Pop-Up: No Interior lights on battery power

[TCamping247]

I have a 2011 Flagstaff MAC 206LTD Pop-Up Camper. Interior lights and electrical will not work when only on battery power.

I have only had this camper for the last year. The lights will work when plugged into a electrical service. After talking to several individuals at the end of the season; the consensus was that the kill switch at the galley was bad. I just replaced the kill switch and the the lights still don't work. I plugged the camper in and the lights work. So it is not the kill switch and never was. The battery has full charge, and the power roof lift works. Any ideas as to what is going on?

[bikendan]

How did you determine the battery has a full charge? Did you use the idiot lights or a multimeter?

[TCamping247]

Dan - The battery has been charging overnight. and the charger states that it is full.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by TCamping247

Dan - The battery has been charging overnight. and the charger states that it is full.

What "charger" are you referring to? A standalone charger?

[pgandw]

If the kill switch at the galley was at fault, the lights would not have worked at all. Since they work on shore power (converter powering), but not on battery, there is a problem between (possibly including the battery) the battery and the converter. Which would also cause the converter not to charge the battery when plugged in.

Start with your fuse panel. Then check the 12V resettable fuse under the tongue of your trailer. Also wire connection at the battery, at where the neg wire from the battery connects to the frame, etc.

The roof lift and tongue jack (if powered) are powered by separate wires and circuits from the battery, and bypass the resettable fuse.

Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time

[MohicanJeff]

Check along the inside edge of the roof along the sides and see if there is a mechanical switch. This removes power from lighting when the top is down to prevent overheating. I have read numerous posts of these going bad. I’m sure you could bypass the switch to test.

[brookstone345sa]

Check for resettable breaker usually near battery. Small button on side resets it

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by MohicanJeff

Check along the inside edge of the roof along the sides and see if there is a mechanical switch. This removes power from lighting when the top is down to prevent overheating. I have read numerous posts of these going bad. I’m sure you could bypass the switch to test.

X2 as my first guess for the culprit. This is usually a plunger switch that is "normally closed" (on) when the roof is raised, but when you lower the roof, a portion of the roof makes contact with the plunger and "opens" the circuit (turns it off). Some campers have this switch in the flip-open kitchen, and it accomplishes the same thing.

These tend to be troublesome because they aren't that well supported. Yours may be stuck in the open (off) position, or it may have come adrift entirely and the connectors might not be hooked to the swich anymore.

This video shows, IN PRINCIPLE, how this works. On Forest River products, the switch itself is likely to be different. The Coleman version is "normally open" and is closed when you set the kitchen in place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ctwdk4rHMh8

I had a Rockwood High-Wall, and this switch was on the edge of the tub, and closing the roof pushed the plunger. In a "low wall" (standard) popup, putting them in the sink area...sandwiched between the base and the "flip away" portion makes more sense.

This image is from another thread in the Forest River forum...on the same subject. https://robertssales.com/images/opti...off_switch.jpg

[jimmoore13]

Of course, then there are fuses. I strongly urge that you REMOVE each fuse and examine it by shining a flashlight from behind it to inspect it. I've replaced fuses that were blown, but you could not see it was blown when the fuse was in place in its socket. These spade fuses can be deceptive unless you remove them and shine a light from behind.

[flyerdp]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

Of course, then there are fuses. I strongly urge that you REMOVE each fuse and examine it by shining a flashlight from behind it to inspect it. I've replaced fuses that were blown, but you could not see it was blown when the fuse was in place in its socket. These spade fuses can be deceptive unless you remove them and shine a light from behind.

or use an ohm/continuity meter or get one of these for those standard auto fuse types:

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/BK_7...oCLOUQAvD_BwE&

[TCamping247]

There are actually two switches under the galley. One Red that works the lights when plugged into shore power. The other is silver.... does anyone know what this switch is for?

[Chuck_S]

Check the pair of "battery protection fuses" in the power panel. They're right in the middle of mine. If you ever connected the battery backwards (white is negative/ground) you blew these. Converter should still provide 12vDC to the trailer but the battery isn't connected anymore.

Battery on the trailer tongue should have the wire from the Negative pole connected via a white wire to the trailer frame.

-- Chuck

[TCamping247]

I just wanted to thank-you all for your help. I bought all new fuses and was looking into the Rest Breaker at the batteries when I saw a red plastic connection down the line from the battery and there was a blade fuse in there that went bad. Thankfully I bought several fuses. Replaced it and everything works.

[Amartin453]

Originally Posted by TCamping247

I just wanted to thank-you all for your help. I bought all new fuses and was looking into the Rest Breaker at the batteries when I saw a red plastic connection down the line from the battery and there was a blade fuse in there that went bad. Thankfully I bought several fuses. Replaced it and everything works.

That’s awesome that you were able to resolve the issue based on all the feedback! Thanks for the update!