Tongue jack wiring problem

[dnorem]

I just installed a new tongue jack. Very easy, only took about 15 mins and worked right away. The problem is that when I came back about a half hour later, the jack didn't work. I disconnected the positive wire from the battery to make sure it was ok and re-attached. It worked fine again. We then went on our first camping trip of the year and when we got to the campsite, the jack didn't work. Again, disconnected the positive wire from the battery and re-attached, worked fine. The rest of the trip I had to disconnect the positive wire and re-attach every time I wanted to use the jack. This is very frustrating, does anyone know what the problem is?

[Mike134]

Did you use a star washer on any of the bolts to make sure you have a good ground connection? You need to be sure you "bite" though any paint on the jack and frame to get a good connection on the negative side.

[dnorem]

Yes, but maybe I need to go back and sand off some the paint to make sure the ground is good.

[BarabooBob]

Always check the power supply first and then the ground. It is almost the only thing to go wrong.

[J.Shea]

Originally Posted by dnorem

I just installed a new tongue jack. Very easy, only took about 15 mins and worked right away. The problem is that when I came back about a half hour later, the jack didn't work. I disconnected the positive wire from the battery to make sure it was ok and re-attached. It worked fine again. We then went on our first camping trip of the year and when we got to the campsite, the jack didn't work. Again, disconnected the positive wire from the battery and re-attached, worked fine. The rest of the trip I had to disconnect the positive wire and re-attach every time I wanted to use the jack. This is very frustrating, does anyone know what the problem is?

Check your in line fuse for corosion.

[Cathcartww]

I have always run a separate ground wire directly from the "head" of the jack to the battery negative.

We live and travel in the coastal area, and the salt air screwed up the ground connection in a hurry.

[Bama Rambler]

Those symptoms sound like an internal self-resetting breaker is tripping and it resets when you remove power.

[AFDON]

DEOREM, What make and model of jack did you install? Does it have a remote control? Reason for asking; Sounds to me like there is a faulty control board in that jack. Everybody is looking toward bad grounding. Could be, but I would be asking the seller about a control board problem. Sounds like disconnecting and then reconnecting is rebooting or resetting something inside the jack. Or place a relay and switch in the plus line, ones big enough to carry the amperage, and turn it on and off from there.

Let the forum know the outcome please.

[dnorem]

AFDON & Bama Rambler, I think you might be on to something. The jack is a RVCP Model: RP35JS1A. There is no remote. I will check with the company about control board problems.

Bama Rambler - What would the fix be for a self-resetting breaker? I didn't add a circuit breaker between the jack and the battery because it has in inline fuse. Should I have?

[J.Shea]

That is illegal. If they did that to me, I would send them my mortgage bill and my tax bill.

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by J.Shea

That is illegal. If they did that to me, I would send them my mortgage bill and my tax bill.

What’s illegal? A fuse on a trailer’s tongue jack?

[Flybob]

There may be an issue with the end point stops that is causing high current causing the breaker to trip. Because resettable breakers continue to cycle until the overcurrent is both found and corrected removing the power may be resetting it.

[dnorem]

I will add the resettable breaker to see if that does the trick, thanks.

[Wolverine 1945]

Our Dealer replaced ours, under first year warranty,
I believe there was a short in the head of the original one !!!



PS: I am hoping to turn ours, so the Tailgate on our PU will drop down ???

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by Cathcartww

I have always run a separate ground wire directly from the "head" of the jack to the battery negative.

We live and travel in the coastal area, and the salt air screwed up the ground connection in a hurry.

On top of all else, the ground from battery to frame is so haphazardly screwed in most of the time that it's a small wonder they work at all. The high load of a tongue jack tests connections to the max- positive and ground.

[dnorem]

I just saw a picture of one that was turned, after I already installed mine. When I get mine running properly, I'm definitely going to turn mine.

[dnorem]

Ok follow up - I'm embarrassed to say that I went back and read the directions and this jack goes into sleep mode after 3 minutes of no use. You have to hold two different buttons in for 3 seconds to wake it up. I did however go back and put the self-resetting breaker in before I found this out. Works like it should now. Just wish I would have read the entire set of directions in the first place. Sorry for all the wasted time!

[Mike134]

Thanks for the followup..........I'd have never guessed it.

[Bama Rambler]

That's the first time I've seen that. It's definitely something to remember.

Thanks for coming back and letting us know what it was.

[5picker]

Thanks for coming back and posting the outcome.
Many folks never do and we are left wondering.

Do not be too embarrassed... many of us are still doing silly things every day.