Solved- slide and leveling jacks stopped working!

BlakeB · 08-05-2012, 12:01 PM

Here's the situation. Just got back from a camping weekend in which it POURED! (stormed bad).

1. Almost lost my awning (switch inside would not retract..had to do it on the remote.

2. Get home and levelers dont work, tongue doesnt work, slide doesnt work, outside light doesnt work.

3. Inside all of the lighting works fine, water pump works, fridge and micro all work like normal.

I tried everything with or without it plugged into shore power...same results.

I load tested the battery (not just voltage..an actual load tester) and tested fine.

Made sure no breakers were tripped...even turned them all off then back on.

All of this worked 2hrs ago when I left the park. Stopped at McD's on the way home and noticed the outside light was on and turned it off on the remote.

Any suggestions? By the way... It's a 2012 Grey Wolf 28BH

Thanks,
Blake

**KyDan** · 08-05-2012, 12:09 PM

I am not familiar with your exact trailer but since you say the tongue (jack?)
doesn't work I'd start there.
The tongue jack must be connected to the battery or pretty close.
I'm assuming your battery(s) are on the tongue right?
IF you're sure you have good clean tight connections at the battery posts-
follow the battery leads.
Check the ground is good and tight.
Follow the hot + lead.
It probably goes to a junction box or frame mounted main fuse fairly
close to the front of the trailer.
Look underneath along the frame for this fuse/circuit breaker/junction.
Check voltage there both before and after the device you find underneath.
(fuse or circuit breaker or just terminal junction)

Good luck!

BlakeB · 08-05-2012, 12:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyDan

I am not familiar with your exact trailer but since you say the tongue (jack?)
doesn't work I'd start there.
The tongue jack must be connected to the battery or pretty close.
I'm assuming your battery(s) are on the tongue right?
IF you're sure you have good clean tight connections at the battery posts-
follow the battery leads.
Check the ground is good and tight.
Follow the hot + lead.
It probably goes to a junction box or frame mounted main fuse fairly
close to the front of the trailer.
Look underneath along the frame for this fuse/circuit breaker/junction.
Check voltage there both before and after the device you find underneath.
(fuse or circuit breaker or just terminal junction)

Good luck!

It's funny you say that. I was actually outside with my multimeter doing that. Here is a pic... the top left terminal with two wires goes back to the tongue and is not getting the standard 13.2v as the others are.

Im guessing this terminal must be bad? And would this make sense to be tied into the awning, slide, and stabilizers?

**KyDan** · 08-05-2012, 12:30 PM

It's hard to tell from the photo but I'm guessing the top part is a one time
fuse. Not positive but it looks like it.
You can try jumping across it to see if your jacks start working.
Don't eliminate the fuse, it that's what it is.
You can buy re-settable circuit breakers online and maybe even at
autozone. If it's a fuse it should be marked for amps.
If not, I'm gonna guess about 30 amps.

Good luck!

BlakeB · 08-05-2012, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyDan

It's hard to tell from the photo but I'm guessing the top part is a one time
fuse. Not positive but it looks like it.
You can try jumping across it to see if your jacks start working.
Don't eliminate the fuse, it that's what it is.
You can buy re-settable circuit breakers online and maybe even at
autozone. If it's a fuse it should be marked for amps.
If not, I'm gonna guess about 30 amps.

Good luck!

There is a blade fuse 3ft away from that terminal. The power definitely goes into the junction but is NOT coming out of only the part that goes back up front. I dont know if that is just a distribution terminal or if it is a relay of some sort.

chiro · 08-05-2012, 12:41 PM

The problem is at the post where the wires attach to/from
The battery and go the rv. I has the same exact problem with my fr 5th wheel. The light are running on 12v inside. Check the connections sonthat they are tight. If they are tight then it's the battery bad cell/battery needs to be charged or bad junction box. Do a bypass on to the battery to use the power jack!

**KyDan** · 08-05-2012, 12:46 PM

You've found the trouble but we can't really tell what that terminal
block really is.
I'm still betting it has an internal fuse.
You can disconnect at the battery post so you're not hot and then
take wires off the terminal block one at a time.
Use an ohm meter or continuity tester to see where you're loosing
the path.
IF you need to run jacks you can short across posts with a screw driver
while a helper pushes the jack buttons.
Be careful. Wear glasses or goggles. Metal spatter in your eye from
close up can be permanent!

You can most likely remove it, take it to your friendly local RV parts
desk and they'll fix you right up.
Mark wires or maybe just your photo will help get them all back in place.
Once again, if it's a fuse you can replace it with a circuit breaker and
be done with it.

BlakeB · 08-05-2012, 01:46 PM

Here's an update.... I was a 12v technition for many of my younger years..so troubleshooting this was simple... Might be hard for some though.

(Pic 1) By chance I pulled the switch out for the awning and found out 2 wires came off on the way home and were obviously bouncing off of wires next to them (shorting them out).

(Pic 2) My temporary fix is an inline fuse (laying around from my younger years) crossing the terminals for safety. (30amp fuse). The first fuse I put in blew which meant there was definitely a short somewhere. Thats when I pulled the switch out.

(Pic 3) Just a close up...anyone know what it is or where I can get it?

BlakeB · 08-05-2012, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KyDan

You've found the trouble but we can't really tell what that terminal
block really is.
I'm still betting it has an internal fuse.
You can disconnect at the battery post so you're not hot and then
take wires off the terminal block one at a time.
Use an ohm meter or continuity tester to see where you're loosing
the path.
IF you need to run jacks you can short across posts with a screw driver
while a helper pushes the jack buttons.
Be careful. Wear glasses or goggles. Metal spatter in your eye from
close up can be permanent!

You can most likely remove it, take it to your friendly local RV parts
desk and they'll fix you right up.
Mark wires or maybe just your photo will help get them all back in place.
Once again, if it's a fuse you can replace it with a circuit breaker and
be done with it.

The screwdriver trick was great on old cars but I wouldnt recommend doing that. A screwdriver will arc if there is a short somewhere and good luck getting it off the terminals. That will be a fire for sure.

**bikendan** · 08-05-2012, 01:50 PM

the third pic is the re-settable fuse/breaker. you can see the black button.
try pushing the button and see if it starts working again.

not sure where they are available, probably a good RV supply store. not sure if it's used in autos.

BlakeB · 08-05-2012, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

the third pic is the re-settable fuse/breaker. you can see the black button.
try pushing the button and see if it starts working again.

not sure where they are available, probably a good RV supply store. not sure if it's used in autos.

BIKEDAN you are the F#&K'N man! Pushed it in and it clicked everything on!

I thought that was just a plastic tab holding the rest of it together.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

Best part.... $0 spent to fix!

BlakeB · 08-05-2012, 02:32 PM

Everyone should make a mental note of the location of these resettable circuit breakers. If you lose power to the awning, slide, stabilizers, etc. this reset button should probably be your first troubleshooting location.

This switch is located under the front of the camper where the battery wire comes through the frame. Just follow the main wire off the battery and you'll see it. (in Gray Wolfs). The switch is on the bottom of the terminal (there are 2 side by side) just push it in.

This is of course considering your battery is fine.

SpringerPop · 08-05-2012, 03:08 PM

I've always wondered why these re-settable "fuses/breakers" are not better environmentally protected.

Why are they simply left out-in-the-open like that?

Pop

**Herk7769** · 08-05-2012, 03:20 PM

I have a red rubber cover on mine. They corrode anyway.

SpringerPop · 08-05-2012, 03:32 PM

I got to thinking about this switch/breaker.

I believe it is to ensure the break-away switch for the brakes still has a battery even if the RV has had a short in the battery-supply wire to the power panel's fuses.

It's always located very close to the battery itself.

Pop

**KyDan** · 08-05-2012, 04:26 PM

Sorry I dropped out earlier..... It was beer:30 and I had a cold one
calling me.
Then a nap..... dang those Olympics are keeping me up late!!

I did say fuse/circuit breaker early on so maybe I get half a point

From the close up we can see it's getting rusty/corroded.
As others have mentioned I don't know how to stop that but do
keep an eye on it. If you have trouble again one day you'll know
where to look. IF you were really feeling energetic I suppose you could
put the whole birds nest of wires in a plastic junction box with some
sort of rubber grommets for the wires. It's still gonna get damp
but not nearly as much as direct exposure like it is now.

Glad you had a happy ending!!

**bikendan** · 08-05-2012, 05:30 PM

KyDan, i'll give half the Kudos, since you did mention it but you did take a beer/nap break while i stayed on task!

this little item is a common topic here and we mods suspect it often.
dealers should make it part of the PDI and inform buyers where it's at.

the most common cause is owners hooking up the battery backwards.

BlakeB, since it doesn't appear you did this, something must have caused it to trip. so, you may need to figure that out.

BlakeB · 08-05-2012, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

KyDan, i'll give half the Kudos, since you did mention it but you did take a beer/nap break while i stayed on task!

this little item is a common topic here and we mods suspect it often.
dealers should make it part of the PDI and inform buyers where it's at.

the most common cause is owners hooking up the battery backwards.

BlakeB, since it doesn't appear you did this, something must have caused it to trip. so, you may need to figure that out.

Thats where I get the props..lol.. The awning switch had wire's that had come off the back of the switch and shorted out on my drive home. That was pic 1 of the 3 pics I posted. Only reason I even thought to look there was the fact that in the middle of a tornado style storm the switch inside would not roll the awning in. Had to use the remote.

Im just glad I didnt drop it at the stealership. It would have taken days for them to find that. (Im not really one to take things in...i'd rather find the problem myself)

BigTJohn · 08-06-2012, 07:18 PM

I would also hit the rusty area with an old toothbrush wet with Boesheild T-9. It is great stuff and stop any further rusting, not fix what you already have, just stop it. Some sort of cover for the nest-o-wires would go a long way to help also.

SpringerPop · 08-06-2012, 10:25 PM

I may spray mine with LPS-3. It's a waxy-kinda' metal-protectant stuff that sprays on.

Pop

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