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Old 04-10-2017, 08:58 PM   #1
Justus2
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No battery power now - help!

Our 2014 Alpine 3010RE is parked year-round.

Over the winter we discovered there was no power to our pedestal so the park repaired that, but the end result of that a blown automatic transfer relay switch (model PD52p). Battery died due to no charge for a couple months, so we've got a brand new battery and we just replaced the relay switch over the weekend.

My husband went up today and discovered we now have electricity to the outlets but no battery power. This unit is wired for a generator (from the factory), but there is no generator in the unit.

What else could be wrong?
What else do we need to look at? He tried the battery connect/disconnect switch but that did not make a difference. Is it just a matter of letting the battery charge with the new switch and shore power?

Thanks for listening....
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Old 04-10-2017, 09:50 PM   #2
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I would take a look at the reverse polarity fuses on the converter/charger. They are the 40 amp fuses (2 of them) that protect the converter from any reverse polarity (usually from hooking up the battery "backwards". With no power, a discharged battery (probably frozen) and the electrical work that has been done, I'd suspect those fuses. They are located on the converter charger, adjacent to, but not in the vertical DC fuse panel.
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Old 04-11-2017, 04:43 AM   #3
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Thanks for the advice.

I need a little more help locating where these two 40 amp fuses might be. When I read your response to my husband he immediately thought they were the fuse panel, but you clearly stated not the vertical DC fuse panel. Where should we look for these?

That box we installed was a converter, wasn't it? Are you saying they are on that box?

Or is there something close to that box, or the fuse panel that you are referring to? The box was installed in the front storage compartment, is there something else up front or near the battery box we should be looking for?

Thank you for all your help. This forum is like having your own personal repair team. I don't know what we'd do without it.
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Old 04-11-2017, 04:54 AM   #4
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Reverse polarity fuses are usually on the DC fuse panel. Won't be in the row of fuses but off to the side.

If you have a converter that plugs into the breaker panel (usually on the back side) then it will have 2 fuses in it on the back where the charging leads hook to.
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Old 04-11-2017, 04:58 AM   #5
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Assuming you have the WFCO converter the battery fuses are there. The only 40 amp fuses and orange IIRC. They are by themselves and not in the stack of other 12V fuses.

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Old 04-11-2017, 05:03 AM   #6
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I have a 2011 alpine 3450rl. My converter is in the space behind the fuse/circuit breaker panel. You actually have to remove the entire panel to gain access to it. The reverse polarity fuses are plugged into the back of the converter. The transfer switch you had installed is for the generator, even though you don't have one installed. All it does is determine which source of A/C voltage enters the trailer, either generator of shore power. That switch has nothing to do with DC voltage. Since you had an issue with shore power at the pedestal I would suspect the fuses on the converter as others have said. In a worse case senario the converter itself may be fryed. With an issue at the pedestal there is no telling what other damage may have happened.
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Old 04-11-2017, 06:04 AM   #7
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Assuming your 2014 Alpine is stock it has the Chang 75 amp converter installed. There are two fuses separate on the converter

http://www.americanrvcompany.com/WFC...FRKSfgodOAYM9w




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Old 04-11-2017, 06:11 AM   #8
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Sarah, you might also find that access is easier through the basement. I'm only familiar with Raptors and Montanas but keep that in mind when your search starts. Keep us informed of your progress.
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Old 04-11-2017, 06:25 AM   #9
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That box that they replaced in that front compartment wall near where a generator would go is the transfer switch and as stated it has nothing to do with the 12 VDC circuits. It basically choices power from the shore power cable or the generator when running and supplying power. Generator has priority. I assume you had no EMS and the transfer switch was taken out. If you have no intention of adding a generator the transfer switch could have been replaced with a junction box connecting the shore cable directly to the cable going tp our power distribution panel

now that you have 110 VAc to the rig every thing in that rig requiring 110 VAc should be working are they?? check all 110 Vac circuit breakers . Make sure converter is on. idf converter is working you should have 12 VDC lights, etc. Do You ?? If not converter is now outputting 12 VDC

ADDED: converter in my guess is behind the lower distribution Panel on the floor in the Basement area access is through the storage area by removing the wall separating the storage area and basement.

ADDED: even with those reverse polarity fuses blown converter should be powering the rig but will have know connection to the battery
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Old 04-11-2017, 06:27 AM   #10
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And then to preclude this from happening again, isolate. For longer storage periods, take the battery(s) home and connect to a battery tender.

Isolation can be a good thing. Exposure to a multitude of elements often results in negatives. It can take a village for bad things to happen.
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Old 04-11-2017, 06:28 AM   #11
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If your trailer has a "two part" system, one part is the circuit breakers and the DC fuses with a "stand alone converter" then the fuses will be on the converter adjacent to the DC power connections as seen in these pictures. If your trailer has a "one part" system, then the converter is physically installed on the back of the power panel and the reverse polarity fuses are located adjacent to the vertical DC fuse panel (but not a part of that vertical stack of fuses) as I said in my first post. You can see the reverse polarity fuses on that type in these pictures as well.

Most 30 amp trailers use the "one part" system and most 50 amp trailers use the "two part" system. That said, both kinds are available in 30 and 50 amp service, so there are always exceptions to the rule.....

GOOD LUCK !!!!

ADDED: If your trailer has a "two part" system, your power distribution panel will look something like the bottom picture with the DC fuses "vertical" (no reverse polarity fuses on this unit) and the AC circuit breakers along the top in a horizontal row. (I hope this helps make it clearer where to look for the reverse polarity fuses)...
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Old 04-11-2017, 02:41 PM   #12
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I own the same year and model Alpine as you do. It is a two part system and the picture I posted earlier is what your converter looks like unless it has already been replaced. It is behind the stair well accessible via the basement


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Old 04-12-2017, 12:16 PM   #13
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Well I wonder if the fella ever got power back on.


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Old 04-14-2017, 07:51 AM   #14
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I have a 2016 Cougar 341 RKI fifth wheel. I also seem to have had my power converter quit charging the battery. Problem finding where the converter is. Breaker/fuse panel is below the refrigerator, right side and LP detector is 18" or so left of the panel. Is my converter, a WFCO, probably behind the panel? Battery was left in the fifth wheel this winter (Nebraska). It's not bulged but I did have to add a little water (distilled) to it. Battery will charge from stand-alone charger and tests ok with battery tester. Trying to find converter. From other posts I'm assuming it may be behind the panel?
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:15 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PbMax1972 View Post
I have a 2016 Cougar 341 RKI fifth wheel. I also seem to have had my power converter quit charging the battery. Problem finding where the converter is. Breaker/fuse panel is below the refrigerator, right side and LP detector is 18" or so left of the panel. Is my converter, a WFCO, probably behind the panel? Battery was left in the fifth wheel this winter (Nebraska). It's not bulged but I did have to add a little water (distilled) to it. Battery will charge from stand-alone charger and tests ok with battery tester. Trying to find converter. From other posts I'm assuming it may be behind the panel?
If your rig was a factory installed battery disconnect switch, make sure that the switch is in the position to have the battery connected to the converter

ADDED: in most 5ers that converter is in the basement behind the power distribution panel. will have to take wall down separating storage area and basement
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:18 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PARAPTOR View Post
If your rig was a factory installed battery disconnect switch, make sure that the switch is in the position to have the battery connected to the converter


It does have the factory installed disconnect switch and is in the on position. As long as I keep the battery charged with a battery charger it runs DC things and shows the charge on the control panel. Battery discharges with DC use, hooked to shore power, if taken off external charger.



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Old 04-14-2017, 08:34 AM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PbMax1972 View Post
It does have the factory installed disconnect switch and is in the on position. As long as I keep the battery charged with a battery charger it runs DC things and shows the charge on the control panel. Battery discharges with DC use, hooked to shore power, if taken off external charger.



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Not sure you mentioned if converter is outputting anything, ie use that disconnect switch to disconnect battery. Connected to shore power and converter 110 VAC breaker on see if that converter will power your rig 12VDC circuits like lights?

ADDED: if that is fine may have to get to the converter and check the reverse polarity fuses on the converter. maybe while checking the batteries somehow \battery leads got reversed even momentarily
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Old 04-14-2017, 08:36 AM   #18
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Not sure you mentioned if converter is outputting anything, ie use that disconnect switch to disconnect battery. Connected to shore power and converter 110 VAC breaker on see if that converter will power your rig 12VDC circuits like lights?


If I take what you are saying, the converter should run 12 VDC lights with battery disconnect in off position? Correct? Haven't tried that yet.


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Old 04-14-2017, 08:41 AM   #19
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If I take what you are saying, the converter should run 12 VDC lights with battery disconnect in off position? Correct? Haven't tried that yet.


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I turned battery disconnect switch to off. Tried light in storage pass-thru and light on front of trailer next to front compartment and neither came on. They both came on when I turned battery switch back to on. I'm thinking it's something with the converter but not sure where it is at. From other posts I think it's behind the breaker/fuse panel.


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Old 04-14-2017, 08:49 AM   #20
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Originally Posted by PbMax1972 View Post
If I take what you are saying, the converter should run 12 VDC lights with battery disconnect in off position? Correct? Haven't tried that yet.


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Correct but will not charge batteries
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