Newbie electrical question Micro Minnie 2108DS

[Audioi]

Just got a new 2108ds and when I disconnect from my truck, turn on the battery, none of the interior lights work until I connect to shore power. Is this the way it should be?

[Wakullabob]

Why do you have to turn on the battery , it should be on most lf not all the time . Why do you turn it off? you prevent the truck from charging the battery !

[Audioi]

Originally Posted by Wakullabob

Why do you have to turn on the battery , it should be on most lf not all the time . Why do you turn it off? you prevent the truck from charging the battery !

Was a brand new battery they dropped in before I drove it home. Trying to figure out what works from 12v.

[Wakullabob]

The battery should be turned on when driving as the tow truck will help charge it . The battery should be turned on when on shore power as the converter will keep it charged . There is absolutely no reason to turn the battery off , the exception may be when putting it into storage . Turning battery switch does not turn everything off , the jack and breakaway switch will/should be on at most times . Do you have the trailer plugged into shore power at this time , if yes you may need to let it charge the battery .A fully charged battery is a must . Could it be that the battery is fully discharged at this time ?

[Wakullabob]

When plugged into shore power the 12 volts side is taken over by the converter , the converter is also keeping the battery charges assuming the battery switch is on . there NO reason to turn battery switch off !

[Audioi]

Originally Posted by Wakullabob

The battery should be turned on when driving as the tow truck will help charge it . The battery should be turned on when on shore power as the converter will keep it charged . There is absolutely no reason to turn the battery off , the exception may be when putting it into storage . Turning battery switch does not turn everything off , the jack and breakaway switch will/should be on at most times . Do you have the trailer plugged into shore power at this time , if yes you may need to let it charge the battery .A fully charged battery is a must . Could it be that the battery is fully discharged at this time ?

Thanks for the info!
It's been plugged into shore since I got it home.
The new Die Hard was cooking when I first got there and installed with a full charge and I haven't used it yet.

[Bigbird65]

Originally Posted by Wakullabob

Why do you have to turn on the battery , it should be on most lf not all the time . Why do you turn it off? you prevent the truck from charging the battery !

I think Aodioi is talking about the battery disconnect switch in the pass through. It should be ON most of the time unless doing something like changing out the battery. Even with it turned off the battery still charges from the tow vehicle. His problem may be a tripped Push Button breaker found on the tongue drivers side.

[Audioi]

Originally Posted by Bigbird65

I think Aodioi is talking about the battery disconnect switch in the pass through. It should be ON most of the time unless doing something like changing out the battery. Even with it turned off the battery still charges from the tow vehicle. His problem may be a tripped Push Button breaker found on the tongue drivers side.

I did not know about that breaker, thanks for the input, I will check that out tonight!

[Bigbird65]

It looks like one of these with a little black button on the side of the breaker. Your arrangement may be a little different so just look for it.

[Morich]

Just as a random headsup, this may also involve the frequnt problem of finding a breaker loaced inside a metal 4X4 box under the front frame. If not finding the dure on the exposed, easy to see breakers, look way carefully inside if you have the box!
If involved, the breaker may be tiny and located under/behind a tub full of wires and the rest is even smaller on the side of what first looks like a microswitch. Since we get no online electrical drawings for the trailer group, it is still a mystery on how the different railer options are wired. Some have the hidden box with hidden breaker, some don't!

Previous post which may/may not apply:
https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...ie-355101.html

Just heads up while under there enjoying the search ? Most don't spot it on first look!

[Audioi]

Originally Posted by Morich

Just as a random headsup, this may also involve the frequnt problem of finding a breaker loaced inside a metal 4X4 box under the front frame. If not finding the dure on the exposed, easy to see breakers, look way carefully inside if you have the box!
If involved, the breaker may be tiny and located under/behind a tub full of wires and the rest is even smaller on the side of what first looks like a microswitch. Since we get no online electrical drawings for the trailer group, it is still a mystery on how the different railer options are wired. Some have the hidden box with hidden breaker, some don't!

Previous post which may/may not apply:
https://www.winnieowners.com/forums/...ie-355101.html

Just heads up while under there enjoying the search ? Most don't spot it on first look!

Appreciate all of the assistance on this group. I obviously was naive to think a company as old as Winnebago would do a better job setting up the electrical in this, my wrong.

[Morich]

Originally Posted by Audioi

Appreciate all of the assistance on this group. I obviously was naive to think a company as old as Winnebago would do a better job setting up the electrical in this, my wrong.

All the old hats with any experience got in their Rv and went somewhere else, rather than take the BS!
When all their friends died, they saw what was coming! No point in staying around to watch.

[Bigbird65]

Morich I believe that Winnebago moved that little 30amp PB breaker out of the box in 2021 and onto the frame because of so much complaining of it being hard to get to in the junction box.

[Audioi]

Don't see any reset buttons, just a bunch of barrier strip connections. I removed orange / red covers for pic.

[Morich]

Well! That certainly looks like a place you may be visiting oftan if it exposed to lots of water?
But it would be a place to start a search for lost power when we don't have a plan on hand to use as a guide!

I might start with the idea that there are normally heavier wires to a point and then some form of breaker or fuses feeding to smaller gauges going out. I would want to first locate that feeder by removing the heavy ones that show battery and then removing them to verify they are, in fact the lead. That large one on top left looks like a possible suspect for feed?

I can't see well enough from here but if that wire is feed, there might be some form of fuse or breaker taking that power down to the copper colored buss below?
Trailers tend to have "different" wiring than most things so sorting what you have will likely need some work with a meter to sort the in and out of the wires you have.

[Bigbird65]

Examine this one real closely. Left hand end. It is for a 2022 model, not sure which one.

[Morich]

As well as we can see, those two look exactly alike on number and arrangement of wires!

We can't see what size or type of breakers are involved, auto reset or manul of even fuses that have to be replaced but I drew up a sketch of what I would expect this shows. There is certainly some doubt as to what wire brings the main power in and what size breakers and those details but with a meter it should be possible to find where the power flows and where it stops!

Click this snip to see better.


My thought is that the main lead comes in from top left on that heavier wire, goes through a largish main breaker down to the buss bar and feeds several smaller breakers for each of several sub feeds and one that goes out at lower left.

All this would need to be checked and likely corrected on breaker size, but for looking for trouble, it should fit.
Look for the main where power comes in and then move on through to see the power gets to the outgoing wires. If one is dead, check that breaker as it may need reset or replaced.

[Audioi]

All of the posts on the buss bar are 13.8 VDC so possibly its in the metal box after this like the early ones... time will tell.

[Audioi]

[QUOTE=Audioi;3942761]Found the culprit, like everyone said but it was buried.

[Bigbird65]

[QUOTE=Audioi;3942787]

Originally Posted by Audioi

Found the culprit, like everyone said but it was buried.

What do you mean buried? Did you fix the problem by pushing the button? Was this the one on the left hand end? A few more details would be helpful.