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Old 07-27-2011, 08:39 AM   #1
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12 v Electric not working

Hello,

My sister recently purchased a 1980 Sunline 13.5 RD TT .

She purchased it from someone who only had it 1 year and never actually used it.

Anyhow, the 12 volt electric does not seem to be working. When you plug in the AC power I can hear a "click" in the power converter box but that is all.

Now I do have to add that there is NO BATTERY on this camper. Could it be that this camper needs a battery connected? I have checked all of the fuses (also inside the converter) and all are good.

I do have the manual for the converter (Converter Systems C-815) and it says nothing about the battery needing to be connected.

This camper will only ever be used with AC power, we would rather not have to buy a battery IF it is not needed.

Thanks for any help!

Caryl
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Old 07-27-2011, 09:25 AM   #2
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You shouldn't need a battery. The first thing to check if all the fuses are good is to make sure it has a good ground. The grounding screws rust easily, and no ground means no power. Also grab a meter and make sure you have power coming out of the converter.
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Old 07-27-2011, 09:32 AM   #3
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Hi OPIE,

Thanks for your reply. As I stated ALL fuses are good. (even the ones inside the converter).

Where can I find the grounding screws?
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Old 07-27-2011, 09:39 AM   #4
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I can't say exactly for your model, but start at the converter, usually on the older ones you'll have a positive circuit running from each fuse, and the ground wires bundled together running to the frame somewhere.
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Old 07-27-2011, 09:47 AM   #5
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Thanks a bunch!! I won't be able to check it out til the weekend BUT that seems like a real likely culprit!!

Thanks a bunch - I'll let you know.

Caryl
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Old 07-27-2011, 09:48 AM   #6
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On Sunlines, white is generally the ground wire for the 12vdc systems. There should be at least one fairly large white wire coming out of the converter and going to ground which should be the vehicle frame. When I say large, I mean something around 10 gauge wire. There should also be a large white wire going from the battery location to ground and to the converter. Chassis ground will be some kind of lug/connector that is fastened to the frame with a screw and has a place for the wires to be held by a set screw. It might look like this:


The white ground wire out of the converter probably is routed down through the floor and on to a grounding lug. Should be fairly easy to find underneath the trailer.

You may want to take a VOM meter and check to see if there is 12vdc at the fuses. If there is, then check to see if there is voltage at the light fixtures.

Also, make sure the hot battery wire is taped off so that it can not accidentally ground out.
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Old 07-27-2011, 09:54 AM   #7
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WOW - thanks Steve,

I didn't think about the possibility of the battery cable shorting out...

I'll look into this too.

Caryl
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Old 07-27-2011, 10:14 AM   #8
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Is your converter model a BW? If so, regardless of amperage the diagram for the magnatek 6330 found on this site is accurate as to wire assignment. You want to test the blue wire which is the output of the converter.

Keep in mind, on those older converters, there is 1 circuit that supplies battery power ONLY to something (typically the cig lighter in the front of the coach) and it is powered by the battery only which is charged by the converter. so THAT circuit will never be hot if you run sans battery.
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Old 07-27-2011, 10:42 AM   #9
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No, the converter is a Converter Systems, Inc C-815

Funny, I don't recall seeing a cigarette lighter outlet anywhere.

Also, there are two toggle switches. One goes to a pump and does work on AC power. The other I can only assume goes to some outside light(?) don't know if working or not.
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Old 07-27-2011, 11:22 AM   #10
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The water pump? I'm pretty sure that's 12DC....
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Old 07-27-2011, 11:29 AM   #11
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Boy, you would think that the water pump would be DC. Yet, when I flipped the switch - it ran. It is the only thing so far. Other than being able to plug something into one of the three electrical outlets (two inside the camper and one behind the refrige).
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Old 07-27-2011, 11:50 AM   #12
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Could be a seperate line from the converter, meaning it's the only one thats getting a good ground. I really doubt it's 120vac.
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Old 07-27-2011, 11:54 AM   #13
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Definitely a CLUE - I'll have to trace it back
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