Weird 12 Volt Issue

[Art Culinair]

I have a brand spanking new converter, but this is the second time my 12 Volt system has died. No lights at all las night so I hooked up the generator and turned off the Eco boost hoping to get good rpms thinking that my battery was dead. My single led at the front of the trailer ce on dim and gradually brightened but nothing else would turn on . Today nothing. It has been working great for two week since I had a tech check it. Any ideas?

[Aage]

Um, does your trailer have a "store" switch? Some have that feature, which prevents the battery from charging if it's in the wrong position. I know most of the newer units have that feature, I just don't know when Airstream began adding it. Hopefully someone that has it will give you an idea where to look for it.

If the battery isn't charging up using the generator, (if I understand correctly) then it may now have gone defective.

[TG Twinkie]

Check the connection to ground/common. The negative side of all circuits. If you can, follow the wire from the negative terminal on the converter to where it connects to the skin. Make sure the connection at the converter and at the skin are clean and tight. Also check the battery connections.

[68 TWind]

First thing I would do is take the battery to Auto Zone ( or any parts store) and have them do a load test. Sure sounds like a dying battery.

[Art Culinair]

Is the ground this copper wire that isn't attached to anything on one end and just the outside of the converter on the other perhaps?

[Aage]

Well, THAT sounds suspiciously like it could make a lot of things work better (if connected to where it belongs)!

[Art Culinair]

Also what are the tail light bulb sockets for?

[Wazbro]

Well pictures would help, but the 12V lights in the trailers do use automotive type lights at least till they switched to LEDs.

[ventport]

Originally Posted by Art Culinair

Also what are the tail light bulb sockets for?

Is that a trick question? If not, the answer is for the tail light bulbs.

[Art Culinair]

Nah I have already switched all the lights inside to led. There is a taillight socket by my fuse panel and one by my converter. Additionally, my battery is less than two months old. Does anyone know the exide length of guarantee?

[TG Twinkie]

No! The bare copper wire is the earth ground wire, it is the wire that is attached to the chassis or body of the converter and the lose end should be attached to the skin of the trailer at a clean spot.
The ground/common wire is attached to the negative terminal on the converter. It is the common side of all DC circuits. It is also attached to the skin of the trailer. But it's purpose is different than the earth ground.
The earth ground is a safety device to prevent electrical shock.
The ground/common wire is the negative side of all DC devices; ie lights, furnace, water pump, etc.. Many devices such as lights only come with one wire. The single wire is the positive side. The light needs a negative connection which is the skin/chassis of the trailer.

[Art Culinair]

Too I have fifty amp service. My converter says 65 amps. It has two forty amp fuses and both are blown. Should I replace with 40 amp fuses?

[Art Culinair]

@ tg twinkle thanks bub. I am such a neophyte it isn't even funny. I'm apt to learn though

[TG Twinkie]

The fuses on the converter itself are to protect it from reverse polarity connections. If these fuses are blown, the converter is not connected correctly.
If you paid someone to install the converter, you need to take it back and have the problem corrected. If you did it yourself, you need to check your work. And yes, you should only use 40 amp fuses.
I am not sure what colors you have on the wires for the DC circuits. So let us know.

[Art Culinair]

Red and white wires. Yes I paid someone for all of the work, but it's complicated. Can't take it back.

[TG Twinkie]

When you say you have 50 amp service. Are you using a 50 amp to 30 amp adaptor?
I hope you are not connected to a 220 volt AC supply.
If you can post pics of what the plug on the end of the shore power cord. Also, the outlet you have the trailer plugged into.
By the way, the 50 amp service has nothing to do with the 65 amps the converter is rated for. The 50 amp service is on the 120 volt AC side of the system. The 65 amps the converter is rated for is on the 12 volt DC side. They are 2 different animals.

[TG Twinkie]

Which colors are on what terminals of the converter? What color are the wires that are Connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery?
Do you have easy access to all of these wires I just mentioned so you can trace them out and let us know what is connected to what?

[Lumatic]

You said you had somebody do the work. If the install was wrong you would have power for a day or 2 from the battery, then dead. It takes a major electrical problem to blow a 40 amp fuse. It would not happen by itself.

[Art Culinair]

When I had the electrical done in the trailer I upgraded to fifty amp service. I have a fifty amp chord. Everything is on gfi. But right now I am hooked into two adapters plugged into a Honda 6500 and i think im only getting 22.9 amps the whit is on negative and red on positive on both battery and converter.

[Art Culinair]

Originally I had power for two days then dead then I took it back worked for two weeks now blown.