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Old 05-27-2014, 02:09 PM   #1
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Question No 12 Volt Power

We have a 2013 Wildcat 5ver, and after a weekend of dry camping, we no longer have 12 volt power. Once we are on shore power everthing works fine. Had the batteries checked and they are fine. The slides and landing gear work as they tied directly to the batteries. Checked the fusable links near the batteries and they are fine.

Any Ideas??
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Old 05-27-2014, 02:28 PM   #2
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Did you check the current limiter near the metal box the umbilical goes into? There is a reset button on the side.
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Old 05-27-2014, 02:33 PM   #3
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I will go check that now. Just to clarify, is that near the batteries or at the back where the big power cord goes in?
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Old 05-27-2014, 02:38 PM   #4
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Near the battery - usually along the frame/under the front for a tt or in the pass through on a 5th wheel. Follow the positive wire back from the battery and you should it / them.
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Old 05-27-2014, 02:46 PM   #5
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Do you have a battery disconnect switch? Those have a mysterious way of changing.
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Old 05-27-2014, 02:47 PM   #6
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There is also one near the metal box the long cord goes into. (as pictured).

There is another one near the battery itself.
Either one tripped can cause your problem.

The one near the metal box is in the circuit to protect the camper from a short in the umbilical (like severing it in a turn). The one near the battery is to protect the camper from a dead short at the battery with the AC power driving the converter.

If the battery alone will run your landing gear or main slides but nothing else, the problem is at the umbilical. If the battery alone will run nothing, it is the one near the battery.

The red wire in this photo that goes off the plywood to the right goes to the next current limiter at the umbilical (5th wheel is up under the pin box); then to the converter.
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Old 05-27-2014, 03:04 PM   #7
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That was it!!! If you are ever in Colorado sir, I owe you a six pack (or a Case) of whatever beer you drink! You have saved
me a trip to the service center.
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Old 05-27-2014, 03:06 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by JM Wildcat View Post
That was it!!! If you are ever in Colorado sir, I owe you a six pack (or a Case) of whatever beer you drink! You have saved
me a trip to the service center.
Glad I could help!
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Old 09-11-2017, 12:50 PM   #9
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Exact Same Issue but on Forester Class C!

I have no 12 volt power in my Class C whatsoever, but everything works great on either shore power or generator power. Have checked every known fuse and switch, including in the BCM next to the batteries. Both batteries test good at 13+ volts even when disconnected from the coach and from each other. Checked voltage at the incoming cables to the back of the battery cutoff switch and there is zero voltage there. There is undoubtedly a fusible link or fuse, or reset of some kind that I am missing somewhere - just have to figure out where it is. Any help appreciated!
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Old 09-11-2017, 12:55 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jperry View Post
I have no 12 volt power in my Class C whatsoever, but everything works great on either shore power or generator power. Have checked every known fuse and switch, including in the BCM next to the batteries. Both batteries test good at 13+ volts even when disconnected from the coach and from each other. Checked voltage at the incoming cables to the back of the battery cutoff switch and there is zero voltage there. There is undoubtedly a fusible link or fuse, or reset of some kind that I am missing somewhere - just have to figure out where it is. Any help appreciated!
13+ volts on the battery means that they are getting charging voltage, so "no 12 volt power" is confusing to me. Could you be more specific?
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Old 09-11-2017, 01:31 PM   #11
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Sorry, I realize now that was confusing. They were charging fine on shore power at the time. They measure 12.3 and 12.2 with the 30 amp line unplugged - fully charged. But none of that voltage goes anywhere apparently - no voltage at the disconnect switch and nothing works in the coach. The exception is the power step, and the awning.
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Old 09-11-2017, 01:38 PM   #12
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Most likely you ran the batteries dead. 12.2 is pretty low and it can take several days to fully recharge depleted batteries on shore power.

They may not have the capacity to do much of anything till fully recharged.

If you have fully depleted the batteries several times, they may need to be replaced due to permanent loss of storage capacity.
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Old 09-11-2017, 01:45 PM   #13
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Thanks! I'll give it a few days of charging and try again. These batteries are good quality Interstates and were just installed in April - hopefully they are not bad!
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Old 09-11-2017, 02:12 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jperry View Post
Sorry, I realize now that was confusing. They were charging fine on shore power at the time. They measure 12.3 and 12.2 with the 30 amp line unplugged - fully charged. But none of that voltage goes anywhere apparently - no voltage at the disconnect switch and nothing works in the coach. The exception is the power step, and the awning.
Where does your Power Step and Awning connect to the battery?

A) connects directly to the battery, and then a separate cable runs to the disconnect switch.
Then I would say the cable that runs to the disconnect switch is bad or it goes through a circuit breaker/fuse which is tripped.

b) the awning and power step is connected to the same input on the disconnect switch.
Then 1 is the disconnect switch is bad or 2 a circuit breaker/fuse between the switch and the coach or a bad wire.

Regardless of how much is the battery, if the awning/power steps are working then there is enough power for lights and other stuff inside.
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Old 09-11-2017, 03:12 PM   #15
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Where does your Power Step and Awning connect to the battery?

A) connects directly to the battery, and then a separate cable runs to the disconnect switch.
Then I would say the cable that runs to the disconnect switch is bad or it goes through a circuit breaker/fuse which is tripped.

b) the awning and power step is connected to the same input on the disconnect switch.
Then 1 is the disconnect switch is bad or 2 a circuit breaker/fuse between the switch and the coach or a bad wire.

Regardless of how much is the battery, if the awning/power steps are working then there is enough power for lights and other stuff inside.
Thanks! Irma is having her way with us here in SC right now so I can't go out and check the battery voltage after the coach has been on shore power and charging them since yesterday afternoon. Pretty sure the step and the awning connect directly - at least there is a fuse in the BCM for each. It does appear that there is something keeping power from getting from the battery to the disconnect switch - hopefully I can find another breaker/fuse/switch somewhere near the batteries to fix this. There doesn't appear to be one in the BCM box itself - maybe it's inline beyond the box somewhere.
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Old 09-11-2017, 05:34 PM   #16
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I would also suspect, since you do not have battery power in the coach, then you are NOT charging the batteries!

Really sounds like an inline fuse/circuit breaker between the switch and battery!
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Old 09-11-2017, 09:23 PM   #17
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Jperry,
Look in the battery compartment (typically mounted behind the batteries as you are looking in from outside) for one or more Hi Amp circuit breakers. If one is tripped the flag will be visible rather than tucked into the housing.
Pictures attached may not be excatly what your coach has but will be very similar looking. Second image shows breaker in tripped state.
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Old 09-14-2017, 11:20 PM   #18
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Having the same problem with my 372 lok Sierra... everything works when I have it hooked to sore power and gen power but soon as I unhook everything is dead. No lights even. I have searched for a breaker everywhere and can't find anything. Called dealer it's a 2018 model by the way and they tell me to find the circuit breaker and reset it. I'm camping at the current time and it's gonna be difficult to get hooked back to the truck.
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Old 09-15-2017, 12:11 AM   #19
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Many thanks to everyone who offered ideas and suggestions on my issue. I finally found the breaker that was causing the problem. t was right in front of my eyes all along- just didn't realize what I was looking at! There is a 50 amp resettable fuse in the middle of the Battery Control Module. In order to find the button to push in to reset it, you have to put your finger in between the wall of the box and the metal frame to which the breaker is mounted. See attached picture....
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Old 09-18-2017, 10:58 AM   #20
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Having the same problem with my 372 lok Sierra... everything works when I have it hooked to sore power and gen power but soon as I unhook everything is dead. No lights even. I have searched for a breaker everywhere and can't find anything. Called dealer it's a 2018 model by the way and they tell me to find the circuit breaker and reset it. I'm camping at the current time and it's gonna be difficult to get hooked back to the truck.
Were you able to find the breaker for your Sierra?
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