Shore power but no battery power

[RogerLG]

Hey All I just replaced batteries in my AS.. I have shore power but when I unplug no battery power is there a switch to activate it or should it come on automatically? 1979 ambassador ... Thanks!

[xrvr]

Do not know much about antiques, but there is a battery disconnect switch somewhere in the trailer. Is the ground from the batterys connected? Jim

[idroba]

In general, I can think of no reason it will not come on, but some of the AS in that era used fuses in the battery circuit, big 50 amp ones. Look for large glass fuses, about pen barrel diameter and 1 1/2 inches long. They may be in the negative line, positive line, or both. Fuses, depending on model, may be in a compartment behind the couch, under the front window.

[68 TWind]

When you say you have shore power, do you mean that the 12V lights all work when you are hooked up and when you unplug they don't? If you have 12V lights when hooked up and don't have when you unplug then the 12V power is coming only from the converter. Even thought the battery is new, unhook it and check it. Also, you said , "batteries", are the connections between the two batteries correct? I have had new batteries go bad as soon as I got them home.

Good Luck. We are headed to Arkansas in a few weeks for a fall camping trip.

[RogerLG]

Thanks will look at fuses when I get home... Still can't find a battery disconnect switch.

[idroba]

"Still can't find a battery disconnect switch".

AS added battery disconnect switches sometime in that era, but I can't tell you by what date. My '78 did not have one, I know that. So, yours may not have one either.

I think the best possibility is a blown fuse, but possibly a bad battery connection, or corroded plug. As I recall, the batteries about that time had a large plug in connection, so you could take the battery out of the compartment, unplug it, put a new one in, and plug it back in. Once again, AS did a lot of different things with different models and years, and you may or may not have such a plug system. Also, hard to say what any previous owners did over the past 33 years. You just need to trace the battery wires from the battery back to where they connect (to something).

[RogerLG]

Well I know one of the new batteries is working because my fridge came on. However I may have a bad fuse... There was some sort of quick disconnect switch in the battery compartment.. I'll check that as well!! Would like to take her on her maiden voyage next weekend if all goes well!