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06-06-2021, 06:59 PM
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#1
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Lodi
Posts: 7
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New member, new trailer, problems. Ugh.
Hi everybody. We just purchased a 2021 Bullet 243BSHWE and are experiencing a few issues. The trailer is 2 days old, and we have not used it yet. I am a mechanic and have good knowledge but am looking for specifics.
1. The power tongue jack and power awning are having directional control issues. Both intermittently go up when you push the down button, and down when you push the up function. Some times they work correctly, sometimes the controls on both reverse functions. Sounds like a loose 12V ground to me, has anyone had this issue and knows of a fix? I already went through the battery's and found and re crimped some very loose wire terminals and it didn't fix the issue. Main chassis ground behind the batts is tight. My next suspect is the wiring connections in the power distribution panel, and the panel behind the batts.
2. I have the trailer plugged into 15A household shore power at my home using an adapter. The water heater will not work. The switch is set to electrical, the water pump switch is on, the propane is off at the tanks. Shouldn't the water heater work on electric only? Or is 15A not enough juice?
3. The main entrance door does not have a catch on either the door or the trailer wall to secure the door in the open position. Shouldn't the door come with a magnetic or manual catch?
4. Not a problem but a question. Can I leave the trailer plugged in 24/7 at home (15A) without it cooking the batts? I know the converter must be an automatic unit, but still... I will have everything turned off, just want to keep the batts up while the trailer is not in use.
I really don't want to have the dealer do these repairs as we are going out in 4 weeks and it took me two days on the phone just to get a service guy to pick up. They are slammed and I doubt they can get me in on time.
Thank you guys and girls so much in advance for your help. This is our 1st trailer ever and we are really excited!
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06-06-2021, 07:08 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,314
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shortimer
2. I have the trailer plugged into 15A household shore power at my home using an adapter. The water heater will not work. The switch is set to electrical, the water pump switch is on, the propane is off at the tanks. Shouldn't the water heater work on electric only? Or is 15A not enough juice?
3. The main entrance door does not have a catch on either the door or the trailer wall to secure the door in the open position. Shouldn't the door come with a magnetic or manual catch?
4. Not a problem but a question. Can I leave the trailer plugged in 24/7 at home (15A) without it cooking the batts? I know the converter must be an automatic unit, but still... I will have everything turned off, just want to keep the batts up while the trailer is not in use.
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2. Open the outside grill for the water heater. Look at the bottom left for the safety rocker switch. Mine was obscured behind vinyl tape that exactly matched the interior paint, so look closely. It will be upside down. Flip it downwards to enable the heater. This is the switch you flip off when you empty the water heater, so no doofus will accidentally turn it on empty with the inside controls.
3. Many doors now have "friction hinges" that are supposed to stay where you leave them (except in really strong winds). These will not have stay-open latches.
4. Yes. Your converter is built for this. Jut make sure you don't boil off the water in the battery.
(Can't help you with #1, but I would suspect a faulty circuit board / shorted pushbuttons in the display/control panel.)
__________________
2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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06-06-2021, 07:12 PM
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#3
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Site Team
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Modesto
Posts: 20,350
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Welcome to the forum
Let’s see if we can get you on track for your camping trip. What brand tongue jack and awning? Some water heaters will have a switch on the outside, lower left corner that needs to be on for the element to work, and it’s upside down on purpose. Your door may have “friction” hinge that’s supposed to keep the door in the position you set it. You can leave it plugged in as long as you check the water level in the battery often.
Sounds like your selling dealer didn’t really give you a good walkthrough.
__________________
2012 Copper Canyon 273FWRET being towed by a 1994 Ford F350 CC,LB,Dually diesel.
Airlift 5000 bags, Prodigy brake control, 5 gauges on the pillar.Used to tow a '97 Jayco 323RKS.
Now an RVIA registered tech. Retired from Law enforcement in 2008 after 25+ yrs.
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06-07-2021, 05:48 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: Norwood, CO
Posts: 685
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Chuck, LHAVEN, you guys are great! Three years now with my rig and I DID NOT KNOW about the water heater switch. I learn something new every time I come on to the list I think.
AND
WELCOME to the forum Shrortimer. Nice looking trailer, congratulations.
__________________
German Shepherd Guy
2018 Keystone 26RBPR
2014 Suburban 2500, 6L with 3.73 rear
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06-07-2021, 10:54 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Wickenburg
Posts: 3,314
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chuckster57
Some water heaters will have a switch on the outside, lower left corner that needs to be on for the element to work, and it’s upside down on purpose.
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I knew it happened too consistently to be accidental, and I couldn't square it as some sort of Amish tradition, but for the life of me, I don't know what the reason is.
__________________
2019 Cougar 26RBSWE
2019 Ford F-250
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06-07-2021, 10:59 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Upper Chesapeake Bay
Posts: 4,838
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LHaven
I knew it happened too consistently to be accidental, and I couldn't square it as some sort of Amish tradition, but for the life of me, I don't know what the reason is.
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I wonder if the wire connections on the switch are on one side... if switch was turned 180deg the wires would hit the sidewall?
__________________
2020 Cougar 315 RLS
2020 Ram 3500 6.7HO 4.10 Dually Aisin
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06-07-2021, 11:12 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Indiana
Posts: 2,719
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The switch on my water heater went bad after a couple years. It actually froze in the "on" position. I went to my dealership-repair-parts shop and picked up a new switch. A flat screw driver and those switches pop right out. No screws, no nothing, just plastic clips holding them in. I unplugged the wires from the old one, plugged the wires in on the new one and popped it back in. And I turned it right side up!
There is no reason why they are installed upside down, but if you want, they do pop right out and you can flip them over and push them back in.
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2019 Montana High Country 375FL
2014 Chevy Duramax HD 6.6 - 3500 Diesel Dully Long bed Crew Cab
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06-07-2021, 11:59 AM
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#8
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Site Team
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,695
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jasin1
I wonder if the wire connections on the switch are on one side... if switch was turned 180deg the wires would hit the sidewall?
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Not on mine. It just pops out and goes back in. I replaced it but looking at the wiring diagram there is no legit reason I can see for it to be there. If it fails again I will bypass it and cover the hole.
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Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
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06-07-2021, 05:24 PM
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#9
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,997
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The "answer to the age old mystery" is really quite simple. If you look at "older water heaters with the AC switch, you'll see a tiny "safety pin" hole in the switch rocker. That hole is under the "ON" side of the switch. The purpose is to
prevent the switch from being pushed to the "ON" position when the safety pin is installed.... Given the switch location, it would be impossible to insert the pin if the switch were located with the "ON" part on the upper half of the switch....
Suburban apparently didn't want to "change switch positions" (where OFF/ON are located) so they left the switch functions as they were previously even though the safety pin hole has been discontinued.
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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06-08-2021, 03:10 PM
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#10
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Lodi
Posts: 7
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Thanks Chuckster57 and everyone else who piped in. The tongue jack is an FIC Model 3500. The awning is a Solera but I dont see the model number ( i can't extend it right now.)
The inop water heater was just the switch turned off at the heater as a member mentioned. Thanks for that info!
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06-08-2021, 05:38 PM
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#11
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Site Team
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,997
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shortimer
Thanks Chuckster57 and everyone else who piped in. The tongue jack is an FIC Model 3500. The awning is a Solera but I dont see the model number ( i can't extend it right now.)
The inop water heater was just the switch turned off at the heater as a member mentioned. Thanks for that info!
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You may simply have "slow finger syndrome" with the Solara awning. There is no "limit switch" on Solara awnings. That means if you extend the awning fully AND continue to push the "extend switch" the awning will continue to unroll, but in reality, once it hits the end of the fabric, "unrolling becomes rolling" and the awning will return to the trailer wall, but the fabric will be rolled up "under the awning roller tube, not above the roller tube". So, next time you try to extend the awning, it will not extend since the trailer wall is a physical stop that limits further movement. You can, however, push the retract side of the awning switch and the awning will extend (rather than retract). In other words, the switch functions "backwards from the printed function"... Once you get to the end (fully extended) if you continue holding the switch, it will "roll up properly" and the switch functions will again be correct. This will "change switch positions" every time you over-extend the switch when the awning is at full out position....
So, you may be causing the "switch confusion"... To check the "current awning/switch relationship, go outside and look at your awning in the retracted position. If the fabric is rolled "above the awning tube" it is in the correct relationship. If the fabric is rolled "under the awning tube" then you've overextended your awning and will need to correct the condition by fully extending the awning and holding the awning switch until the awning rolls up with the fabric rolling up "above the awning tube".
By "under/over the awning tube" What I mean is from the trailer sidewall, the awning fabric should immediately roll OVER the awning tube. If the fabric "goes down the sidewall and then rolls UNDER the awning tube an up the outside of the tube. Looking from the front of the trailer, at the awning, the fabric rolls "COUNTERCLOCKWISE" around the awning tube "over the tube"... If the fabric rolls CLOCKWISE around the awning tube "under the tube" it is rolled up backwards and the switch will function "opposite the switch position.
__________________
John
2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
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06-10-2021, 03:12 AM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Jun 2021
Location: Lodi
Posts: 7
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John thank you for taking the time to write such a detailed response. I understand everything you are saying and will check the orientation of the roll and get back to you.
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06-10-2021, 11:22 AM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: Denver
Posts: 89
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Here is a site with some picture, there is one with a junction box that has a lot of wire and screws to tighten.
https://www.etrailer.com/Camper-Jack...nt=30%20-%2060
This page also has a link to instruction on installation, that has a schematic.
The trailer is only supplying power, so the problem has to be in the jack (famous last words)
hope this helps.
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RB195 2017
4Runner V8 2005
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