Electric Jack goes dead on and off

[Relentless]

I have an '07 Safari. Recently, the tongue jack will stop working after a few seconds of operation. It just goes dead. If I let it sit for about a minute, it begins working again. This has just started. It acts as if it is overheating but the cap stays cool and I am doing nothing different than I ever have.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

John

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Relentless

I have an '07 Safari. Recently, the tongue jack will stop working after a few seconds of operation. It just goes dead. If I let it sit for about a minute, it begins working again. This has just started. It acts as if it is overheating but the cap stays cool and I am doing nothing different than I ever have.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

John

John.

Sounds like a 12 volt circuit breaker is kicking out.

Either that breaker is bad, or, the jack is pulling too much current, which in turn, will make the circuit breaker kick out.

The easiest way to find out, is to place an ampere meter in the circuit, and see what it says when the jack is running.

Andy

[Roadtoaster]

Just a guess, but examine the 12 volt wiring that runs to the battery. It may be severely pinched between the frame and LP cover. Over time, some of the strands may break which will limit the amount of juice available to the jack. This is not an unusual occurrence. Hope this helps.

[Relentless]

Thanks, guys. I checked the wiring and it appears OK. We are headed out of town this AM and will stop at the shop to have it checked out. I'll let you all know what the problem is/was when I get back next week.

JOhn

[Phoenix]

Some electric motors have a thermal switch, which cuts out if the motor overheats -- a possibility. Is the battery fully charged? If the motor starts to run slowly just before it quits, the battery might be run down...

[lynn]

Is the jack head loose or move when you hit the switch?. If the head is moving the jack could be loosing its' ground. There should be some set screws that can be tightened where head is on tube. Just a thought

[HOG-I]

I had the same problem on an 06 Bambi a year and a half ago. Stopped in Wyoming to have a new jack installed. Turned out the connection from the battery to the jack was caroded big time. They cleaned it up and vola, the jack was as good as new and $300. plus cheaper.

[DreamStreamr]

John,
I have had an intermittent operation of my tongue jack, too. And, dramatically, it threw a bright spark a foot into the air one of those times. I'd heard the first thing to check with 12vdc system intermittents was the ground connection.

Sure enough, the three bolts were loose in the flange connecting the jack to the tongue. I tightened these and have had no problems in the ensuing five months.

Good luck,

Jim

[Paul&Dee]

Andy:
Does Inland RV sell those circuit breakers that reset themselves?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Paul&Dee

Andy:
Does Inland RV sell those circuit breakers that reset themselves?

Yes.

They are available in ampere ratings.

Andy

[Relentless]

Thanks, everybody. I will check that all out this AM.

Andy, is the breaker located under the bed with the converter?

John

[mello mike]

My last SOB trailer had an electric tongue jack with a faulty circuit breaker. Replaced it and it worked great after that.

[Mikethefixit]

When we purchase our AS the electric jack was missing. There had been a new fridge put in and some AH wired the fridge direct to the batteries and not too a breaker or fuse.To remedy this situation I did some wire rerouting. In searching the fuse and breaker panel I came across the wire for the jack. I traced it back and found the reason for the jack being replaced with a manual was a DEAD BREAKER. I went to my local Fruehuf Semi-Trailer dealer and purchased the correct breaker. Semi-trailers use the same thing in lite circuits.
Unfortunately I was not able to contact the PO to find out what he did with a probably good jack.
Those breakers will also GO SOFT is what I call it and will not carry a load. So check for grounding and broken or frayed wires and then a bad breaker.
GOOD LUCK

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by Relentless

Thanks, everybody. I will check that all out this AM.

Andy, is the breaker located under the bed with the converter?

John

John.

I don't have a manual for your model.

However, usually, the circuit breakers are very close to the Univolt.

Andy

[CanoeStream]

The tongue jack is not wired through the trailer's main power switch. The tongue jack works whether the power switch is on or off. And the fuse is in an in-line capsule under the A-frame. Half a twist and it's open. John, have you gotten down on the ground and inspected this fuse?

So ... the question: That fuse protects the jack. The jack is wired upstream of the power switch. Does it really have redundant circuit breaker protection? I don't think so. The breakers' functions are all post-power switch IIRC.

[CanoeStream]

Hey y'all -- CanoeStream is right! He logged off and then the light turned on. The jack is wired directly to the battery terminal -- no breaker inside the coach at all! One wire (look at your batteries). Grounded through the frame. In-line fuse. Simple as can be.

Canoe's Evil Twin

[DreamStreamr]

John,
CanoeStream is right-on with this -- our 2005 CCD 25's tongue jack is wired direct from the batteries with an inline fuse holder for a 30a AGC fuse. Our previous 2005 (a CCD 22) had an inline fuse holder for 30a ATC (blade) fuse.

Both jacks had a single 10ga wire from the post jack motor to the battery, and no ground wire. Grounding is accomplished via the star washers squished between the jack's flange and the trailer a-frame web.

You probably found this by now

Jim

[CanoeStream]

Thanks for bringing this up again, Jim.

Originally Posted by Roadtoaster

Just a guess, but examine the 12 volt wiring that runs to the battery. It may be severely pinched between the frame and LP cover. Over time, some of the strands may break which will limit the amount of juice available to the jack. This is not an unusual occurrence. Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Relentless

Thanks, guys. I checked the wiring and it appears OK. We are headed out of town this AM and will stop at the shop to have it checked out. I'll let you all know what the problem is/was when I get back next week.

Roadtoaster, that's where my eyes would go first. John said he checked that.

A friend bought a new 'Stream last year. He witnessed the inexperienced salesperson toss something "ignorant the techs did" from the top of the tank cover area. Turns out it was the pipe spacer than holds the tank cover up off jack wire. After the 40 mile tow home from the dealer, insulation on his jack wire was pinched a bit but not significantly damaged.

But really?! Read 2air's account to understand just how serious this issue is! http://www.airforums.com/forums/f353...tml#post515931 Pictures, pictures, pictures!

[Relentless]

Took it into a shop and spent 30 min. with the mechanic taking it apart. We checked everything mentioned plus. Our best guess, finally, was that the motor was malfunctioning. Finally replaced the entire unit, $350 including labor and tax.

John