2005 solaris lite T1950 needing information

[JAMMARTIN]

Just purchased this trailer from an individual. Our 1st experience. Got it home and hooked up extension cord to our house. Result was the radio, microwave, wall outlets and interior lights worked. Light on refrigerator also came on. Left trailer plugged into house all night. Next day, radio and interior lights will no longer come on. Checked fuses and breaker box. Even replaced all fuses, included the main one coming into the trailer from the exterior. Microwave and wall outlets are the only things we can make work. We do not have gas attached and the exterior battery is not hooked up. Why did it work one day and not the next? Would really like to become educated about the trailer. Want any paperwork for this trailer such as wiring diagrams, owners manual, etc... Went to local CampingWorld and found RV books but nothing with enough information for what we are looking for. Want to understand electrical system. On travel trailers, can one simply use land source for all power or does one have to have converter? Does one always need a battery? Why would 120 power sources work and not 12 volt. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

[Mooney]

Check above for the info. under the "files" link.

Jon (Sunline Fan) has done a TON of work cataloging (sp?) everything.

I am not sure exactly what happened, but I think that option B below is the culprit- since there is not a battery connected, the converter may have shut itself off thinking that the battery failed.

We have a 2005 2380s, and this is from the owner's manual...I may have shortened some of it, but hey- it's long....

A> If the 110-v falls below 103 v the converter will shut down its power supply to the converter. This could be poor power supply or too many units plugged into the same source or even too long or too light (gauge) extension cord. This does not shut off the 110 v power, however this should serve as a warning as this low a voltage could also harm 110v appliances.

B> If the 12 v battery is or falls to approx. 10 v the converter will shut down the 12v power supply. The trailer will still have 110v power. However, until the battery is dosconnected (eliminating the shut off sensor for low battery voltage) none of the 12v systems connected though the converter will function.

C> If the battery polarity is reversed, the converter will shut down the 12 v system until polarity is fixed.

D> If the 12v amp draw exceeds the converters max rating (60 amps) by 10% the converter will shut down the supply until load is reduced.

E> If there is an excessive 110v power surge the 15 amp glass fuse located behind the front panel at the upper left corner may blow disconnecting the 12v power supply.

WARNING! TURN OFF THE 110v POWER BEFORE INSPECTING OR REPLACING THE FUSE. ONLY QUALIFIED PERSONNEL SHOULD REMOVE THIS COVER (this part verbatim including caps from manual- I guess we shouldn't mess with theem, huh?)

F> If there is a short in any of the 12v circuits that are routed through the converter the green led in the upper left corner of the converter will change to red indicating a short has been detected and the converter will shut down. Once the cause of the short has been located and corrected, wait for the light to turn green. The converter will automatically reset and start again.

If additional tech. assistance is required, please call 1-800-621-2278 (Cast products)....



I REALLY need to get all this stuff scanned and to Jon...that's a lot of typing

[JohnB]

Jammartin

Since you have a 2005, I “think” you may have an American Enterprises power converter. Look like this. This is the brand in my 2004 models



http://americandirect.ibuilder.com/a...es&DesignNo=1& This link will take you to that site and they have a manual there if this is indeed the one you have a CX6000XL.

From what you are describing you have lost the 12 volts side. If all 120 VAC works, microwave, wall plugs then that part is OK.

If you have the CX6000XL converter, it does not require a battery to be installed to give 12 VDC power. You can run the camper off 120 shore power even with the battery disconnect switch off.

If all 12 volts system do not work at all, no lights at all, no radio, no water pump, no fridge light with the fridge turned on, no furnace. Then mostly likely you have a global short or draw on the main 12 volt DC bus or something in the converter has been affected. If you shorted a branch circuit then the small circuit fuse (up to 15 amp plug in ones) would of tripped. Not taken out the full 60 amp DC system.

The CX6000L has and auto shutdown system when shorted. It will drop out all 12 VDC power. Once the problem is removed, then it will come back alive.

Try this since you have no battery installed. Pull the 120 VAC plug feeding the camper. Unhook from the house. Go out to the battery area on the hitch. Make sure the rotary disconnect switch if “off”. And while you are there, if it is ON, then look at the heavy red wire and see if the bare end that attaches to the battery is touching the frame. This would cause a dead short in the high amperage line. And it will take down the 12 volt converter. Tape up the wire end, have the rotary disconnect switch Off, then plug the camper back in and see if it comes alive.

If everything worked the day before, and you where walking around in the camper, the battery leed could of moved shorting to the frame from a wiggling camper.

If you are electrically qualified, we need to know this before I drill down into testing the converter system. There are some simple things in the converter that can be checked but unless you are electrically friendly I do not show you this and you get hurt from it.

I suspect you either have a short on the 12 volt DC main power line, you tripped the 120 VAC circuit breaker feeding the converter or you have issues on the converter or 12 VDC buss bar.

Hope this helps.

John

[JohnB]

JAMMARTIN

I did receive your PM. I’ll post out here on the forum so possibly some one else has run across this and can help add to what I’m saying. If anything I say you are not familiar with, stop and don’t do it.

First we have to figure out what you have. Do you have a digi camera and can post a pic, or even send to me? We can exchange emails if needed if you do not yet have a picture hosting site.

A picture on the inside of your converter would help. So we can read the words on the fuse locations and with the power off, the inside of the panel.

You said you have a 2005 model camper, and need to confirm the brand and model number of the converter. I happen to have 2, 2004 campers one built in Oct 2003 and one in May 2004. And guess what, they have 2 different revisions of converters… I actually called American Enterprises last week talking with there tech service group about my older one as I am having a fan issue that sounds like a freight train running…. It seems at the end of 2003, they went from the CS6000 to the CS6000XL and the converter and the power box was changed. And now in 2008, they have an upgraded CS6000XL….

Tell me which model you have.

Here is the older one. The CS6000. The door panel does not take up the full length of the front and there is only 1 LED in the top left corner. The Overload LED


The The CS6000 Circuit breakers go left to right and it has less fuse slots.


Here is the The CS6000 circuit naming plate.


And here is what the inside looks like the The CS6000. NOTE: the fans are buried in the back siliconed in place. ERRRR


Here is the CS6000XL that came out in early 2004. I believe this is the one you have. You tell us.
The outside door panel is more to the left and full length. In the Middle top area there are 4 LED's, and 1 yellow button.


The CS6000XL LED’s


The CS6000XL circuit breakers are go from top to bottom.


Here is the Model number plate and fuse numbers


And the CS6000XL inside. Fans now right up front and rigidly mounted.


So do any of these pics’ look like your model?

Now to some of your questions. And tell me where I go wrong.

1. You said you checked the outside battery disconnect and it was OFF. Turned shore power back on and still nothing.

2. You said the 30 amp fuses where in place 1 and 3. Meaning not directly across form each other on the very top circuit. Well if this is the case then they are in wrong or yours is wired different then all the rest of them. Fuse 1 and 2 are 30 amps each that feed the battery charging OR power from the battery to the camper. For now hold this thought, will fix it after.

Check these things. Do ALL these with the front cover ON. You are doing some normal checking tasks to try to isolate the problem. Each step assumes the system does not work. If you find it working, then stop going any further.

1. Look at the 120 VAC circuit breaker labeled 15 amp general purpose. This one supplies wall plugs AND the power converter. Make sure it is not tripped. Turn it off then back on. Does the DC now work? I’ll assume it does not yet.

2. With power on, is the little overload LED on? Assuming it is not or really is, we need to back into what may be shorting out the DC system or if the converter is even working.

3. Turn the 30 amp power main break OFF. This will kill the power to the entire box. Wait 1 minute for the capacitors to bleed down.

4. Pull both 30 amp green fuses out. This will completely unhook the battery feed and the wiring to it. Turn main breaker back ON, Try a DC light? Does it work?

5. Turn main breaker off again, wait for capacitor bleed down. Now pull out the blue 15 amp fuse for the water pump and the furnace. With those 2 out, Turn main breaker back ON, Try a DC light? Does it work?

6. Ok now you have the hang of this. Turn main breaker off again, wait for capacitor bleed down. Now pull out the blue 15 amp fuse for the Acc Radio and the Gas Detector. With those 2 out, Turn main breaker back ON, Try a DC light? Does it work?

7. You now only have 3 fuses left in unless you have electronic ignition on the stove. Turn main breaker off again, wait for capacitor bleed down. Now pull out the blue 15 amp fuse for the bed room and bath. If I “guessed” your camper right there is only 1 left in for lights. With those 2 out, Turn main breaker back ON, Try a DC light? Does it work?

8. If still nothing. Turn main breaker off again, wait for capacitor bleed down. Now pull out the last blue 15 amp fuse and plug 1 fuse in for lights in a room you had out before. Turn main breaker back ON, Try a DC light? Does it work?

Hopefully by this time you found one of the circuits was pulling down the system. Then you have to back into what is shorted on that 1 leg.

9. OK 1 last thing to figure out. Will the system work on battery? Unplug the shore power and leave it unplugged. Put the 2, 30 amp fuses back in, slot 1 and 2. Leave 1 room lights fuse in, put the battery in. Turn on the disconnect. Do you have lights? If yes, then turn battery off and plug rest of fuses in, still NO 120 shore power, turn on battery and see if inside works on DC? If yes then the system is OK and your converter is having issues.

If the converter is the problem, well you are going to need a volt meter and an ohm meter and know how to use one to trouble shoot further.

Hope this helps.

John

[JAMMARTIN]

I want to thank both of you for all the information you provided. I am learning a lot as a result and think your information will be priceless for tackling future problems. I replaced the main battery and all fuses within the unit and now things are back to normal. I am slowing working my way through the TT figuring out what makes each work and what to look for. Again, thank you for taking the time to help.

[Mooney]

If we weren't all here for each other, we'd be hotel roomers!

There's just something about camping folks in general, and SUNLINERS in particular (I think I've said this before still true!)

As an aside, on one of our trips, an older couple couldn't believe that I would take the time to help the fellow (arthritic hands) replace his taillight with one of my spares- and then refuse to even let him pay for the bulb.
When he went to hit his brakes to check the new bulb, his TV brake pedal went to the floor when he blew 2 lines at once... sometimes you're just in the right place to help...if I hadn't happened to have been behind him, and happened to take the time to find his site and bring him a bulb, and then replace it for him.....he may have lost his brakes on the highway (still had electrics, but that would have been rather disconcerting).

ALWAYS taking the time for fellow man is often difficult, but doing so is rarely unfulfilling.

Remember, what you send out usually comes back times 3. Nothing like good karma flowing!

(BTW- You're quite welcome- and you will soon be one of the resident electrical system experts! Keep up with the search, and I will try to get the stuff to Jon so he can post it all as soon as I figure out my scanner)