No 12v power

[Harth]

We have a 2006 Montana 5th wheel. Everything was fine at home plugged into shore power. We had to get new batteries to get the bump outs to go in. We towed out to our land with no shore power and the only thing that worked was the landing gear. The bump outs won't move, no lights, fridge or furnace.
There are 2 circuit breaker looking blocks next to the batteries, they have 12.5 volts on both sides. No fuses are blown. When we plug into the generator, it trips the GFI on the generator unless the circuit breaker for the converter is flipped off.
I disconnected the batteries, and put a continuity tester from the power cable behind the fuse box in the bathroom. There is continuity from both the positive and negative leads for the battery. Does this mean a short circuit somewhere?
Any ideas where to look for the problem?
Thanks

[bobbecky]

Were the new batteries installed correctly, positive to positive and negative to negative. If, during the install, was it possible that they were accidentally connected backwards, even for just a second? If this happened, the reverse polarity fuses are blown, and will need to be replaced so your converter can operate to charge your batteries. When you connect the generator, besides the converter, is there anything else turned on, water heater, fridge, or anything else. That breaker on the generator is not a GFI, it is just a regular breaker and is probably just tripping due to excess load. Is there a battery disconnect switch between the batteries and the converter? If there is, that needs to be closed so battery power can go to the 12 volt side of the panel.

[LHaven]

Depending on what you mean by "landing gear," the syndrome you describe 100% matches the problem of having turned off the battery disconnect switch. Don't know where it is in your model, but I'd start in the storage compartment closest to the battery.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by Harth

We have a 2006 Montana 5th wheel. Everything was fine at home plugged into shore power. We had to get new batteries to get the bump outs to go in. We towed out to our land with no shore power and the only thing that worked was the landing gear. The bump outs won't move, no lights, fridge or furnace.
There are 2 circuit breaker looking blocks next to the batteries, they have 12.5 volts on both sides. No fuses are blown. When we plug into the generator, it trips the GFI on the generator unless the circuit breaker for the converter is flipped off.
I disconnected the batteries, and put a continuity tester from the power cable behind the fuse box in the bathroom. There is continuity from both the positive and negative leads for the battery. Does this mean a short circuit somewhere?
Any ideas where to look for the problem?
Thanks

What size generator are you using and what is turned on in the camper? Can you clarify the statement "disconnected the batteries, and put a continuity tester from the power cable behind the fuse box in the bathroom. "?

[Harth]

I traced the wire going from the battery to the fuse box and it was pinched between the floor and the metal joists. After 16 years it finally wore through and shorted out. I'm lucky the trailer didn't burn up.

[chuckster57]

Glad you found it. better that its the 12VDC and not the 120VAC like I found once