Electrical mystry

[1988 Sunline]

We have a 1988 Sunline 20' we just bought about a month ago and are still trying to figure things out. When we have the camper plugged into the house all of the electrical plugs work along with all of the lights. When we unplug the camper and run only off the battery only the lights in the camper work and none of the electrical plugs inside work. Is this a safety feature or do we need to possibly get a new battery?
Thanks!
Mary

[Sunline Fan]

Originally Posted by 1988 Sunline

We have a 1988 Sunline 20' we just bought about a month ago and are still trying to figure things out. When we have the camper plugged into the house all of the electrical plugs work along with all of the lights. When we unplug the camper and run only off the battery only the lights in the camper work and none of the electrical plugs inside work. Is this a safety feature or do we need to possibly get a new battery?
Thanks!
Mary

Hi Mary,

I hate to break it to you, but the outlets will not work off of battery. I suspect your battery is completely fine. Your coach has two different electrical systems, 12 volt and 120 volt. All of your lights, water pump, some appliances, and a few other miscellaneous items run off of 12 volt. Your battery outputs 12 volt. All of your outlets, the air conditioner if you have one, and the electric side of the refrigerator run on the 120 volt. In order to get 120 volt with your coach, you have to plug it in. The battery only operates the 12 volt stuff (the lights, etc) and the converter that you have in the coach will convert that 120 volt source coming in to both 120 volt to run that stuff as well as 12 volt to charge your battery up so it doesn't drain down. You can usually plug the coach in and use the lights and stuff with no battery, as the converter might have a 12 volt output that could handle some of that, but I'm not 100% sure you have that capacity on your converter due to the age.

If you need to have the outlets without being plugged in, you can buy an aftermarket inverter that will invert the 12 volt from the battery into 120 volt power. Depending on the size capacity of the inverter and the size of the stuff you wish to use, the amount your battery can supply will be very limited. If you are trying to use a lot of stuff, the battery may only last a matter of minutes if it has no source keeping it charged (like a solar panel)

Jon

[Gene]

The lights are 12 volt and run off the battery which is charged by the converter when you are connected to "shore power" (the house). The outlets are 110 volts so when you disconnect "shore power" you no longer have 110 volts, just the 12 volt battery.

{edit} I see Jon was typing while I was.

[Drake]

Welcome to the fold, 1988 Sunline !! This is a great place to get advice, which I see you have already done! I found my recently purchased '88 T3200 without a battery, so we had the opposite power problems starting out. Please, stay in touch as we both have '88's and may need to consult on any discoveries or problems our trailers may present to us. I am seeing lots of differences in the late 90's and early 2000 trailers so we may need to support each other with info we experience first hand.

[1988 Sunline]

Originally Posted by Drake

Welcome to the fold, 1988 Sunline !! This is a great place to get advice, which I see you have already done! I found my recently purchased '88 T3200 without a battery, so we had the opposite power problems starting out. Please, stay in touch as we both have '88's and may need to consult on any discoveries or problems our trailers may present to us. I am seeing lots of differences in the late 90's and early 2000 trailers so we may need to support each other with info we experience first hand.

Howdy Drake!

Got any pictures showing your awning and where they connect? Seems we have an upper awning connector but I cannot locate any bottom awning connectors. Of course - we don't have an awning but I figured the previous owners removed it but I cannot find any telltale "marks" of where it was connected on the bottom portion.

[1988 Sunline]

Originally Posted by Sunline Fan

Hi Mary,

I hate to break it to you, but the outlets will not work off of battery. I suspect your battery is completely fine. Your coach has two different electrical systems, 12 volt and 120 volt. All of your lights, water pump, some appliances, and a few other miscellaneous items run off of 12 volt. Your battery outputs 12 volt. All of your outlets, the air conditioner if you have one, and the electric side of the refrigerator run on the 120 volt. In order to get 120 volt with your coach, you have to plug it in. The battery only operates the 12 volt stuff (the lights, etc) and the converter that you have in the coach will convert that 120 volt source coming in to both 120 volt to run that stuff as well as 12 volt to charge your battery up so it doesn't drain down. You can usually plug the coach in and use the lights and stuff with no battery, as the converter might have a 12 volt output that could handle some of that, but I'm not 100% sure you have that capacity on your converter due to the age.

If you need to have the outlets without being plugged in, you can buy an aftermarket inverter that will invert the 12 volt from the battery into 120 volt power. Depending on the size capacity of the inverter and the size of the stuff you wish to use, the amount your battery can supply will be very limited. If you are trying to use a lot of stuff, the battery may only last a matter of minutes if it has no source keeping it charged (like a solar panel)

Jon

Thanks all! We went out last weekend - had a blast. Going out again this weekend - a wee bit cooler but still shorts wearing weather for us Cheeseheads!

[Drake]

I've got two...not sure how helpful...maybe if you enlarge them??? I'll try to get get clearer pics in a couple of weeks when I am back at the trailer, if you'd like.