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mother ship · 08-25-2012, 06:53 PM

I am at a campground with my daughter and my husband had to leave for a few days. I hope someone can help us. I have a 2006 25' Safari. We had a dead battery and some other issues that the dealer addressed before we left. They told us we needed a two new batteries and converter, which they replaced before our trip. Once we got to our destination, we noticed that the voltage dipped each time the AC cycled on, and that the battery indicator was showing yellow instead of green. Now, four days into the trip, the battery light is flashing red, and the refrigerator won't run if we turn on a light. It won't even stay "on" with propane. My food is going to go bad, and i wont be able to contact the dealer until Monday (it's Saturday - by the way, I called the dealer yesterday and they told me that there was no one there to help me and I should call back on Monday.

) Any advice would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

Wazbro · 08-25-2012, 07:07 PM

Is the converter turned on?
There is normally a switch to control power to it.

casa3805 · 08-25-2012, 07:17 PM

http://www.airstream.com/files/libra...15e723b1c5.pdf
This is a link to a 2006 model trailer. I bet it is similar. Scroll thru to section G and read the first page. Hope it helps!! It is what Wazbro is suggesting above.

BillTex · 08-25-2012, 07:18 PM

Yeah...sounds like you are not getting any charge to your batteries. Check the battery disconnect first.
The put some charge to the converter (hookup, genny, worst case your TV) and see what you are getting at the battery end.

With a good converter (what did they put in as replacement?) you should see 14.6/14.8V drop off to 13.6 V and eventualy 13.2 when the charge cycle is complete.
This could take a few hours as the batteries are quite dead...

Check that switch and get back to us...

Do you have some type of power source?

Bill

masseyfarm · 08-25-2012, 07:19 PM

Any good camper would be glad to give you help. Are there any other campers there at the site that look handy?? It does not have to be an Airstream camper.

Dave

mother ship · 08-25-2012, 07:27 PM

Let me start by saying "wow". I am pleasantly surprised and reassured with your prompt and very helpful replies. Yes, i did check the battery disconnect switch. I will check out the link to see if i can trouble shoot the converter. Unfortunately, I'm in Southern NJ right now, and we are having one heck of a thunder storm, so I hesitate to call on a fellow camper. I will check in after I check the link. Thanks.

xrvr · 08-25-2012, 07:38 PM

Check the battery cables. Are hooked to a 30 amp power pole? If so make sure the plug is tight. Maybe try a dif hookup if possible. Good luck, jim

TBRich · 08-25-2012, 07:53 PM

I does sound like there's a converter issue. When you are plugged into shore power the battery indicator should show a full charge. Your battery disconnect switch should be switched to "use"...even while you are plugged into shore power. While on shore power, all your power (110 and 12v) is really coming from your shore line hookup through your converter, not the batteries. And your converter should be charging the batteries at the same time it is running your systems... giving you both 110 power (in the outlets) and 12v power to the lights, etc.

I assume you are on shore power or your AC would not have run earlier at all (that is, on battery power alone). What does your 110 voltage meter say now? If it shows any voltage, you are still connected to shore power. If it shows no voltage, you are running on batteries alone. If that's the case, it sounds like your trailer has lost shore power somehow and switched to battery power. Your lights are 12v and the frig needs 12v... And if you have a weak or nearly dead battery, you will lose 12v power.

If you are unsuccessful in troubleshooting yourself, enlist the help of the campground host or ranger...they may be able to assist or they may have a local source to get you help right way. Or ask a neighbor if they might help...

If you have a generator, wait till the storm stops and crank it up...that will give you full power if you have lost it, but will not run your AC unless it's a 3000w genny (or possibly a 2800w, depending on your AC).

It's hard to diagnose long distance, but we are trying! Good luck! Let us know anything you find out in your troubleshooting...

Ridgerunner3 · 08-25-2012, 07:55 PM

If your air conditioner is running you have 120 volt power. Switch your refrigerator to 120 volt electric operation to save your food. Operating the refrigerator on propane requires battery power.

The converter in my trailer plugs into a wall outlet to get its' power. Check to see that the converter is plugged into the wall outlet properly.

Good luck.

As another member suggested, your best immediate help may well be one of your fellow campers.

timmaah · 08-25-2012, 08:02 PM

I'm pretty sure the fridge needs 12v all the time.. no matter if its propane or 120 doing the heating/cooling.

Uzzah · 08-25-2012, 08:06 PM

Don't forget to double check that there is actually power at the camp site. We had an issue once with a bad breaker at a camp site.

drew05 · 08-25-2012, 08:11 PM

In addition to the above, you can also check for 110/120 volts by turning on your television.

When the storms let up, go outside and check the circuit breakers on the power column. It is possible that one or all may be have tripped.

Good Luck...

drew05 · 08-25-2012, 08:13 PM

Also check that your shore power cable is properly and tightly connected at both ends. I too had similar issues like Uzzah. The following morning I had noticed that one of the legs had some arching and pitting marks...

Max Well · 08-25-2012, 08:21 PM

Do you know where your circuit breakers are located? It sounds like the breaker that controls your convertor is not completely thrown "on". As I look at the manual that Chuck sent you, the breaker on the left is the master. Since your A/C is working, we know the master is OK. The next one should be the one that controls the convertor. Think of the convertor as the battery charger just like you would hook to your car battery to charge it. See if you can find the breaker box, it should look just like the one at home, only smaller. Make sure all the breakers are thrown the same. When they "pop" they only snap back a little. If one is popped, you will have to flip it all the way off and then all the way back on.
I hope it's a simple problem like this that you can fix quickly!

ATB,

Ken

mother ship · 08-25-2012, 09:05 PM

Ok - so here is what I already tried. I made sure the battery switch was set to "use", i reset the 30 amp breaker at the camp site (also called the office, no power problems at the campground), i flipped/reset all of the breakers in the breaker box, and I am sure that the tv/microwave/ac have power, so I know I am connected to the shore line. Right now the refeigerator is running on gas - but only with everything else turned off. I think I will need to go to the camp office in the morning and enlist some help. Thanks again for your speedy and kind responses. I'll let you know how i make out.

casa3805 · 08-25-2012, 09:15 PM

Ugh...so sorry it is not working. Where is Harry Potter when we need him?

ROBERTSUNRUS · 08-25-2012, 10:00 PM

Hi, sounds to me that the new power converter is not working. Maybe borrow a battery charger and connect it directly to your batteries.

mother ship · 08-25-2012, 10:12 PM

I think you're right about the new converter. Too bad the service department at my dealer wouldnt give me the time of day when I called them earlier.

TBRich · 08-25-2012, 11:02 PM

I agree that the converter is where the problem is... Maybe someone can lend you a battery so at least you'll have 12v power...or you can get your battery charged up by a service place. But even then a loaner battery will not hold a charge for long if you're drawing it down and it is not being re-charged by the converter.

Sorry this is turning into an ordeal for you... Again, good luck...

RichHog · 08-25-2012, 11:47 PM

So I have the same trailer a 25 06 Safari Front Bed. Just replaced both batteries last month with new interstate, and a tire blowout took out a cable that feeds my overhead lighting and heater, DVD and magic fan so I've been dealing with electrical. One thing helpful is we have a little led night light that we plug into the outlet over the stove. When I first connect to shore power I look inside the trailer and if it's lit then I know I've got 120v flowing into the trailer. It's right next to the system monitor and easy to see. You've got a problem with the 12 converter under the bed. Get a flashlight and take a good look at your blade fuses that are in each of the slots that send 12 v to your systems. Mine has an extra one on the right last fuse that can make for a backup.
Also on the Use / store switch at the door you should here a click under the bed of the relay then you throw it.

Did you batteries come charged up and new? I've had weird things happen when I had one new battery and one old not charged and the 12 Volt converter doesn't have the capacity to charge dead batteries AND run all systems at same time.

My guess is that your 12 Volt converter isn't working and the batteries ran down and need charging. But if all of your lights are on then you're getting 12volts from somewhere. If the converter is acting up then you'll get a weird light show, overhead lights flicker. Your status panel will go from red to yellow to green and flash. And you might hear a fan run inside the 12V converter as it cools down cause it's over heating to keep up.

You might turn off things you dont need such as the water heater, entertainment etc. to use power on more critical systems.

Hit a hardware store and buy a $20 basic volt meter and some of those green blade fuses to have on hand. You can meter voltage on the circuits in the fuse block (use the 12v scale). You can check the batteries in front to see if they are charged.

The 120v AC power runs your AC unit. All of the 110v wall receptacles in and out and probably your TV. Might be forgetting something but everything else is 12 Volt that comes from that converter under the bed. If its not working properly then the 12 volt will come from the batteries til they drain out. Hope one of these thoughts is the one that works for you. Rich