A friend of a friend on Facebook got in touch with me at the beginning of last month asking for help with her sister and BIL’s camper electrical system.
my understanding of what they’ve gone through the last couple of years relies on what several completely non-technical people recalled and described and my detective work looking at the trailer.
These folks live in Arkansas and are in their early 70s. Bought a trailer 5 years ago. Their second RV. After three years staying only at FHU campgrounds, they decided to travel with some relatives who did a lot of overnighting in parking lots and Forest Service campgrounds. They decided they wanted to increase their battery capacity and went to the dealer to add a second battery in 2020. Since then they haven’t had a normally operating camper for one night. They’ve been through 5 batteries in the last two years. After the second battery was installed, the 12v system died the third night. A dealer on the road told them the converter was bad and replaced it and both batteries, leaving the old converter in place, but unconnected. Next trip, same thing. Went back to their purchasing dealer and again the converter and both batteries were replaced. Same problem next trip. Helpful campground neighbor looked things over and suggested going back to a single battery. No improvement. He then suggested a portable battery charger, which has let them get some use out of the trailer.
So the last two years, the trailer has been difficult and stressful to use.
This week, they brought the trailer with them to visit with their family near me. We had arranged to meet so I could take a look. Took me less than ten minutes to see the battery wires had been reversed at the converter so were backwards on the battery, but the battery was wired into the 12v system properly. Fuses in both converters were blown.
I fixed the wiring, replaced the fuses, and voila, 12V system was fully functional. Went a step further and checked the original converter after replacing the fuses and it worked.
I’m angry these nice folks have been without a functioning RV for two years in spite of having spent, brace yourselves, $2700 on the three dealer visits. Tickled to death I could help them. I find it inexcusable two different dealers were unable to resolve the problem.
They tried to give me $200. I settled for lunch.
my understanding of what they’ve gone through the last couple of years relies on what several completely non-technical people recalled and described and my detective work looking at the trailer.
These folks live in Arkansas and are in their early 70s. Bought a trailer 5 years ago. Their second RV. After three years staying only at FHU campgrounds, they decided to travel with some relatives who did a lot of overnighting in parking lots and Forest Service campgrounds. They decided they wanted to increase their battery capacity and went to the dealer to add a second battery in 2020. Since then they haven’t had a normally operating camper for one night. They’ve been through 5 batteries in the last two years. After the second battery was installed, the 12v system died the third night. A dealer on the road told them the converter was bad and replaced it and both batteries, leaving the old converter in place, but unconnected. Next trip, same thing. Went back to their purchasing dealer and again the converter and both batteries were replaced. Same problem next trip. Helpful campground neighbor looked things over and suggested going back to a single battery. No improvement. He then suggested a portable battery charger, which has let them get some use out of the trailer.
So the last two years, the trailer has been difficult and stressful to use.
This week, they brought the trailer with them to visit with their family near me. We had arranged to meet so I could take a look. Took me less than ten minutes to see the battery wires had been reversed at the converter so were backwards on the battery, but the battery was wired into the 12v system properly. Fuses in both converters were blown.
I fixed the wiring, replaced the fuses, and voila, 12V system was fully functional. Went a step further and checked the original converter after replacing the fuses and it worked.
I’m angry these nice folks have been without a functioning RV for two years in spite of having spent, brace yourselves, $2700 on the three dealer visits. Tickled to death I could help them. I find it inexcusable two different dealers were unable to resolve the problem.
They tried to give me $200. I settled for lunch.
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