12 Volt DC Circuit Breaker with Manual Reset

[wmtire]

Several of the more common asked questions on our forums are "Why don't my 12 volt items work?" or "Why doesn't my battery recharge?"

Sometimes this is a very simple fix (as easy as pushing a button) and one of the first things to troubleshoot.

The 12 volt DC circuit breaker with manual reset (aka resettable circuit breaker, resettable fuse, or by the model name of "Short Stop") is used to protect the battery circuit.

This 12 volt DC circuit breaker (and there can be more than one) is usually located near the RV's battery/batteries. You may have to trace a battery cable on a trailer tongue back to where it meets the frame and look underneath a trailer to locate it on some models. It also may have a cover on it to protect it from the elements. Motorhomes can have similar in different locations.

There are several brands and models of these 12 volt DC circuit breakers and we will try to show a few examples of what you may encounter.

Once you locate the 12 volt DC circuit breaker with manual reset, you will need to locate the button on it that you push in to reset the circuit breaker in case it has tripped. This circuit breaker can trip due to inrushes of current from several things. Sometimes you may never know why it tripped, but it's easy to check and see should you experience the 12 volt items in your RV not working (jacks, stabilizers, slides, lights, pumps, fans, etc) or if it seems like your converter is not recharging your battery when on shore power.

The reset button can be easy to locate, or can also be more difficult if it's on the end of the circuit breaker and maybe behind other wires, brackets, etc. It depends on the model of circuit breaker as to actually where this reset button is located.

Even if you have not had a problem yet, it could be worth your while to see if you do have a 12 volt DC circuit breaker(s) with manual reset, so you know if/where you have such.... just in case for the future.

Below are some examples of the 12 volt DC circuit breaker with manual reset in previous threads. I used several threads I was involved in as examples since they were easy for me to do a search for, and it's also where I copied several of the pics above from. Hope this helps everyone who may not know about these 12 volt DC circuit breakers.

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post1636391

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post1524277

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...ml#post1248812

https://www.forestriverforums.com/fo...tml#post559180

[wmtire]

Another 12 volt DC circuit breaker with a manual reset capability is this waterproof type below, which is used in automotive, marine, and RV applications.

This circuit breaker, once it trips, will have a lever that flips. To reset this type, you have to flip the lever back up into place. This lever may also have the word "RESET" molded into it. Colors and styles may vary among manufacturers.

One of the advantages of this type, is that it also has a manual trip button. You can press this button in to open the circuit should you wish. This is handy when you want to disconnect the battery from parasitic electrical drains while in storage... to keep the battery from depleting fast.

It also can be easily used if you are working on the RV, and need to disconnect the battery power.