Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 04-14-2018, 12:47 PM   #1
Winnebago Camper
 
Bhfromme's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 37
Breakers all tripped?

I have a brand new Micro Minnie 2108DS. I have it plugged into shore power in my driveway. Have a portable Surge Guard plugged into the outlet then the 30 amp TT cord plugged into that. I went out today and there was no power in the camper. Nothing. All the breakers had apparently tripped. But the surge protector is fine. Reset the breaker and everything seems okay. What the heck happened? If it was a surge wouldn't it have smoked the surge protector? I'm reading that the surge protector is not resettable. That once it trips you need to replace it.

And now the converter fan is constantly on. Not sure but I don't think the converter fan was always on before this little episode. I'm kinda new at all of this. Is this normal? Appreciate any words of wisdom.
Bhfromme is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2018, 03:29 PM   #2
Winnebago Master
 
powercat_ras's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Manhattan, Kansas USA
Posts: 1,315
Can you please be more specific? Did the breaker in your house for the branch circuit you plugged your RV into trip? Is it a standard 120 Volt outlet or did you have a 30 A RV outlet put in? If an RV outlet was it the very first time it had ever been used?

The electrical box in your 2108 DS has multiple breakers, a 30 Amp Main and 15 and/or 20 Amp Branch Circuit Breakers. It is almost impossible that every single breaker in your 2108 DS tripped as many of them would have had zero load with RV in driveway with nothing in use inside.

Help us help you with more details and information.
__________________
Randy - Manhattan, Kansas
2015 Vista 27N
2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
powercat_ras is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2018, 04:38 PM   #3
Winnebago Camper
 
Bhfromme's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 37
Thanks for the reply. The power I have outside is standard 110 volts on a 15 amp breaker in the house. Not ideal I know but my other small TT ran off it just fine. I don't run much when it's running on that circuit, I mainly use it just to keep the two Group 24 batteries fully charged.

The breaker in the house never tripped but every breaker in the Winnie was in the off position. Plus the two batteries on the tongue didn't even have enough of a charge to run one of the overhead LED lights in the camper. If I had left it unlocked I'd almost think someone had gone in there and flipped all of the breakers to the off position but it was always locked so that could not be the case. And even if the breakers had been turned off I was in the camper last weekend and everything was fine so the parasitic amp draw while sitting could not have drained the two new Group 24 batteries in six days. Also, when I checked the batteries on the tongue of the TT there was a small amount of water on the top of each battery. Almost as if the batteries boiled over if that's even possible. It's the first time I've even opened the battery boxes so that water could have been there from the dealer filling the batteries but that seems highly unlikely.

And then there's the issue of the converter fan running. I've only had the Winnie for two weeks and am not totally familiar with it but that doesn't seem right. I'm thinking something's not right but I just don't know what.
Bhfromme is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2018, 05:11 PM   #4
Winnebago Master
 
powercat_ras's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Manhattan, Kansas USA
Posts: 1,315
Strange. Sorry have no explanation to offer you as to how all the breakers could have changed from on to off by themselves.

I would turn breakers back on and see if they hold. Converter charger should be putting out power well above 12 volts, you can tell converter charger is running and master 12 volt power switch on if you can turn on an overhead light and it works.

Assuming you got this far, take a volt meter on DC volts range and measure across the battery terminals. If you see a voltage of over 13 volts then batteries are being charged. If you don't see this voltage then something is open between the power distribution box where the fuses are and the batteries. There often is a resettable circuit breaker built into a terminal block up by the batteries mounted on the frame under the front cap - it will have a small button you push in to reset if it tripped.

It shortens the life of lead acid batteries to let them totally discharge, so don't intentionally do it (not saying you did). If they have only been totally discharged once or twice they the batteries are still usable but have lost part of their capacity vs. when they were new.

Finally, converter fan running. Fan will run to keep the internals cool. When batteries are in bulk charge and topping charge state, fans may never cycle off. If the converter charger senses batteries are charged and goes into float charge mode, then fans will still cycle on and off (a lot more off time than on time), even when you have every 12 volt load off.

One last thing about travel trailer DC power - always make sure that your breakaway switch is in the normal condition. If it somehow got into the breakaway position then you have DC power flowing to your trailer brakes , a large DC load.
__________________
Randy - Manhattan, Kansas
2015 Vista 27N
2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
powercat_ras is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2018, 05:40 PM   #5
Winnebago Camper
 
Bhfromme's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 37
Everything seems fine now. Hopefully draining the batteries didn't hurt my capacity by much. One last question is where do I find this break away switch you mention?
Bhfromme is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-14-2018, 09:40 PM   #6
Winnebago Master
 
powercat_ras's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Manhattan, Kansas USA
Posts: 1,315
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bhfromme View Post
Everything seems fine now. Hopefully draining the batteries didn't hurt my capacity by much. One last question is where do I find this break away switch you mention?
Up by the trailer tongue there should be a breakaway switch, it is a rectangular box with a plunger that is connected to a stranded steel wire that attaches to your tow vehicle somehow (see your owner's manual for Winnebago's recommendation). It has to be done right so the wire does not get tight and pull out the plunger during normal operation including the tightest turns possible.

If your trailer becomes detached from your tow vehicle the plunger gets yanked out of the breakaway switch because the end of the steel wire is attached to your tow vehicle, and this puts trailer battery on the trailer brake wire locking up the trailer brakes and bringing your trailer to a stop.
__________________
Randy - Manhattan, Kansas
2015 Vista 27N
2020 Ford Escape Hybrid
powercat_ras is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
TV Tripped Off Goneagain1 Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 8 12-07-2015 07:41 AM
Need HELP Please!!!! 2009 Winnebago Tour circuit breakers tonyarp1 Winnebago Class A Motorhomes 8 11-29-2013 03:42 PM
12 volt breakers Peddler Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 7 05-27-2012 09:51 AM
Tripping Breakers stardalo Electrical | Charging, Solar and Electronics 14 12-11-2010 09:35 PM
Rear jacks don't retract all the way. sightseers General Maintenance and Repair 8 12-27-2008 10:58 AM

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Winnebago Industries or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:02 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.