I have an issue when running off battery power. Whenever we turn too many things on ( a light and water pump or 3 lights ... ) the whole electrical system shuts down. We then have no power at all for ~ 1 to 5 minutes and then the power comes back.
I have two new deep cycle batteries fully charged. I've confirmed with a multimeter. It runs fine with one or two lights but as soon as I turn on more or try to run the pump for more than 5 seconds, everything shuts down.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
TRAILERKING said
11:07 PM Aug 24, 2014
Sounds like a breaker cuts out and then resets.
More details of the make and model would be a help.
colin said
11:35 PM Aug 24, 2014
Thanks for your response. The trailer is a 2006 KZ Spree 18' (18BH).
Lonney Wade said
01:21 AM Aug 25, 2014
Sounds like your batteries are on their last leg. Can you tell me what the battery volts are when fully charged and the reading of your battery volts are when the lights go out. Sounds like wet cell batteries, fully charged should read 12.8 and low 12.1 volts. I'm thinking when the lights go off the charge in the batteries are very low and in 5 minutes the batteries can come back up in charge and you have lights again, am I close? or you could have a loose battery wire. When we get on the road, as soon as our business sells I will be doing electric troubleshooting on RV campers, will also be doing large and small battery bank installs and inverters and maybe pressure cleaning black and gray tanks so your sensors will start working again.
Lonney
-- Edited by Lonney Wade on Monday 25th of August 2014 01:30:11 AM
-- Edited by Lonney Wade on Friday 19th of September 2014 09:12:33 AM
colin said
07:25 PM Aug 25, 2014
Thanks Lonnie. I don't think it's the batteries since these are brand new deep cycle batteries. According to my multi-meter, they did not go below 12.4.
I do however think I should probably replace the wiring to remove that variable. It sits out in major rain all winter being on the coast and there is a substantial amount of rust on the ends.
mpierce said
06:48 AM Aug 26, 2014
Those breakers go bad too. Try replacing the breaker that is cutting power off. Not expensive.
colin said
09:34 PM Aug 26, 2014
Thanks for the reply.
I'll replace the breakers as well ...
If anyone else has any ideas I'd appreciate hearing from you.
mpierce said
08:36 AM Sep 14, 2014
As long as you have eliminated the batteries, then I would say a breaker has gone bad. The first thing I would do is find the breaker that is opening, and put a new one in there.
jimindenver said
10:53 PM Sep 17, 2014
A simple test would be to disconnect the batteries and put a load on each. They may be new but things happen. Testing each cell with a hydrometer before and after would show a bad one. Also if you have rust on the connections, you may have corrosion running up the wire too. I helped a friend that couldn't get his car to start. he tried jump starting it, charged the battery, and even replaced it.
I notice the cable was slightly bulged and cut back the covering only to find it green inches beyond the bulging. Trimmed it back to clean wire, put a new end on and the car started right up.
blijil said
06:57 AM Sep 19, 2014
Measure the battery voltage with several lights on so that they dim at the battery and at the DC input on the fuse box. If the voltage drops at the fuse box and not at the battery you have a bad connection somewhere. I doubt a breaker because the DC system is primarily fuses with the exception of the internal overload sensor of your water pump. Ground connections in a lot of wet weather often get loose and or corroded.
Hello,
I have an issue when running off battery power. Whenever we turn too many things on ( a light and water pump or 3 lights ... ) the whole electrical system shuts down. We then have no power at all for ~ 1 to 5 minutes and then the power comes back.
I have two new deep cycle batteries fully charged. I've confirmed with a multimeter. It runs fine with one or two lights but as soon as I turn on more or try to run the pump for more than 5 seconds, everything shuts down.
Any ideas?
Thanks in advance.
More details of the make and model would be a help.
Thanks for your response. The trailer is a 2006 KZ Spree 18' (18BH).
Sounds like your batteries are on their last leg.
Can you tell me what the battery volts are when fully charged and the reading of your battery volts are when the lights go out.
Sounds like wet cell batteries, fully charged should read 12.8 and low 12.1 volts.
I'm thinking when the lights go off the charge in the batteries are very low and in 5 minutes the batteries can come back up in charge and you have lights again, am I close? or you could have a loose battery wire.
When we get on the road, as soon as our business sells I will be doing electric troubleshooting on RV campers, will also be doing large and small battery bank installs and inverters and maybe pressure cleaning black and gray tanks so your sensors will start working again.
Lonney
-- Edited by Lonney Wade on Monday 25th of August 2014 01:30:11 AM
-- Edited by Lonney Wade on Friday 19th of September 2014 09:12:33 AM
Thanks Lonnie. I don't think it's the batteries since these are brand new deep cycle batteries. According to my multi-meter, they did not go below 12.4.
I do however think I should probably replace the wiring to remove that variable. It sits out in major rain all winter being on the coast and there is a substantial amount of rust on the ends.
Thanks for the reply.
I'll replace the breakers as well ...
If anyone else has any ideas I'd appreciate hearing from you.
I notice the cable was slightly bulged and cut back the covering only to find it green inches beyond the bulging. Trimmed it back to clean wire, put a new end on and the car started right up.
Thats my 2 cents worth