WMH Cheryl
New member
- Joined
- May 24, 2017
- Posts
- 4
I recently purchased my first RV 5th wheel, a used 1997 AutoMate. The problem I have discovered with AutoMates is that each one was custom made so no two are exactly the same. I received a generic binder that the Automate club had put together. Not super useful since most things don't match my trailer.
Bottom line, I am trying to figure out the electrical system and finally found the AC breaker panel and what I assume is a DC fuse panel.
Pic #1 is AC breakers and a few are obvious to me. Far left Green labeled Main is the master shutoff for AC. Continuing from there is WH, GFI, GP, AO, MW. GFI is obvious as any GFI outlets, MW probably for microwave, AO maybe for Air Conditioner? Would WH be for Whole House? How is that different than the Main? No clue on GP. ??
Pic#2-4 are from inside the underneath storage area on the other side of the battery compartment, 50 amp converter on the left of fuse box. They did something strange in my opinion (but I have no RV experience). There are two thick sets of red and black wires that travel to the battery box and two 12v batts each have a separate set of wires. The batts are not connected together there but above the fuse box there appears to be a shunt or something where the two sets of wires join? Anyone know what that is?
The reason I am asking is because I suspect that something is funky with the converter or that mess of wires because when I purchased and they had it plugged into Shore power the batts got really hot and after purchase when I removed them to test they are pretty fried, only reading about 3.2 volts each out of 12 so I am guessing that they are fried.
I will be boondocking and adding a solar system that will be separate from this and just connect into the shore power side and the converter will then in theory just charge new deep cycle batts for the DC side. I have different solar batts (two 6v 210ah) that will be used for the inverter/AC side.
Any info would be appreciated.
Bottom line, I am trying to figure out the electrical system and finally found the AC breaker panel and what I assume is a DC fuse panel.
Pic #1 is AC breakers and a few are obvious to me. Far left Green labeled Main is the master shutoff for AC. Continuing from there is WH, GFI, GP, AO, MW. GFI is obvious as any GFI outlets, MW probably for microwave, AO maybe for Air Conditioner? Would WH be for Whole House? How is that different than the Main? No clue on GP. ??
Pic#2-4 are from inside the underneath storage area on the other side of the battery compartment, 50 amp converter on the left of fuse box. They did something strange in my opinion (but I have no RV experience). There are two thick sets of red and black wires that travel to the battery box and two 12v batts each have a separate set of wires. The batts are not connected together there but above the fuse box there appears to be a shunt or something where the two sets of wires join? Anyone know what that is?
The reason I am asking is because I suspect that something is funky with the converter or that mess of wires because when I purchased and they had it plugged into Shore power the batts got really hot and after purchase when I removed them to test they are pretty fried, only reading about 3.2 volts each out of 12 so I am guessing that they are fried.
I will be boondocking and adding a solar system that will be separate from this and just connect into the shore power side and the converter will then in theory just charge new deep cycle batts for the DC side. I have different solar batts (two 6v 210ah) that will be used for the inverter/AC side.
Any info would be appreciated.