new battery/malfunctioning monitor panel

[oldguyrich]

I have a 2016 apex trailer. the battery died, and when i replaced it, the monitor panel stopped working. any ideas?

[Chuck_S]

Wired correctly? Find the wire that should run from the battery to the frame, the ground wire. That should connect to the battery Negative regardless of what color. Hopefully just this easy. If not check all the fuses in the power center.

-- Chuck

[Mr. Dan]

Originally Posted by oldguyrich

I have a 2016 apex trailer. the battery died, and when i replaced it, the monitor panel stopped working. any ideas?

Be sure to check that you hooked the battery cables up correctly (pos to pos and neg to neg). It's not always what you'd expect. IFFFF you reversed them, you might have blown the 2 Reverse Polarity fuses on the front of your converter.

[oldguyrich]

the monitor panel isnt dead dead, but it reads all functions wrong. it read battery as dead, grey 1/2 empty and black 2/3 full and fresh empty....all tanks are actually empty, except black which is 1/8 full. anyone know how to check panel?

[Chuck_S]

These are normal readings on tanks. Seriously. The sensors get "crudded over" with crud (of course) and will read this way until you find a way to clean them. This can become a hobby of its own.

Battery meter capacity just reads volts and that's easy to check with your multi-meter. Entirely possible the battery is dead or the battery disconnect switch thrown (all depends on if you system reads voltage directly at the battery.

-- Chuck

[oldguyrich]

"the battery disconnect switch thrown" not sure I know what/where that is....can you explain?

[Chuck_S]

Many campers have a battery disconnect switch which is designed to prevent the battery power from being siphoned off while the trailer is parked. Several items like the radio memory, LP detector, and maybe a few others are always On and will kill the battery in a couple of weeks.

Not knowing about it makes it unlikely it's Off though but stranger things have happened.

Wrong polarity wiring of a new battery is surprisingly common and the first suspect. A couple of safety fuses and a breaker will trip.

-- Chuck

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by Chuck_S

Many campers have a battery disconnect switch which is designed to prevent the battery power from being siphoned off while the trailer is parked. Several items like the radio memory, LP detector, and maybe a few others are always On and will kill the battery in a couple of weeks.

Not knowing about it makes it unlikely it's Off though but stranger things have happened.

Wrong polarity wiring of a new battery is surprisingly common and the first suspect. A couple of safety fuses and a breaker will trip.

-- Chuck

The Apex is a little trailer, I think. Probably doesn't have a battery disconnect switch.

Look for the fuse/wiring distribution panel. It will have several 10/15/20 amp fuses and a pair of bigger (30/40 amp) fuses. Replace the pair of bigger fuses. If you got even one tiny spark while changing the battery, you will have blown them.

On the bottom of the trailer frame, at the front (either on the hitch part or underneath) you will have one or two "resettable fuses." You will have to lie on your back on the ground to see them. Push the button on the end to reset it. It may or may not have a red plastic jacket like the picture I'm attaching.