Electrical demon

Bob Williford · 07-12-2021, 04:06 PM

Hey all - I have a new to me Hideout 24BHSWE. The battery tests with 13+ AMPS, but when I disconnect the power cord I have no power in the unit. When plugged in the battery level shows full, but when unplugged the lights are dim and there is no power. Is there a re-set button I am missing? I have searched and found nothing. I have tested both sides of what I believe are the inline fuses near the battery and both sides appear to test same as battery. I am stumped!

**chuckster57** · 07-12-2021, 04:17 PM

Welcome to the forum

When you say the battery tests with 13+ AMPS do you mean VOLTS?

You need to disconnect the trailer leads from the battery and then test it. Not only for volts but you need to load test it. Most auto parts stores can load test. I suspect your battery is shot.

jasin1 · 07-12-2021, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Williford

Hey all - I have a new to me Hideout 24BHSWE. The battery tests with 13+ AMPS, but when I disconnect the power cord I have no power in the unit. When plugged in the battery level shows full, but when unplugged the lights are dim and there is no power. Is there a re-set button I am missing? I have searched and found nothing. I have tested both sides of what I believe are the inline fuses near the battery and both sides appear to test same as battery. I am stumped!

The 13 volts is the reading from the converter when plugged in to shore power…it sounds like your battery is dead or damaged/bad

Take the battery out and take it to a auto parts store and they will check it for free…unless you have the tools to check and charge it yourself

LHaven · 07-12-2021, 06:00 PM

When you are plugged into shore power, you are reading the voltage on the charging converter, which will be around 13.8V even if you don't have a battery in the rig!

If you unplug from shore and get no DC power, either your battery is entirely gone, or your battery disconnect switch is on disconnect. Try the latter first. Or touch a VOM directly onto your battery terminals and get the voltage right from the horse's mouth.

**sourdough** · 07-12-2021, 07:42 PM

Sounds like battery time to me....

**JRTJH** · 07-13-2021, 07:44 AM

If the battery is "fully discharged" and has been for a time, then yes, it's probably time for a new battery. That one likely won't ever hold a full charge again....

That said, before you go buying a new battery and damage it by fully discharging it, make sure your converter/charger is working properly !!!!!

You do that by completely disconnecting the current battery and measuring the voltage on the two battery cables that connect to the battery. Plug in shore power and you should have 13.6 VDC between the + and - cables. If you do, the converter/charger is operating properly to charge the battery. If you do NOT have 13.6 VDC, then you either have "blown the reverse polarity fuses on the converter/charger" or you have a defective converter/charger.

Check the reverse polarity fuses first, because if you connected (or even just momentarily touched) the battery cables on the battery in reverse polarity, those fuses are blown. Their only function is to protect the converter/charger from "human error"....

You'd be surprised (or maybe not) at the number of people who connect their battery "backwards" and spend a huge sum of money replacing parts, only to find a 10 cent fuse was the problem.....

The "human error" seems to be more frequent with the confusion over battery cable colors.... The "old colors" were black and white. White was - negative and black was positive.... The "new colors" are red and black. Black is negative and red is positive....

So, in the "grand scheme of things, black "could be either negative or positive" depending on the color of the other cable...... Confusing ???? Yep, to more people than you can imagine....

Check your converter/charger output before you connect a new battery to the system !!!!!

Bob Williford · 07-13-2021, 01:23 PM

Yep - you all are correct! The reading I was getting was from being plugged in. The battery was shot and now replaced.

wiredgeorge · 07-13-2021, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHaven

When you are plugged into shore power, you are reading the voltage on the charging converter, which will be around 13.8V even if you don't have a battery in the rig!

If you unplug from shore and get no DC power, either your battery is entirely gone, or your battery disconnect switch is on disconnect. Try the latter first. Or touch a VOM directly onto your battery terminals and get the voltage right from the horse's mouth.

Since the direct current wires have the cheapest looking crimp connectors, they also may be an issue although the original installed was probably a well paid master electrician who was methodical and careful to make solid connections.

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