12 volt problem on Tracer 248

**dcheatwood** · 06-07-2019, 11:14 AM

My brother in law is dry camping in Wyoming right now. Has my 3100 inverter/ generator with him. All power works on gen but has no 12 V without gen. He has checked battery and fuses, and says he has power past the junction box under the frame where battery POS cable goes in.
Has power on both red wires coming out if the box, but no power on 12 V wires coming in to converter.
Has any of you tracer owners had to deal with this? Are we missing another breaker/fuse somewhere? Thanks.

**wmtire** · 06-07-2019, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

My brother in law is dry camping in Wyoming right now. Has my 3100 inverter/ generator with him. All power works on gen but has no 12 V without gen. He has checked battery and fuses, and says he has power past the junction box under the frame where battery POS cable goes in.
Has power on both red wires coming out if the box, but no power on 12 V wires coming in to converter.
Has any of you tracer owners had to deal with this? Are we missing another breaker/fuse somewhere? Thanks.

Dave, not sure I'm following you here about 12 volt coming into the converter.

The converter usually has 120 volt AC incoming, and then converts it to 12 volt DC outgoing.

If he is trying to measure 12 volt DC coming from the battery, he probably needs to measure that on the fuse panel. See both diagrams below. I'll try to look up his inverter and see how that is wired.

fonzie · 06-07-2019, 11:33 AM

Is his battery installed properly? If reverse connections, then the reverse polarity fuses would be blown in converter/dc panel.

**dcheatwood** · 06-07-2019, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fonzie

Is his battery installed properly? If reverse connections, then the reverse polarity fuses would be blown in converter/dc panel.

Yes. He's been in the road for a week and all has been working. Until last night.

**dcheatwood** · 06-07-2019, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wmtire

Dave, not sure I'm following you here about 12 volt coming into the converter.

The converter usually has 120 volt AC incoming, and then converts it to 12 volt DC outgoing.

If he is trying to measure 12 volt DC coming from the battery, he probably needs to measure that on the fuse panel.

Sorry. He measured the red and black 12 vt wires coming from converter. No power. Thought it was 12 going in. Duh!

**dcheatwood** · 06-07-2019, 11:48 AM

He has a multi tester and knows how to use it but RV systems are new to him. The diagram may help. Thanks

**dcheatwood** · 06-07-2019, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fonzie

Is his battery installed properly? If reverse connections, then the reverse polarity fuses would be blown in converter/dc panel.

And he tells me he has power through all fuses. ??

**wmtire** · 06-07-2019, 11:50 AM

I'll try to look at his inverter setup when I get time.

Larry-NC · 06-07-2019, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcheatwood

My brother in law is dry camping in Wyoming right now. Has my 3100 inverter/ generator with him. All power works on gen but has no 12 V without gen. He has checked battery and fuses, and says he has power past the junction box under the frame where battery POS cable goes in.
Has power on both red wires coming out if the box, but no power on 12 V wires coming in to converter.
Has any of you tracer owners had to deal with this? Are we missing another breaker/fuse somewhere? Thanks.

I know nothing about Tracers, but most trailers have one or two hidden circuit breakers between the batteries and the converter which could cause this symptom. The BIL will have to lie on his back and crawl under the frame and inspect the areas below the battery and working back to where the converter is. He will follow the heavy battery cables until they reach a small plastic box, maybe 1" x 1-1/2" with two threaded terminals. (image below). There's a tiny, almost invisible button on one end; press it to reset the internal circuit breaker. There could be one or two of these devices.

Larry

**Flybob** · 06-07-2019, 12:55 PM

If everything works when generator is on, then converter is working and fuses are OK. So no power when generator is disconnected, means no battery power. Have him check for a lose or dirty connections on battery and chassis ground ( wire from bat neg to frame). He can also check the resettable breaker on bottom of frame near hitch.

**dcheatwood** · 06-07-2019, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Larry-NC

I know nothing about Tracers, but most trailers have one or two hidden circuit breakers between the batteries and the converter which could cause this symptom. The BIL will have to lie on his back and crawl under the frame and inspect the areas below the battery and working back to where the converter is. He will follow the heavy battery cables until they reach a small plastic box, maybe 1" x 1-1/2" with two threaded terminals. (image below). There's a tiny, almost invisible button on one end; press it to reset the internal circuit breaker. There could be one or two of these devices.

Larry

Thanks Larry. I guided him to the resets but he insists that he has power in both positive wires coming off them. I wish I was there to check that.

**dcheatwood** · 06-07-2019, 04:27 PM

Yes, he has confirmed that battery is good and has power. He has confirmed he has power after the reset breakers on the frame, but no power in tt. [emoji848]

**Flybob** · 06-07-2019, 04:44 PM

Just to be sure, Have him pull the two high current fuses in the dist panel and test them with a meter.

**dcheatwood** · 06-07-2019, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flybob

Just to be sure, Have him pull the two high current fuses in the dist panel and test them with a meter.

Ok. I'll pass that on.

**dcheatwood** · 06-07-2019, 06:48 PM

Update- Solved.
He ran a new positive wire from the reset breaker to the fuse box. All is well now.
It appears, after much thought and discussion, that the original positive wire was damaged a few months ago when the fresh tank dropped out of the tt first time he filled it. That pulled wires and water lines down , and while it was repaired at dealer, evidently the positive wire was damaged and nt noticed. It worked about 5 days and then finally gave up.
He's a happy camper again and we both thank you for the help.
Pictures of tank dropped.