help please no 12 volt
- Thread starter Greengas
- Start date
Larry&LyndaSmith
Past New Mexico Chapter Leaders
Problem fixed - told him to check the reset button on the 50 amp breaker which had popped. Reset it and he was good too go.
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Oregon_Camper
Well-known member
That darn reset switch needs an attached small battery (like a watch battery) and then an audible alarm starts when it pops.
danemayer
Well-known member
Ronn,
You have the problem at least partially resolved.
The slides and landing gear are powered primarily from the battery, through the buss bar and 12V mini-circuit breakers near the battery. When you pressed the reset button, you reconnected the battery/buss bar to the Power Converter/Fuse Box. If that got things working immediately, you must have been plugged into shore power and the shore power, through the Power Converter, provided enough power to operate the slides and landing gear.
The part that isn't resolved is that even with the manual reset breaker tripped, the battery will normally supply plenty of power to operate the slides and landing gear. If it didn't, that means that the battery ran down because the breaker was tripped and it wasn't getting a charge from the Power Converter. If you set the battery cutoff OFF, you can typically go for a few months without the battery running down, even if that breaker is tripped.
You'll get some charging from the truck connection as you tow. And assuming a shore power connection at your destination, the battery should get recharged - unless draining it too far has shortened its life or reduced its ability to hold a charge. So keep an eye on the battery charge. Depending on quality of the battery, and its age, it could be time for a new battery.
You have the problem at least partially resolved.
The slides and landing gear are powered primarily from the battery, through the buss bar and 12V mini-circuit breakers near the battery. When you pressed the reset button, you reconnected the battery/buss bar to the Power Converter/Fuse Box. If that got things working immediately, you must have been plugged into shore power and the shore power, through the Power Converter, provided enough power to operate the slides and landing gear.
The part that isn't resolved is that even with the manual reset breaker tripped, the battery will normally supply plenty of power to operate the slides and landing gear. If it didn't, that means that the battery ran down because the breaker was tripped and it wasn't getting a charge from the Power Converter. If you set the battery cutoff OFF, you can typically go for a few months without the battery running down, even if that breaker is tripped.
You'll get some charging from the truck connection as you tow. And assuming a shore power connection at your destination, the battery should get recharged - unless draining it too far has shortened its life or reduced its ability to hold a charge. So keep an eye on the battery charge. Depending on quality of the battery, and its age, it could be time for a new battery.
danemayer
Well-known member
The breaker for the hydraulics is auto-reset. The only one that's ever manual reset is to the Power Converter/Fuse Box.
mlpeloquin
Well-known member
On my Big Horn, if the 50 amp breaker has popped, I cannot run the hydraulics unless my truck or the main power cable is connected. The 50 amp pops when I disconnect the main power without tripping of the breaker first, (did this only once when I first got the fifth wheel), or when I unplug at the house. My cable is long enough that when I pull the power cable from my house the breaker usually does not pop. I need to put a switch in the line. Another on my to do list.
danemayer
Well-known member
I'm not sure if you're talking about the 50 amp manual reset 12V DC mini-breaker or a 120V AC breaker in the main panel inside.
Regardless, unless the battery has a problem, or has been drained and has not been recharging, it should be capable of operating the hydraulics.
mlpeloquin
Well-known member
In this thread, the breaker is the 50A 12V. If it has tripped, the batteries are disconnected and will not power the hydraulics or charge the batteries. Being plugged in to the 120VAC or 12V from the truck will power the hydraulics. Pulling the power cord out live will/may cause the 50A 12V breaker to trip. Turn the main power off by the breaker prior to pulling the power cord out. I have also read that some have had problems with the 12V 50A breaker tripping just by running the hydraulics. They have switch out the 12V 50A breaker to a higher rated breaker.
danemayer
Well-known member
Correct that the batteries will not get charged if the breaker is tripped. However, the hydraulics should get power from the battery even if the breaker is tripped. That is, if the battery has any power.
I've attached a general wiring diagram for the Residential Refrigerator in a Landmark along with a notated photo from a Landmark 365 buss bar. Bighorns should be very similar. The power from the battery goes to the buss bar and is shared across more than one 12V DC breaker. The breaker to the Power Converter can be tripped without interrupting power flow from batteries to the hydraulics pump and other devices.
Attachments
mlpeloquin
Well-known member
Well your correct. I went back and looked into my log book. The batteries were all but gone because they were not being charged. This happened during the first six months of ownership. It has not happened since because I check that breaker all the time.
Greengas
Well-known member
Thank you so very much for the help. Just another example of why Heartland owners are the best. You mentioned on the phone replacing the breaker that popped with an auto reset one and buying spare, auto reset breakers. Can you provide a suggested link? Thanks again.
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Dan
My daughter's in laws were staying in the rig for the past 2.5 months while they waited for their house to be ready. My guess us the breaker popped a while back and the battery just went dead. Now that the rig is back in storage I pulled both batteries and are charging them. They are group 31 deep cell batteries so we will see what their condition is. And let's just say that the folks staying in the rig really never got the hang of RV living. When I went to dump and clean the tanks the sludge that came out of the black tank was like nothing I'd ever seen before.
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Since this was the second time I've had a problem with the breaker and the second time I could not remember where it was, I am going to make a sign and put it in the battery compartment telling me where it is, what it does, and how to reset it. I'll post pictures when done.
- - - Updated - - -
Dan
My daughter's in laws were staying in the rig for the past 2.5 months while they waited for their house to be ready. My guess us the breaker popped a while back and the battery just went dead. Now that the rig is back in storage I pulled both batteries and are charging them. They are group 31 deep cell batteries so we will see what their condition is. And let's just say that the folks staying in the rig really never got the hang of RV living. When I went to dump and clean the tanks the sludge that came out of the black tank was like nothing I'd ever seen before.
- - - Updated - - -
Since this was the second time I've had a problem with the breaker and the second time I could not remember where it was, I am going to make a sign and put it in the battery compartment telling me where it is, what it does, and how to reset it. I'll post pictures when done.
Bones
Well-known member
So just a thought. If there is really no way of knowing that the power converter is not charging the batteries would a simple battery meter hooked to the batteries work in telling you that you have a charge going to them. The indications would be a voltage around 14 volts and not the usual 12 volts. If the converter tripped then the gauge would read 12 volts.
danemayer
Well-known member
Maybe something like this? Of course if you set it too high, it'll also go off every time shore power is disconnected. Hmm, maybe that would be good. I'd guess you might want to have a switch on the hot wire so you could disable it.
Bones
Well-known member
Yes I think that is a good Idea paired with a meter so you don't just have some crazy alarm going off and your scratching your head. It looks like the alarm may be adjustable so You may want to adjust when battery voltage gets around 11.5 volts. You can have two switches. One on the panel to turn it on and off and then it should be after the main battery disconnect. So when you turn your batteries off it will go off too and not read any more. I think this would be a good small addition to knowing your batteries are being charged by the converter when plugged in. It would also serve as a notice if your not getting a charge from the Tow vehicle as well.
