffed the space and lost a connector.
My friends at Backus found it.
John:
__________________
The earth without art is just eh....
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07-30-2016, 03:43 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Name: Paul
Trailer: '04 Scamp 19D, TV:Tacoma 3.5L 4door, SB
Colorado
Posts: 1,845
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wayne Collins
Look for a fuse inside the front closet, or under the gaucho, where the wires from the battery enter the shell. Also, check for bad connectors in that area.
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Another place: inside the battery box on the tongue. That is where my main fuse is for the 12V system.
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07-30-2016, 06:26 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Name: Gordon
Trailer: 2015 Scamp (16 Std Layout 4) with '15 Toyota Sienna LE Tug
North Carolina
Posts: 5,155
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark P49
Did the 12 volt power suddenly go out? Check the connections at the battery, ...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wayne Collins
Look for a fuse inside the front closet, or under the gaucho, where the wires from the battery enter the shell....
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul O.
Another place: inside the battery box on the tongue. That is where my main fuse is for the 12V system.
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OK.. the three quoted comments above do not apply because OP said they were on shore power. With a properly operating converter on shore power, the 12 volt stuff will still work if the battery connections or battery protection fuse(s) (not other fuses) are bad. In fact they will work if you have no battery at all.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carl Pa
Check to see if your converter is plugged in
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This is very likely the problem. It has been know to happen. It would cause the battery to discharge but not suddenly cut out (although it could seem like it).
You could also have more than one problem, such as an unplugged or faulty converter or one that is over heating and shutting down, AND a blown battery protection fuse.
Not sure how the OP's is wired but in my 2015 Scamp 16 the converter has a 120 VAC cord plugged into a single outlet that is part of the power distribution panel. Its a pain to find because I have to remove four screws and pull the panel out as far as the wiring will allow to check the plug. Therefore, even though I have not had a failure, I wire-tied the plug in place. The plug is in the lower left in this photo and it is inside the cabinet when the panel is in place.
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07-31-2016, 06:35 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Name: Paul
Trailer: '04 Scamp 19D, TV:Tacoma 3.5L 4door, SB
Colorado
Posts: 1,845
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Gordon, I find it interesting that Scamp used a converter that is plugged in, rather than hard wired (mine is) to the 110VAC. Is it original? All travel trailers present a high vibration environment and all equipment inside should be designed for it. The wire-ties are so handy for something like this and many other things. Every camper needs to have a bundle of those.
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07-31-2016, 07:10 AM
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#11
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Senior Member
Name: Gordon
Trailer: 2015 Scamp (16 Std Layout 4) with '15 Toyota Sienna LE Tug
North Carolina
Posts: 5,155
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul O.
Gordon, I find it interesting that Scamp used a converter that is plugged in, rather than hard wired (mine is) to the 110VAC. Is it original?..
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Yes, just as it came from Backus - brand new. And yes, it is a poor design. Reading this forum everyday I found out about it and got proactive.
With wire ties and duct tape I could rule the world. lol
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07-31-2016, 11:45 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Trailer: 2004 13 ft Scamp Custom Deluxe
Posts: 8,520
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul O.
Gordon, I find it interesting that Scamp used a converter that is plugged in, rather than hard wired (mine is) to the 110VAC. Is it original? All travel trailers present a high vibration environment and all equipment inside should be designed for it. The wire-ties are so handy for something like this and many other things. Every camper needs to have a bundle of those.
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the cord falling out is a common annoyance.It is a very simple matter to hardwire the cord by removing the plug and the outlet and using the hole for cord access.
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08-18-2016, 06:02 AM
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#13
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Senior Member
Name: Borden and Carole
Trailer: 1978 Earlton Ontario boler
Ontario
Posts: 1,506
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On the boler we have a switch from 110v to 12v on the converter when on shore pwr we do not need a battery expected scamp to be the same but sounds like it is not. Also no fuzzes, just the breakers buttons on the converter. Will add one at the battery though have a 30 amp unit i want to add.
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Our postage stamp in heaven.
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08-29-2016, 02:34 PM
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#14
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Junior Member
Name: Lorie
Trailer: Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 21
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Apologies for being offline for awhile. I was able to jump the battery and get everything running again. However, this makes me think my converter isn't working properly since while connected to shore power my battery drained. Where will I find the converter? My wiring diagram in the manual doesn't specify where on the camper it would be located, just how the wires are connected to each other.
Thanks for all of the information. So glad to have this forum!!
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08-31-2016, 01:47 PM
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#15
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Junior Member
Name: Lorie
Trailer: Scamp
Wisconsin
Posts: 21
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And...after about 48 hours battery is dead again. Can't find the converter. Can't find any wires disconnected. Anyone else have any ideas?
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08-31-2016, 03:47 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Trailer: Scamp
Posts: 7,056
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And here's another case where the best advice is take it to an RV Shop and let the professionals trouble shoot and repair. 12 VDC is just as dangerous as 120 VAC. (fires are common when wiring systems are messed with, without knowledge)
__________________
Byron & Anne enjoying the everyday Saturday thing.
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08-31-2016, 04:17 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Name: Carl
Trailer: 2015 Escape 5.0TA
Florida
Posts: 1,691
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorie Q
And...after about 48 hours battery is dead again. Can't find the converter. Can't find any wires disconnected. Anyone else have any ideas?
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Lorie,
I would suspect the converter is under the driver's side dinette bench in close proximity to where the shore power cord enters the trailer.
Sent from my iPhone using Fiberglass RV
__________________
What a long strange trip it’s been!
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08-31-2016, 04:46 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lorie Q
Where will I find the converter?
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It will be inside one our your hatches - depends on what layout you have- either under one at the very rear (thats where the one on mine was) or under one of the side dinette seats. Its either not plugged in or you have blown some fuses that are inside of its case.
Question to forum members. The convertor on my 92 Scamp was hard wired - no plug in. What year did Scamp stop hard wiring them in?
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08-31-2016, 04:54 PM
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#19
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Senior Member
Trailer: 92 16 ft Scamp
Posts: 11,756
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman
And here's another case where the best advice is take it to an RV Shop and let the professionals trouble shoot and repair. 12 VDC is just as dangerous as 120 VAC. (fires are common when wiring systems are messed with, without knowledge)
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While based on the OP's knowledge of the trailers system, simple based on questions asked, I would say thats a good suggestion should there is in fact something wrong with the wiring/converter.
But lets be frank do you really think someone needs to pay an RV shop to find and possible do nothing more than plug in their converter or replace a fuse? a little over kill don't you think
We all have to start somewhere and figuring out what your convertor looks like and its location is something every new owner should do.
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08-31-2016, 08:37 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Trailer: No Trailer Yet
Posts: 1,704
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Lorie raise your cushions up at the table area and you should see a wooden cover. Mine is on the sink/drivers side. You can easily look down in the hole and find the square bright metal box that is about roughly 8" square maybe 5-6" thick. That is your converter and it will plug into your power panel. Most likely the plug has came out and is NOT charging your battery.
This has been suggested several times and that's why I tried to include a location AND somewhat simple description of it. For safety purposes, unplug your Scamp from shore power while doing this. I'm saying that JUST in case something else should go awry. Then plug your Scamp in and if you see/hear anything out of the way....unless your pump comes on or something, unplug it immediately and take it to a shop!
My vote is 99% that the converter is unplugged or bad.
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