Coleman electricity used to work...

[marlin1881]

Until we got boatloads of rain over the last few days. Since this is a new camper to us, I wanted to rain test it, and the camper was a champ!

Except, my 12v system no longer works. Let me clarify... 12v works as long as I have the 110v plugged in. When I unplug the 110v, I get an alarm at the 110/12v converter, along with a red light. All electric is inoperable. I've turned all switches OFF (furnace, fridge, water pump, lights), with no difference.

I've got 12v at the tongue-mounted battery, but only 3.38v at each of the wiring harnesses going up the roof supports for the overhead lights. When plugged into 110v, those same wires have 13.3v.

Is it possible that some connection really did get wet enough to cause a partial short on the 12v side coming from the battery? The key is that all 12v systems works, but only when going through the converter.

Thoughts on how to troubleshoot? I've got a simple multimeter and it works well. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[BikeNFish]

Did you check to make sure your battery was in working order?

 

[Silveryrado]

Sounds like it's to time to chase 12-volt grounds

 

[marlin1881]

Did you check to make sure your battery was in working order?

I’ve serviced the battery using distilled water, entire case has been cleaned, and battery charges to a consistent 12.7v. Before this rain hit, the 12v system worked great.

 

[marlin1881]

I

Sounds like it's to time to chase 12-volt grounds

l’ll start at the hitch and work back to the converter. I need to do this soon before it all dries out and everything works again. I’ve got to find the answer before I have to do this at a remote camp site up in the Rockies.

How do you typically chase 12v grounds? Continuity, or test for voltage along the way with some known good ground?

 

[Raycfe]

Connect the negative lead to a good clean spot on the frame. And do the same at the converter. If you have a broken ground wire in the frame this will bypass it

 

[Sjm9911]

The battery charges, but does it hold a charge? I would check the battery first. Especially since you just serviced it. Check the conections first. 2nd, was the water needed, as in it was low? If it was low for a while you may have burned out some cells.

 

[BikeNFish]

The battery charges, but does it hold a charge? I would check the battery first. Especially since you just serviced it. Check the conections first. 2nd, was the water needed, as in it was low? If it was low for a while you may have burned out some cells.

I was just going to say the same thing. Before I changed the battery on my pup a few years ago, my battery held a high charge but when I tested it under load with a battery tester it completely failed. Before I tested it, I couldn't figure out why it would be dead in the morning when I never ran more that a light or two or less than an hour. The battery was four years old. RIP.

 

[fredhead]

I also have a 2001 Coleman PUP and when my battery would not run the lights I found that there is a fuse in the converter that is in line with the battery wire. Check your fuses in the converter.

My converter has circuit breakers for the AC voltage, and fuses for the DC voltage.

 

[Sjm9911]

I suspect if the fuse was blown they wouldn't get any voltage on the wires, but they said they are reading like 4 volts. But you are correct, dosen't hurt to check.

 

[Claymore417]

I suspect if the fuse was blown they wouldn't get any voltage on the wires, but they said they are reading like 4 volts. But you are correct, dosen't hurt to check.

You can get voltage bleed through ground…

 

[Michael J]

Like everyone said Chase the grounds make sure even the positive at the battery is clean, even the black coating on battery terminal is an Insulation must be shiny lead clean.

Pull battery have load tested cause even a few years and bad maintenance might have toasted it or made it weak. Better to find out now then out camping

 

[Sjm9911]

You can get voltage bleed through ground…

Like hot skin? Possable, I guess, anything really is, like a broken wire etc.

 

[Claymore417]

Like hot skin? Possable, I guess, anything really is, like a broken wire etc.

In all electrical systems power flows to ground or neutral, you can almost always test and read low voltage bleed on any wire in the system.

 

[Sjm9911]

In all electrical systems power flows to ground or neutral, you can almost always test and read low voltage bleed on any wire in the system.

I have never had that experience, if there was voltage bleed, then it has voltage. This is true in my home ac pannels as well as low voltage train stuff. Having power on a neutral or ground is bad, does it happen, sometimes but it is indicative of a wire break or somethong arching. On my low voltage stuff if I had voltage bleed my trains would not work. A ground is just that , a ground, if it isnt grounded or you have voltage on it there is a problem.

 

[Badunit]

If the 12V outlets work correctly on 110VAC then their power and grounds appear to be fine. This sounds like a problem between the battery and the power converter, or with the battery itself (except you said it was reading "12V" when this was happening). It sounds like a corroded wire/connection to me. Ground connections are a prime place for looseness and rust. Wires can corrode and fail inside their insulation if it the insulation has been compromised (a pinhole, a nick, a scrape, worn through). You might not be able to see it if it is from a small nick. This is usually a problem only with much smaller wires, though. Battery terminals are a prime source of corrosion. Some battery terminal connectors have the wire crimped inside of them and you cannot see the corrosion. Take the voltage measurements when the battery is under a load. A 12V light appears to be enough. When not under load it might all measure fine.

 

[Econ]

It is assumed that yours is like mine. The propane detector is located close to the power converter and chirps if the battery is low.

 

[KooL1]

Until we got boatloads of rain over the last few days. Since this is a new camper to us, I wanted to rain test it, and the camper was a champ!

Except, my 12v system no longer works. Let me clarify... 12v works as long as I have the 110v plugged in. When I unplug the 110v, I get an alarm at the 110/12v converter, along with a red light. All electric is inoperable. I've turned all switches OFF (furnace, fridge, water pump, lights), with no difference.

I've got 12v at the tongue-mounted battery, but only 3.38v at each of the wiring harnesses going up the roof supports for the overhead lights. When plugged into 110v, those same wires have 13.3v.

Is it possible that some connection really did get wet enough to cause a partial short on the 12v side coming from the battery? The key is that all 12v systems works, but only when going through the converter.

Thoughts on how to troubleshoot? I've got a simple multimeter and it works well. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[SteveP]

Check voltage on both the upstream and downstream sides on the battery circuit breaker, if there's any difference replace the breaker.

 

[KooL1]

Hello marlini1881: Had a similiar challenge and it was the fuse at the convertor, not sure why but felt quite stupid when the tech pulled the fuse and it was blown.
I did not bother checking the fuse thinking as mentioned by few on the site that there woiuld be no power if the fuse was toast.....Live and Learn