Power Jack not working.

[AWCHIEF]

My H&H Baker Super Jack has stopped cold. The light does not come on and the motor will not run up or down. I have checked the inline fuse and seems to be ok. It does not look blown and shows full continuity using a meter. As far as I can tell it is the only fuse in the circuit. It was working fine two days ago when I took the trailer to the dealership to get a new hitch installed. Stumped, any suggestions?

[AnnArborBob]

I've been told that if the house battery is dead and you are not hooked up to shore power that the power jack will not work (and incredibly, being hooked up to your running TV will not work either.) So, if your battery is dead and you don't have shore power, charge your battery, or look for a generator or a very long extension cord.

I hope this helps your current emergency.

[AWCHIEF]

Originally Posted by AnnArborBob

I've been told that if the house battery is dead and you are not hooked up to shore power that the power jack will not work (and incredibly, being hooked up to your running TV will not work either.) So, if your battery is dead and you don't have shore power, charge your battery, or look for a generator or a very long extension cord.

I hope this helps your current emergency.

Thanks but no help. Trailer is plugged in to ac, batteries are brand new and at 100% charge. I plugged up to the Jeep to check that aspect and still no go.

[TouringDan]

Have you checked to make sure that you have 12v power at the jack?

Dan

[sandlapper]

Maybe it has lost it's ground where it bolts to the trailer tongue. Perhaps loosen the bolts a bit, then retighten.

John

[Rjpuckett]

The jack has only one wire going to the positive side of the battery (at least that is how mine is hooked up). Make sure the mounting bolts are making a good contact with the metal on the tongue. That is how it is grounded.

[HowieE]

Mike
You have to test for voltage from the battery to the jack. While testing do not use the jack metal as your ground. Use the negative battery terminal. This way the point at which you loose voltage is the problem.

If you have voltage all the way to the jack, and I mean by poking a straight pin into the wire just before it goes into the jack, Leave the pin in place and test for voltage moving the negative side of the meter to the jack post. No power there tighten the jack to tongue bolts and test again. Voltage there the problem is in the motor itself. remove the cover and with the hand crank move the jack a turn or two. Try the jack switch. If it works you may have been up against the limit switch. If not someone is going to have to test within the motor/limit switches for an open.

Baker has great customer support and will supply only what you need at reasonable cost.

[arktos55343]

Don't know if it is the same, but my Brute has an internal self re-setting circuit breaker inside the motor housing, in addition to the manual resetting breaker at the battery. I also had a problem with a faulty connection between the original jack wire, and an extension that ran to the battery.

[AWCHIEF]

I would like to think you all for your very helpful and valid suggestions. However it is time to come clean and fess up to my own stupidity. A couple of days ago I installed new batteries. I took very careful photos of all the connections. Here is where the stupid part comes in. I connected the positive lead from the jack to the negative post on the battery. Just corrected that blunder and amazingly the jack functions perfectly.

[cwf]

Man, I hate it when that happens!

[richinny]

i like cheap repairs!

[AnnArborBob]

I'm glad it was that simple and hope nothing else was adversely affected!

[xrvr]

Don't be too hard on yourself, you were resourceful enough to find your mistake. Better than some of the rest if us, including me. Jim

[Minno]

I'm also glad you got it fixed and it was a simple problem.

We were having issues with our power jack as well in the Spring - no power to the jack. Fuse checked out good with a VOM. Replaced fuse anyway, no power. Turned out to be corrosion in the in-line fuse holder. Once I cleaned that off the fuse contacts, it worked great. I did replace the glass fuse in-line fuse holder with an AGM fuse type in-line fuse holder to hopefully eliminate the issue next Spring.

Just something else to tuck away for future reference in case the power jack quits working again.

Chris

[AWCHIEF]

At last I learned something good from this thread. Blowing seems common. I think I will swap the fuse holder out with an AGM type 30 amp. blade fuse holder. Things were so much simpler in my 64 Bambi II.

[TBRich]

Better to have an operator error like this as the problem...with a simple solution, than to take the whole thing apart and still not get positive results. Good for you! A cheap and easy fix eases one's bruised pride. Been there.