Preventive Maintenance Item-Giggy Box! w/pics

[SargeW]

While searching around the battery/front storage area for my solar shunt (still haven't found it) I pulled the cover off the Giggy box just to ensure it wasn't there either. The shunt wasn't, but what I did find surprised me.

The Giggy Box is Keystone's name for a "12 Volt Distribution Panel" which is a very good idea. It moves most all of the front end 12 volt wiring to a plastic covered box behind the battery box.

The problem is that the entrance point for the many wires that are routed into the box are not sealed in any fashion, and when driving in wet conditions, the torrent of rain thrown off your vehicle tires is all aimed at the front of your trailer. This amounts to a "pressure washer spray" surrounding all of the electric connections in the Giggy Box.

Several of the connections in my Giggy Box were rusting and corroded, and my trailer is only about 8 months old. I have driven in rainy conditions all over the west and mid-west states.

I used a rust dissolver on the connections, wire brushed them, sprayed them off with water, dried them and then coated the terminals with a spray coating designed for batteries and electrical connections.

I also sealed up the entrance points of the Giggy Box with a super adhesive metal coated tape designed for sealing air conditioner ducts. This is an example of a little maintenance going a long way towards preventing electrical problems down the road.

The whole process only took about an hour, but if I can keep "Murphy" away, it was well worth it.

[Max23]

Never looked at it yet. Havnt driven in any rain yet so may wanna try n do some waterproofing before I get a problem. Thanks!

[dxrobertson]

Now looking at mine, yes- see the potential problem on my 2023 Hideout; easy water entry, definitely where the wire loom goes in. Luckily mine not yet starting to corrode since so new. Thanks for the advance warning!

[SargeW]

Here is a pic of the inside lid of the Giggy cover. The schematic shows all the related connections inside. Some are all the wiring connections for your 7 pin connector for your tow vehicle cord. A little corrosion or rust goes a long way in messing up the lights on the trailer.

[curtiscapk]

Nice work!

[Don77]

Going to look at mine today.
Thanks for the info.

Don

[Don77]

Mine is nothing more than a 4x4 metal electrical box with all the wires twist locked together.
There are two terminal blocks on the front cross member that are connected to the battery +, do not understand why 2?
going to do more looking into that.

Don

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Don77

Mine is nothing more than a 4x4 metal electrical box with all the wires twist locked together.
There are two terminal blocks on the front cross member that are connected to the battery +, do not understand why 2?
going to do more looking into that.

Don

Sounds like the typical set up before the Giggy Box was used. The wire nut connections in a J box is the 7 way trailer connections to the trailer wiring. Those " terminal blocks" are self resetting 12vdc circuit breakers.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Don77

Mine is nothing more than a 4x4 metal electrical box with all the wires twist locked together.
There are two terminal blocks on the front cross member that are connected to the battery +, do not understand why 2?
going to do more looking into that.

Don

Your wiring sounds like the typical "pre Giggy Box" wiring. It should look something like this photo. In this photo, the left circuit breaker is a 40 amp that connects to the battery. The output (big red wire) goes to the trailer 12 volt fuse panel in the power center and the other (smaller black wire) goes to the 30 amp breaker that connects to the landing gear motor. Note that the black wire is attached to the INPUT terminal on the left breaker. Effectively it is "bypassing the left breaker and effectively connects the right breaker to the battery. On some trailers there may be a 3rd and even a 4th circuit breaker connecting to the leveling system or to the slide power circuits....

[Don77]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Your wiring sounds like the typical "pre Giggy Box" wiring. It should look something like this photo. In this photo, the left circuit breaker is a 40 amp that connects to the battery. The output (big red wire) goes to the trailer 12 volt fuse panel in the power center and the other (smaller black wire) goes to the 30 amp breaker that connects to the landing gear motor. Note that the black wire is attached to the INPUT terminal on the left breaker. Effectively it is "bypassing the left breaker and effectively connects the right breaker to the battery. On some trailers there may be a 3rd and even a 4th circuit breaker connecting to the leveling system or to the slide power circuits....

Thank you!
That is what I was thinking they where after I sent the last post.
Old brain is getting slow!

Don

[MrKABC]

Ugh. What a rat nest. I am relocating my batteries off the front and to inside my trailer, not looking forward to this wiring adventure.

@SargeW thanks for showing this, I have on my calendar to pull mine apart soon and this just told me it won't be fun.

[RV Vacation]

Thank you for taking the time. Pictures are great.

Be well and safe travels.

John

[SadieMae]

Just to set the record straight my unit is out of warranty (of course) 17 months old. 2022 Cougar half ton 25RDS with 400i solar package. There is nothing in my giggy box but the smartshunt and the guts of the SEAFLO battery disconnect switch that turns off everything except solar and trailer brakes. There is a user accessible fuse from the outside. I’m thinking that I will troubleshoot and if necessary replace the Smartshunt and seal up with silicone as I put the back plate (access cover) back on. There is a rubber oring but it did not do its job. There were no orings on the front that mount the SEAFLOW switch. I already have a service appointment for unrelated issue so going to ask about giggy box woes but foresee the ‘out of warranty’ stamp on that. Bottom line, great idea by Keystone on the giggly box but horrible implementation.

[SadieMae]

Just remembered I did take a picture of my giggy box.

[SargeW]

That pic looks more like the battery disconnect box than the Giggy box. I have a box just like that with the shunt inside and a battery disconnect dial on the upper right. Maybe yours is just built different than mine.

[ChuckS]

Originally Posted by SadieMae

Just remembered I did take a picture of my giggy box.

That is not a Keystone Giggy Box...

[MrKABC]

PSA: When taking the cover off your Giggy Box be sure to set the switch the the "open" position. Do not pry on the cover trying to get it off. Loud cracking noises tend to ensue, accompanied by the switch spinning uselessly thereafter.

Ask me how I know.

[CBears]

Thanks for this post. You did a great job. I'm going to do similar to mine before I start traveling with it.