Electric Mystery

[bsmith143]

I've had my 50amp rv hooked up to 15 amp shore power for a week or so without checking on it. Today I noticed that nothing electric worked in the camper and the battery was dead. The power from shore (my house) seems to be running fine. I hooked up a generator and all the wall plugs, tv, microwave have power but no power to lights and the electric fridge. I hooked up power from my truck to the trailer connection and I get power to the lights and fridge. No breakers are flipped. No fuses blown as far as I can tell. I did accidentally reverse the polarity on the charged battery for a few minutes about a week ago before I brought the camper home, hooked it up to shore power, and all this trouble began. Ideas? Did i fry the converter when I reversed the battery polarity?

[Essvar]

Originally Posted by bsmith143

I did accidentally reverse the polarity on the charged battery for a few minutes about a week ago before I brought the camper home, hooked it up to shore power, and all this trouble began. Ideas? Did i fry the converter when I reversed the battery polarity?

You probably toasted the reverse polarity fuses in your main breaker panel.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by Essvar

You probably toasted the reverse polarity fuses in your main breaker panel.

I agree with the above

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2rNiiF_aSM

[bsmith143]

Where am I missing seeing these darn converter fuses? there is no fuse marked for the converter on the main fuse assembly. my local camper repair guy told me to remove the plastic plate around the fuses to find the converter fuse. I did so and found no fuse. I have removed enough stuff to locate the converter and the wiring in behind the fuse assembly and breaker box. I find no other fuses to check. One of the breakers is marked "Con." I don't know if this is the converter or what it is, but its a breaker and not a fuse.

[jasin1]

Did you see the video I just posted above?

Here’s an example…yours may be a little different

[bsmith143]

I did watch the video. Thanks a bunch for posting that. That is almost exactly what my local repair guy showed me to look for, but I tell ya there is no reverse polarity fuse that I can find. I took apart the fuse box and looked in behind, etc. I even found the converter and traced the wires to the fuse box. I find no fuses.

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by bsmith143

I did watch the video. Thanks a bunch for posting that. That is almost exactly what my local repair guy showed me to look for, but I tell ya there is no reverse polarity fuse that I can find. I took apart the fuse box and looked in behind, etc. I even found the converter and traced the wires to the fuse box. I find no fuses.

Maybe you can post a picture of the fuse box or provide a model number off of it

[CedarCreekWoody]

Can you post a photo of your converter? They are usually red fuses, 30 or 40 amp.

[Gord]

You say you traced the wires from fuse panel to converter, Is it possible that the fuses are on the converter instead of the fuse panel?

[bsmith143]

Could be, Gord. I will try to post pics.

[bsmith143]

here are some pics. More to come

[jasin1]

I could be wrong but I thought I read on the forum that they are sometimes on the back of the box ?? Or on the converter behind the fuse box? Don’t hold me to that though…I’d try the converter as others have said

https://vimeo.com/15713417

[bsmith143]

heres the rest of the pics. Does on the back of the box mean on the back of the converter itself? Its attached with screws and i didn't remove it to look on the whole thing. I can remove it to look around on it if I need to.

[jasin1]

Looks like you can possibly remove those two screws in the wooden panel next to your fuse box to get to the converter From your picture…edit: looks like you beat me to it

[jasin1]

Originally Posted by bsmith143

Attachment 37859

Attachment 37860

heres the rest of the pics. Does on the back of the box mean on the back of the converter itself? Its attached with screws and i didn't remove it to look on the whole thing. I can remove it to look around on it if I need to.

I’d look all around…I’m sure someone will chime in..I’ve never had to access mine yet

[Gord]

Just from looking at your fuse panel photos, I see two 12v negative conductors and two 12v positive conductors on the fuse panel. One conductor each pos and neg would come from battery and one conductor each pos and neg will come from converter, which to me suggests that the reverse polarity fuses are located on the converter.

[bsmith143]

thanks Gord. I will stick my fat head and arms in that tiny hole and see if i can get that converter loose. Gonna be a challenge.

[jasin1]

See the fuses in the picture?..might be able to reach them from the far side

Buy four of them and keep some spares taped in an envelope behind the panel

[bsmith143]

oh, those hidden rascals. Thanks so, much folks. I will attack this in the morning and let ya'll know how it turns out

[Gord]

Originally Posted by bsmith143

oh, those hidden rascals. Thanks so, much folks. I will attack this in the morning and let ya'll know how it turns out

Once you do get it back up and running, and you will. It might be a good idea to get your battery tested. Even though nothing was turned on in the trailer the parasitic loads will have drawn the battery down to a point were it might not take a full charge any more. Just before you disconnect the battery I would suggest putting some red tape on the cable that goes to the positive terminal on the battery and some black tape on the cable that is on the negative terminal.