cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Really weird power issue

DerekandSarah
Explorer
Explorer
Ok. Long description here, but I think it's neccesary. I was going through our Nomad 188B this morning, and when I plugged into the shore power at the house, I had no power to the trailer. Now, there is nothing wrong with the power source, that was the first thing I checkd. Checked the only GFCI outlet we have in the trailer, all good. So I checked the fuses. We have a fuse box that has LEDs that light up if the fuse is toast. No lights. Hmmmm. So I pulled the 30A fuse, and voila. We have lights, water pump, but no awning or slide controls. I put the 30A back in, and no more power. Bought new fuses, no change.

Now here is the weird part. I went to pull the 30A fuse, and it was hot.

I may need an adult on this one.......
10 REPLIES 10

allen8106
Explorer
Explorer
Wouldn't hurt to put some tape on those cable ends to prevent future issues!
2010 Eagle Super Lite 315RLDS
2018 GMC Sierra 3500HD 6.6L Duramax

2010 Nights 45
2011 Nights 70
2012 Nights 144
2013 Nights 46
2014 Nights 49
2015 Nights 57
2016 Nights 73
2017 Nights 40
2018 Nights 56
2019 Nights 76
2020 Nights 68

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
If you have to look at your watch to see if you need a drink, you don't need one! Bloody Mary?

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

DerekandSarah
Explorer
Explorer
It's 8 am here. I will wait an hour or two. 😉

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
Thanks for the update!
Now you can have a good drink! Maybe have another one!

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

DerekandSarah
Explorer
Explorer
Thanks everyone. This turned out to be a case of me forgetting something simple. You were all right. I was grounding out badly. When I put the trailer in storage, I put the battery cables through the propane tank retention screw to keep them from dragging. Pulled them back to their proper spot, and problem solved! Simple fix, but it almost drove me to drink last night. Thanks again!

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
Yes, isolate the battery cable as suggested by YC 1.
Or if it is the bat fuse, leave it out. Verify that your converter can operate properly without a battery.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

YC_1
Nomad
Nomad
If the 30 amp fuse is actually a breaker and your battery positive cable is lying around shorted to ground your converter/charger is trying to charge the missing battery but is instead feeding that power to the shorted positive cable.

The breaker is probably cycling on and off enough to get hot. A fuse would burn open IF the short is a solid low resistance short but if the short is not making a good contact it could allow almost enough current to blow a fuse.

Pulling the fuse removed the short so to speak and allowed power to get to the other circuits.

There may not be enough power from your converter alone to run an awning or heavy current item. Your converter could be a real wimp and just big enough to charge the battery but not big enough to run any big loads.

The 30 amp fuse/breaker could be misleading however correct in that it is just that size to allow the battery to supply that much current FROM the battery and not sized for the charging ability.

That is probably not clear but in any case you will find the short on that positive cable somewhere.
H/R Endeavor 2008
Ford F150 toad >Full Timers
Certified Senior Electronic Technician, Telecommunications Engineer, Telecommunications repair Service Center Owner, Original owner HR 2008

DerekandSarah
Explorer
Explorer
I missed that part. The battery isn't on the trailer. Simply shore power.

enblethen
Nomad
Nomad
What does the 30 amp fuse power? I am guessing it is the battery circuit and the battery is shorted out.

Bud
USAF Retired
Pace Arrow


2003 Chev Ice Road Tracker

Home_Skillet
Explorer II
Explorer II
You have a bad ground somewhere.
The power is back feeding through said 30A fuse.
2005 Gulf Stream Conquest 31ft
BigFoot Levelers,TST in tire TPMS,Bilstein Shocks,Trans temp guage,Lowrace iWAY