Where is the converter? My 2011 cyclone 2812 has. Issues w landing gear!

[harleywalt]

My used Cyclone 2812, has issues w charging the battery to operate the landing gear. My paperwork says I have an inverter. I know what it looks like but none found. Besides I had to look for the manual crank to lift the nose, guess what no place to manually crank up the nose. What kind of manual do I have? Nothing in manual pics looks Like what is on this unit! Any help appreciated.
No buss fuse reset button found
no inverter found
must start truck / connect lights/ keep shore power connected to lift nose

 

[danemayer]

Hi harleywalt,

The Power Converter (120V AC to 12V DC) is usually located behind the rear wall of the pass through basement storage.

In your control panel, you have a battery monitor that's part of the holding tank monitor. When connected to shore power, and disconnected from your truck, if your Power Converter is working, you'll get 4 lights on the monitor. If that's the case, you don't need to find the Power Converter because it's working.

Instead, 1) make sure your battery cutoff switch is ON. 2) look at the row of 12V DC mini-circuit breakers near the battery. They're covered by a red rubber boot. Look for a breaker that has thick wires on both sides. That's probably the one that sits between Power Converter and battery. Feel all the edges for a teeny tiny reset button that may be difficult to see. 3) If you have a volt meter, while plugged into shore power, and disconnected from the truck, you should read 13.2-13.6V DC at the battery.

We have some guides that may be helpful. The Electrical User Guide in this folder outlines all of the 120V AC and 12V DC systems with many pictures and diagrams. The 12V Block Diagram and Troubleshooting Guide in this folder will help you run down a problem with the 12V DC system.

 

[cookie]

So, a couple of questions here.
How old is your battery? If it is original then it's probably time to replace it as it may not be able to take a charge.
Is your landing gear hydraulic or electric? If hydraulic there should be a flexible tool that operates the pump by using it and a cordless drill. There will be a stick on cover on the hydraulic pump.
If electric then there should be a plugged hole, probably in a sided compartment that would be directly to the side of your landing gear.
Also if your not getting the 13+ volts after checking the reset button that Dan mentioned then your might want to look at the fuses on your converter as well as checking that it is plugged in.

Peace
Dave

 

[harleywalt]

So, a couple of questions here.
How old is your battery? If it is original then it's probably time to replace it as it may not be able to take a charge.
Is your landing gear hydraulic or electric? If hydraulic there should be a flexible tool that operates the pump by using it and a cordless drill. There will be a stick on cover on the hydraulic pump.
If electric then there should be a plugged hole, probably in a sided compartment that would be directly to the side of your landing gear.
Also if your not getting the 13+ volts after checking the reset button that Dan mentioned then your might want to look at the fuses on your converter as well as checking that it is plugged in.

Peace
Dave

The battery is new(90days). The landing gear is hydraulic. I do not find a reset button. They are all in line next to each other, I can see the tops of the buss where they are connected w the one copper bar, but because they are low on the wall in the gen set box, I cannot get to see, but feeling did not revel any thing. I'll wait till I get back home, to dig into this. All the info really helped me.
I Looked at the motor, on hydraulic pump, it has a sticker on the shaft end, but no known felexable tool found. Am I looking at wrong part? I figure at this point it must be a weak buss fuse. The elect panel shows battery is ok but I'll put a meter on it.

 

[boatto5er]

My used Cyclone 2812, has issues w charging the battery to operate the landing gear. My paperwork says I have an inverter. I know what it looks like but none found. Besides I had to look for the manual crank to lift the nose, guess what no place to manually crank up the nose. What kind of manual do I have? Nothing in manual pics looks Like what is on this unit! Any help appreciated.
No buss fuse reset button found
no inverter found
must start truck / connect lights/ keep shore power connected to lift nose

It’s not the inverter you’re having issues with, it’s the Converter (changes 120volt AC power to 12volt DC power). Sounds like you think it’s not working. But are your lights working? Awnings? These are also 12volt DC powered items. The “buss fuse” you mention is actually a 12volt mini circuit breaker (see picture). But if your slides are working OK, it’s probably not the mini breaker.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[cookie]

Gus brought up a good point. That 50 amp auto reset breaker can get weak.
Change the breaker that protects your hydraulic pump. (See the pic Gus posted)
Many of us carry spares.
They are under $10.

Peace
Dave

 

[cookie]

Here is someone elses picture of the flex tool used to operate your hydraulic pump.
Call Heartland Customer Service.
877-262-8032

Peace
Dave

 

[harleywalt]

It’s not the inverter you’re having issues with, it’s the Converter (changes 120volt AC power to 12volt DC power). Sounds like you think it’s not working. But are your lights working? Awnings? These are also 12volt DC powered items. The “buss fuse” you mention is actually a 12volt mini circuit breaker (see picture). But if your slides are working OK, it’s probably not the mini breaker.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Slide works. lights work

- - - Updated - - -

Here is someone elses picture of the flex tool used to operate your hydraulic pump.
Call Heartland Customer Service.
877-262-8032

Peace
Dave

thanks Dave I've neve4 seen this tool. I'll order one or two.

 

[Lou_and_Bette]

Before you order the flex tool, did the original owner/dealership leave a plastic pouch with manuals/brochures in the rig for you? If so, empty that pouch and look in the bottom for the flex tool. You may not be able to feel it without emptying it.

 

[dave10a]

It’s not the inverter you’re having issues with, it’s the Converter (changes 120volt AC power to 12volt DC power). Sounds like you think it’s not working. But are your lights working? Awnings? These are also 12volt DC powered items. The “buss fuse” you mention is actually a 12volt mini circuit breaker (see picture). But if your slides are working OK, it’s probably not the mini breaker.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Anyone that understands Kircoff's law and battery characteristics know that a 50amp breaker in the inverter charging circuit that is capable of more than 50 amps is poor design on Heartlands part.

 

[danemayer]

Anyone that understands Kircoff's law and battery characteristics know that a 50amp breaker in the inverter charging circuit that is capable of more than 50 amps is poor design on Heartlands part.

Dave,

You might be the only person here who understands Kirchoff's Law. Would you explain in lay terms what it says and how it applies to "the inverter charging circuit".

 

[dave10a]

Dave,

You might be the only person here who understands Kirchoff's Law. Would you explain in lay terms what it says and how it applies to "the inverter charging circuit".

Anyone that is schooled in electronics knows the various laws while electonic engineers know how to derive them using calculus-- So there are droves of folks that understand and apply them. To make it simple for the layman" If you have a current source of 60-80 amps and a breaker of 50 amps then the breaker will trip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2QDXjG2ynU is an example for the layman. Either the folks at Heartland that designed that circuit are not familiar with electrical laws or they are going on the cheap while adhering to electrical codes. Evidently the Heartland folks assumed the batteries will help supply the current allowing the charger to supply less than the 60-70 amps require for the hydraulic system. That allows them to use smaller wire and less expensive breaker. An 80 amp breaker costs a lot more money than the 50 manual reset breaker they use. It is real life that batteries can be drained to where the charger is required to make up the difference. In short is bad design on Heartland's part.

 

[Squirlee]

Anyone that is schooled in electronics knows the various laws while electonic engineers know how to derive them using calculus-- So there are droves of folks that understand and apply them. To make it simple for the layman" If you have a current source of 60-80 amps and a breaker of 50 amps then the breaker will trip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2QDXjG2ynU is an example for the layman. Either the folks at Heartland that designed that circuit are not familiar with electrical laws or they are going on the cheap while adhering to electrical codes. Evidently the Heartland folks assumed the batteries will help supply the current allowing the charger to supply less than the 60-70 amps require for the hydraulic system. That allows them to use smaller wire and less expensive breaker. An 80 amp breaker costs a lot more money than the 50 manual reset breaker they use. It is real life that batteries can be drained to where the charger is required to make up the difference. In short is bad design on Heartland's part.

And further, didn't Heartland at one time put out a bulletin (or whatever they are called) to actually replace the 50 amp breakers with 80 amp to correct the tripping problems and then the bulletin disappeared?

 

[dave10a]

And further, didn't Heartland at one time put out a bulletin (or whatever they are called) to actually replace the 50 amp breakers with 80 amp to correct the tripping problems and then the bulletin disappeared?

It is possible that the wire size that Heartland choose to use does not meet the electrical codes for an 80amp breaker, but are OK for a 50 amp breaker. I am not familiar with RV electrical codes, but the codes I am aware of require specific wire sizes and types for what ever a breaker is rated for. I am sure one can find those codes with Google.

 

[harleywalt]

Before you order the flex tool, did the original owner/dealership leave a plastic pouch with manuals/brochures in the rig for you? If so, empty that pouch and look in the bottom for the flex tool. You may not be able to feel it without emptying it.

Thanks Lou & Betty, no tool. I’ve got all the product brosures, and have been thru them all but no tool n no info sheet about one. We got this RV after it was traded, the original owner was out of Fl. We bought it in Denton Tx. 😃 Traded 09 ultra Redhot sun glo & smokie gold for 2012 Triglide red hot sunglo & merlot
Just an FYI: we got back to the house today I tried to put the landing gear down, the switch would not work as if not connected. Not even a click... SO I got my hand in the box and found the switch on the hydraulic gear. It lowered the legs just fine. I’m going to check everything but think there is a short or switch is shot.
Thanks much for all the help

- - - Updated - - -

It is possible that the wire size that Heartland choose to use does not meet the electrical codes for an 80amp breaker, but are OK for a 50 amp breaker. I am not familiar with RV electrical codes, but the codes I am aware of require specific wire sizes and types for what ever a breaker is rated for. I am sure one can find those codes with Google.

This one is 30 amp service. I may have stumbled on the real culprit. The up down switch on the outside may be faulty. It didn’t even click, so we got home today and I reached into the gender box n found the switch that’s attached to the hydraulic unit, and lowered the landing gear just fine. 😃 I’m checking it out tomorrow.
Thanks all for the feedback

 

[harleywalt]

I took the rv to my favorite shop. After checking all things, the battery was defective😬 I want to thank all who gave me feedback. It also got me to look for that flex tool, (Dave) and add other tools to my bag. 👍