12 volt cuts out while plugged in to power.

[JeffA]

We have a 2015 Reflection 27RL. Lately the 12 volt system cuts out while plugged in to 120 volts. This shuts off the fridge, no power to the slides, radio and lights. It then comes back and I need to turn the fridge back on the radio had reset itself so that the 3 zones of speakers are on. The 120 volt power didn't shut off. I tested this by setting the clock on the microwave.
I have test the converter as per the instructions and it is putting out 13.7 volts, which is what it says it should be doing.
The batteries are at 13.2 volts with just the fridge on and whatever other parasitic draws. This is while plugged in to 120 volts.
Unplugged from 120 volts battery drops to 13.1 volts.
Turn on radio and a couple of the lights and it drops to 12.6 volts.
I am thinking maybe the batteries (2x12volt) are going, but can't see why with being plugged in to 120 volts they would cause this.
Any ideas?

[ncitro]

We have a 2015 Reflection 27RL. Lately the 12 volt system cuts out while plugged in to 120 volts. This shuts off the fridge, no power to the slides, radio and lights. It then comes back and I need to turn the fridge back on the radio had reset itself so that the 3 zones of speakers are on. The 120 volt power didn't shut off. I tested this by setting the clock on the microwave.
I have test the converter as per the instructions and it is putting out 13.7 volts, which is what it says it should be doing.
The batteries are at 13.2 volts with just the fridge on and whatever other parasitic draws. This is while plugged in to 120 volts.
Unplugged from 120 volts battery drops to 13.1 volts.
Turn on radio and a couple of the lights and it drops to 12.6 volts.
I am thinking maybe the batteries (2x12volt) are going, but can't see why with being plugged in to 120 volts they would cause this.
Any ideas?

That is a strange one. If your batteries were going, I would not think it should run while the rig is unplugged. Just to rule out the converter I would turn it off (should be on its own breaker) and then plug the rig into 120V power and see what happens. The converter is the only link between the 120V system and the 12V system. With it off when you plug into shore power all of your 12V items should function as normal. Assuming that is the case, then I would suspect the converter. If the 12V items still shut down when you connect shore power, then there is some kind of a bad problem somewhere between 120V and 12V, like a shorted wire or something, but I have never seen that, and if it were to happen I would think all your 12V equipment would be fried.

[Yoda]

We have a 2015 Reflection 27RL. Lately the 12 volt system cuts out while plugged in to 120 volts. This shuts off the fridge, no power to the slides, radio and lights. It then comes back and I need to turn the fridge back on the radio had reset itself so that the 3 zones of speakers are on. The 120 volt power didn't shut off. I tested this by setting the clock on the microwave.
I have test the converter as per the instructions and it is putting out 13.7 volts, which is what it says it should be doing.
The batteries are at 13.2 volts with just the fridge on and whatever other parasitic draws. This is while plugged in to 120 volts.
Unplugged from 120 volts battery drops to 13.1 volts.
Turn on radio and a couple of the lights and it drops to 12.6 volts.
I am thinking maybe the batteries (2x12volt) are going, but can't see why with being plugged in to 120 volts they would cause this.
Any ideas?

This is just a guess, but your main 12V power feed runs through and auto resetting breaker. My guess is the breaker is getting weak and cutting out under load and then it auto resets. Next time it happens check the power at your main 12V power buss bar and see if that breaker is open. As you have a 5th wheel you will find this power buss bar in your front bay behind a black plastic cover. Mine is in the lower right corner. Hope this helps
Keith

[Jlawles2]

Another dumb thing to note, is older units with non LED bulbs will still work if the 12V battery is hooked up backwards. Have you notice anything not working normally??

[Jkwilson]

Another dumb thing to note, is older units with non LED bulbs will still work if the 12V battery is hooked up backwards. Have you notice anything not working normally??

Battery might work, but the converter will have both fuses blown and won’t work.

[JeffA]

We have led bulbs in the 27RL.

[howson]

This is just a guess, but your main 12V power feed runs through and auto resetting breaker. My guess is the breaker is getting weak and cutting out under load and then it auto resets. Next time it happens check the power at your main 12V power buss bar and see if that breaker is open. As you have a 5th wheel you will find this power buss bar in your front bay behind a black plastic cover. Mine is in the lower right corner. Hope this helps
Keith

JeffA ,
A way to test Yoda 's theory:

1) Turn on a few 12v lights visible from near the Power Distribution Panel (PDP)
2) Remove shore power
3) Turn off the WFCO Converter using the circuit breaker in the Power Distribution Panel
4) Turn off (key removed) the Battery Disconnect (this will isolate the battery and self-reset CBs)
*Note the battery is still connected to some systems in the RV, but not the PDP or the Converter.
5) Plug in to shore power
6) Turn on WFCO Converter using the circuit breaker in the PDP

Do the lights come on immediately or is there the same symptom as previously?

If same symptom, the converter is suspect.

If the lights come on as expected, the issue is either the self-resetting CB Keith mentioned or the battery.

Howard

P.S. Below I attempt to show why you should still have lights with the WFCO powered and battery disconnected. the diagram is applicable to my '19 315RLTS, your trailer is probably slightly different but should be close. If the diagram is not clear, post back.

[Jlawles2]

JeffA Everything works when the unit is not plugged in to shore power? How long does everything work when on battery only? Have you checked the electrolyte levels in the batteries (this should not cause it to shut down when you plug in)? How are you charging the batteries at this time, external charger?

The fact that it shuts down when in it's plugged in is why I was suspect of the battery polarity. I'd still be checking polarity and voltage of the converter. You may want to check to see if the converter is for some reason making AC power instead of DC power as this will cause issues (this would indicate failure in the converter of the components). Even a working converter will make a small AC current (millivolts) as the components work in changing polarity.

[Yoda]

JeffA
Your buss bar should look similar to this on your 5th wheel. I have added a few wires to mine that will not be on yours such as the red fused wire coming off the top right side and I moved one breaker to the far right to make some connection room.



On the far right are two 6 awg black wires. One comes/goes to the 12V side of the power distribution panel and is tied to the converter there. The second 6 awg wire goes to the disconnect switch. The small white wire from the other side of the auto reset breaker feeds the slide controller.

On the far left the top 6 awg wire comes from the battery and feeds the buss bar . Below that coming from the auto-resetting breaker the second 6 awg red wire goes too the disconnect switch.

So when on shore power and the converter working power feeds from the distribution panel through the right black wire, to the disconnect switch, then to the auto-reset breaker on the left and then to the power distribution bar.

Now this creates a puzzle. even if the auto-reset fails you should have power from the distribution panel (from converter)on shore power - UNLESS the issue is with the Disconnect Switch which I have never heard of. You can get to the back of the disconnect switch from the front bay. Mine is on the left side high up under a black plastic cover. You can bypass it by just connecting both power leads to one terminal.

Even then after looking at this, on shore power the trailer is being fed directly from the converter connection to the 12V side of the distribution panel.

Ill let the experts take it from here.

Keith

[JeffA]

Thanks everyone. Going out to check out all your theories.
Finally got some time to check it again.

[JeffA]

JeffA Everything works when the unit is not plugged in to shore power? How long does everything work when on battery only? Have you checked the electrolyte levels in the batteries (this should not cause it to shut down when you plug in)? How are you charging the batteries at this time, external charger?

The fact that it shuts down when in it's plugged in is why I was suspect of the battery polarity. I'd still be checking polarity and voltage of the converter. You may want to check to see if the converter is for some reason making AC power instead of DC power as this will cause issues (this would indicate failure in the converter of the components). Even a working converter will make a small AC current (millivolts) as the components work in changing polarity.

The battery electrolyte levels are good. Batteries are being charged through the converter. Polarity is good. Converter is making 13.7 volts as it should be according to manufacturers specs.

[JBill9694]

Sounds like Yoda nailed it and you have an auto reset breaker that is going bad. May work with one or two items turned on but too many is overheating the breaker.

[JeffA]

Can anyone tell me where the purple wire on the top of the 50amp breaker goes. In troubleshooting this it's the only wire that I can't figure out where it goes or what it controls. Everything that should work on 12 volts works. Same as when plugged into shore power.

[gbkims]

Can anyone tell me where the purple wire on the top of the 50amp breaker goes. In troubleshooting this it's the only wire that I can't figure out where it goes or what it controls. Everything that should work on 12 volts works. Same as when plugged into shore power.

Looks like that purple wire is on the battery side of the CB.
I'd look in the pin box junction box to see if it connects to the breakaway switch for the brakes.

[JeffA]

Looks like that purple wire is on the battery side of the CB.
I'd look in the pin box junction box to see if it connects to the breakaway switch for the brakes.

I will take a look tomorrow as i don't have a chance right now.
Thank you.