Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 06-16-2024, 11:04 AM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2024
Posts: 2
No power on battery

Hi, I have a 2011 forestriver freedom 1640ltd and know nothing about wiring, so please forgive any errors in terminology. Box is a wf-8712-p. I've just replaced the CO/LP detector. Everything works on shore power, but nothing works on the battery. All the grounds were jumbled together in a large blue wirenut, including a thick white wire that has a warning label about reverse polarity will damage a diode in the battery charger. All fuses are good, including the one outside by the tongue. We're getting proper voltage at the box on battery, but nothing works (water pump, lights, alarm). Also, the large white wire with all the other grounds will be negative when on shore power, but when we switch to battery is suddenly shows the same voltage as the battery. It comes out of the box with all the other hot wires.



So, my questions:



1. Why isn't anything working on battery?

2. What is that large white wire and why is it hot on battery power? And why is it jumbled up with the grounds?



Thanks everyone!



Amy
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	20240616_080632.jpg
Views:	31
Size:	232.1 KB
ID:	301028   Click image for larger version

Name:	20240616_080649.jpg
Views:	29
Size:	202.7 KB
ID:	301029   Click image for larger version

Name:	20240616_080643.jpg
Views:	28
Size:	142.9 KB
ID:	301030  
AmyC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-16-2024, 11:16 AM   #2
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Tarpon Springs FL
Posts: 4,822
NEAR the battery .....

many setups have a battery disconnect switch ... it turns OFF the battery power to all the trailer.

well mostly all.... some items such as aftermarket may still work. but it is safe to say anything fused on the fuse panel will be isolated

There is also some small 12v breakers between/near the battery and the isolation switch.. they have little tiny buttons you have to push to reset.


https://www.google.com/search?q=12v+...iverforums.com


your converter (battery charger) is a 12v power supply that will power all of your 12v items ... even if the battery is disconnected
so on shorepower 120v... you have infinite 12v power no matter what the battery is doing.
__________________
Tarpon Springs FL
2022 Salem 24RLXL
Aussieguy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-16-2024, 11:47 AM   #3
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 701
If 12V stuff is working on shore power but not on battery power, I suspect a bad connection to the frame.

On shore power your converter provides 12V positive and negative to the fuse panel and everything works. On battery the +12V is getting to the panel but the negative (from the frame is missing). I think that messing with the mess of wires in the blue wire nut or other wires in general broke the connection to the frame.

On mine, the battery connects to the frame at the front and my fuse panel connects to the frame just below the panel. There is also a ground wire for the 120VAC side of the power panel connected to the frame at the same spot.
__________________
2019 Palomino Solaire 147X
2013 Ford F150
TacomaJoe is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-16-2024, 12:56 PM   #4
Site Team
 
bikendan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Goodyear, Arizona
Posts: 35,132
Just so members know, the OP has a popup, so no factory battery disconnect switch.
__________________
Dan-Retired California Firefighter/EMT
Shawn-Musician/Entrepreneur/Wine Expert
and Zoe the Wonder Dog(R.I.P.)
2016 PrimeTime TracerAIR 255, pushing a 2014 Ford F150 SCREW XTR 4x4 3.5 Ecoboost w/Max Tow Package
4pt Equal-i-zer WDH and 1828lbs of payload capacity
bikendan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-17-2024, 09:45 AM   #5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 701
That jumble of wires in the wire nut needs to connect to the battery negative terminal. You are reading voltage on it because everything is connected to the battery positive post and voltage is present through all of the loads.

The path on mine is from the battery negative post to the frame, along the frame, then from the frame to the wire nut and panel. You are hunting for a missing connection in the negative path.
__________________
2019 Palomino Solaire 147X
2013 Ford F150
TacomaJoe is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 06-17-2024, 11:13 AM   #6
Senior Member
 
Chuck_S's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: Richmond VA
Posts: 4,934
Sure you didn't blow the battery protection fuses or the circuit breaker under the frame? White is ground on DC house wiring. Check for voltage out of the frame circuit breaker -- shore power needs to be disconnected to check this.

-- Chuck
__________________
2006 Roo 23SS behind a 2017 Ford Expedition
Chuck_S is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-05-2024, 06:42 PM   #7
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2024
Posts: 2
I appreciate all your help! I finally found some time to tinker with the trailer today. We replaced the corroded fuse by the battery and cleaned some rust off the ground connection to the frame and now everything works!
AmyC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-05-2024, 10:05 PM   #8
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 2,904
Quote:
Originally Posted by AmyC View Post
I appreciate all your help! I finally found some time to tinker with the trailer today. We replaced the corroded fuse by the battery and cleaned some rust off the ground connection to the frame and now everything works!
Glad the issue is resolved.

The ground connection or battery negative connection to the frame should be an annual maintenance item. We clean battery connections but what about the other end of the cables? Make sure the connection is clean and tight. I also added some conductive electrical paste to the point where the negative cable is bolted to the frame. These areas are typically exposed to the environment and its effects.

Bob
Bob K4TAX is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
battery, no power, power

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Forest River, Inc. or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:59 PM.