RESOLVED - Bad Ground Cable and Converter

Chesse

Member
I placed new batteries on today, the generator will start but the control panel and all the lights will not come on. Any thoughts?
 

branson4020

Icantre Member
Re: Electrical Help Please

Your lights and control panel indicators are part of your 12V system. Your generator powers your 110V system. Let's forget about the generator. If you plug into shore power, do your lights work?
 

Chesse

Member
Re: Electrical Help Please

Your lights and control panel indicators are part of your 12V system. Your generator powers your 110V system. Let's forget about the generator. If you plug into shore power, do your lights work?

No lights or even the control panel with shore power.
 

wdk450

Well-known member
Re: Electrical Help Please

From what Branson suggested and your results, you need to check out your 12 volts DC wiring system. Start at the source (Battery) with a voltmeter or test light, and work your way back to the electrical loads. The converter should be feeding into the battery, and you should see a higher voltage (or brighter test light) at the battery when the trailer is plugged in, than when it is not. That tells you the convertor is connected to the battery and working.
 

Chesse

Member
Re: Electrical Help Please

I tested the battery with a volt meter without shore power and then plugged in, no difference.

I had to jump the genset with automotive jumper cables to get the generator running but when the cables are taken off the car battery the generator quits?
 

Rickhansen

Well-known member
Re: Electrical Help Please

Chesse,
Did everything work correctly prior to replacing your batteries? I'd go back to basics... You checked them with a voltmeter - What did they read? You need to re-verify that they are correctly wired and the batteries are good, and that they are properly charged. You might have hooked them up backwards or created a short that has blown the fuses in your converter. The 12VDC runs all of the house lights, and electronics for the fridge, hot water heater, display panel, and furnace. Without 12VDC and good fuses you are dead in the water.
 

Chesse

Member
Re: Electrical Help Please

2 sets of new batteries, I know they were good. They were hooked up correctly, all fuses were checked including the fuses on the converter.
 

Willym

Well-known member
Re: Electrical Help Please

I tested the battery with a volt meter without shore power and then plugged in, no difference.

I had to jump the genset with automotive jumper cables to get the generator running but when the cables are taken off the car battery the generator quits?

Based on the above, your batteries are not receiving any charge from your converter. It appears that your battery is not supporting your trailers 12V system. Two obvious things to check if you haven't done so already - is your 12V master disconnect closed? Is the 120 Vac CB for your converter tripped?

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Chesse

Member
Re: Electrical Help Please

My Cyclone did not come with a master disconnect. I did check the 120 volt CB and no it was not tripped. I just took the RV in for service today, I'll let them figure this out. Thanks for the reply's.
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Re: Electrical Help Please

Wow that's weird. Anyone else NOT have a 12v disconnect?

rideblue, I think they just started putting in a main battery disconnect starting withe the 2011 models. Key here is "I think".
My 2008 Bighorn does not have one, but the new Bighorn will have it.

Peace
Dave
 
Re: Electrical Help Please

We install a battery at the factory on all models that have hydraulic front landing gear, as I understand it. For the 2011 model year, that would be Landmark, Bighorn and Cyclone. Do we also install a battery cut-off switch in all 3 models? I am unsure. I know we do on LM. Just not sure on BH and CY. Dave, did the BH you looked at in Elkhart have the cut-off switch on it?

Jim
 

DC10-FE

Member
Re: Electrical Help Please

I have a 2011 Cyclone 3010 with the battery cut off switch installed. The 2010 model I initially looked at at the dealer had one as well.
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
Re: Electrical Help Please

There are several product lines that do not have a 12 volt disconnect. One that I know of is the Trail Runner. Most are the entry level lines. Our Landmark does have a 12 volt disconnect switch.
 

rideblue

Active Member
Re: Electrical Help Please

I have a 2007 Cyclone with electric landing gear and it has a battery cut off switch.
 

jnbhobe

Well-known member
Re: Electrical Help Please

My 09 Bighorn didn't come with a cutoff switch, but it does now !! I guess the reason I put it on was because I could, but I don't use it.
 

Duramax1

Well-known member
Re: Electrical Help Please

My Sundance did not come with a battery disconnect switch. I installed one because I could, and I do use it anytime our trailer is in the storage lot.
 

flameon

Active Member
Re: Electrical Help Please

I have a 2008, 3795 Cyclone Full Throttle and it has a factory installed disconnect switch
 
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