The electrical system worked fine up until 2 weeks ago. lights , leveling etc. don't work unless I hook up to a land line or fire up the generator. The batteries are 3 years old so I replaced them. Still will not work on batteries only. Any ideas would be helpful. My RV is a 2011 Windsport - Thor.
12 volt system not working on batteries
- Thread starter mscarr4
- Start date
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Molaker
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Nothing works at all, or just poorly? Have you verified the "battery off" or "store" switch did not get shut off inadvertently? It's probably in the entry area.
Molaker
Well-known member
You may have a popped automotive type circuit breaker. Look in/near the battery compartment for one (link to image). Some are auto-reset, but many are manual and have a little "nub" on the side that must be pushed in to reset.mscarr4 said:
Alfa38User
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What converter do you have and is it part of a power distribution centre (where the 12V Fuses and 120V circuit breakers are on the same panel), name on the cover??
You seem to be saying that the converter, while functioning either from the genny or when plugged in, everything seems to work fine. This makes me think of the distribution portion of a power centre, a relay and/or its contacts in there may have a problem.....
You seem to be saying that the converter, while functioning either from the genny or when plugged in, everything seems to work fine. This makes me think of the distribution portion of a power centre, a relay and/or its contacts in there may have a problem.....
Is there a fuse or main breaker between the batteries and the converter? Do the battreies charge when on shore power or generator? I don't know jack about motorhome electrical, but it seems as if the convertor is working to power up the 12 volt systems, but there is an open circuit to/from the batteries.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Since you seem sure the battery disconnect is ON, then the culprit must be the disconnect relay. The converter/charger provides 12v directly to the system, but the battery 12v goes through the disconnect relay. Either your relay is bad or the switch that triggers it is not working.
Alfa38User
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Gary, he also said everything works either when plugged in or when running the generator, I think that kinda lets the disconnect relay off the hook.
yolo
Well-known member
I think that the disconnect relay is doing a good job of disconnecting the battery. I think that Gary is right in that the relay is not connecting the battery. You could jumper around the disconnect relay to test that theory.Alfa38User said:
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
I don't think so. In most systems, only the battery source is disconnected by the relay. The converter/charger is not disconnected from the coach wiring, so it continues to provide 12v power whenever 120vac is present.
Molaker
Well-known member
FWIW - my 2000 Coachmen disconnected everything when the battery disconnect was activated. Nothing operating off 12 volts worked even when plugged in.Gary RV Roamer said:
On the other hand, I did pop a circuit breaker as I described previously and lost most of my 12 vdc. It was a 50 amp breaker as I recall.
The Windsport uses a BCC made by RV-Custom Products. Inside the BCC there is/are (one or two) DC circuit breakers that appear to be tripped. They are about the only thing, short of a physically disconnected or defective battery cable, that could cause the OP's symptoms.
Check the little plunger on the end of those breakers. They need to be pressed to reset the breaker.
Check the little plunger on the end of those breakers. They need to be pressed to reset the breaker.
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Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
Yeap, those little breakers caused me fits when we had a coach with the RVP BCC. But I don't recall that we had 12v power from the converter when they tripped, and msicarr4 says he has 12v power when sore or genset is active. But then, my memory isn't so great any longer... 
On Fleetwood coaches, the converter feeds directly into the house DC Distribution (fuse) panel. The same distribution point receives 12V from the batteries via the breakers in the BCC (through the Battery Disconnect contacts).Gary RV Roamer said:Yeap, those little breakers caused me fits when we had a coach with the RVP BCC. But I don't recall that we had 12v power from the converter when they tripped, and msicarr4 says he has 12v power when sore or genset is active. But then, my memory isn't so great any longer...
Tripped circuit breakers means NO voltage to the house from the batteries and NO battery charging from the converter. The house still sees converter voltage when on Gen or shore power.
The BCC would require specific modification if Thor were to implement in a different way. JMHO
John From Detroit
Well-known member
Alfa38User said:
Not on many RVs
Battery---Disconnect----Fuse panel/converter
or
Battery---Disconnect---Fuse panel----Convertr
I have never actually seen one that was
Converter--Battery---Disconnect UNLESS the converter was a big whompiong (1000 watt plus) invertr/charger.
Mine is
Inverter--Battery--Disconnect--Fuse---Converter
Yup I have a charger/convertr at both ends. I use the one on the right. Inverter is after market.
Alfa38User
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My theory, FWIW... was that the disconnect relay itself does not move unless the switch is operated, all contacts are in their normal released position. When you plug in, it doesn't move, everything works according to the OP or when you start the Genny, it doesn't move and again everything works, Unplug, and again, it still hasn't moved but 12V battery power distribution fails.
In not moving, 12V power from (the Batteries) should travel over those same normal contacts but does not (ie it probably never reaches the relay contacts) where as in the other two modes, both furnished from 1 source, the converter, it does.... Question is.... why?? The answer is the direct path from the batteries is open somewhere whereas the path from the other source (the converter itself) is not... (I cannot remember which older model converter uses this concept, perhaps one of the Magneteks...)
The distribution of 12V battery power is over a released relay in the converter in some units. When plugged in, that relay operates allowing the 12V generated by the converter to reach the distribution network rather than the actual battery 12V. The battery is then charged by a second set of wires and operated relay contacts in this case. If those relay contacts should fail (ie be stuck/welded in the operated position) while in the relay itself is in non operated position, Guess what???
In not moving, 12V power from (the Batteries) should travel over those same normal contacts but does not (ie it probably never reaches the relay contacts) where as in the other two modes, both furnished from 1 source, the converter, it does.... Question is.... why?? The answer is the direct path from the batteries is open somewhere whereas the path from the other source (the converter itself) is not... (I cannot remember which older model converter uses this concept, perhaps one of the Magneteks...)
The distribution of 12V battery power is over a released relay in the converter in some units. When plugged in, that relay operates allowing the 12V generated by the converter to reach the distribution network rather than the actual battery 12V. The battery is then charged by a second set of wires and operated relay contacts in this case. If those relay contacts should fail (ie be stuck/welded in the operated position) while in the relay itself is in non operated position, Guess what???
