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tinpusher1 · 04-04-2018, 07:27 PM

All, I am new to owning a camper, I just purchased a 2014 Keystone Cougar 335RBK. I have noticed that when I pick the camper up from storage that the battery would go dead when using the landing gear. So, just before we went camping yesterday I swapped out the battery. I made sure that the camper was not plugged in to shore power and swapped batteries out. I got a good spark when connecting the negative lead to the battery but didn't think much about it. Long story short I smoked my converter. Today I drove all over to find a replacement. Found one, turned all the breakers off, made sure the camper was not plugged to shore power and hooked it up. I ended up smoking the BRAND NEW CONVERTER as well. Someone please tell me what I am doing wrong. The only thing I can think of is:

I should have turned the battery disconnect to off before hooking up the battery

I should have hooked up the negative lead first then the positive

Maybe the converter needs shore power before DC current is attached.

I did not hook up the battery in reverse. I did not hook up the converter backwards either.

Please help, I am getting a third converter tomorrow. If I smoke this one I am going to roll my camper into the lake!!!

Bob_C · 04-04-2018, 07:33 PM

Got a voltmeter?.....before hooking up the battery, check voltage between the neg post and the cable.....

tinpusher1 · 04-04-2018, 07:37 PM

Negative post of the battery and what cable?

aether_one · 04-04-2018, 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tinpusher1

All, I am new to owning a camper, I just purchased a 2014 Keystone Cougar 335RBK. I have noticed that when I pick the camper up from storage that the battery would go dead when using the landing gear. So, just before we went camping yesterday I swapped out the battery. I made sure that the camper was not plugged in to shore power and swapped batteries out. I got a good spark when connecting the negative lead to the battery but didn't think much about it. Long story short I smoked my converter. Today I drove all over to find a replacement. Found one, turned all the breakers off, made sure the camper was not plugged to shore power and hooked it up. I ended up smoking the BRAND NEW CONVERTER as well. Someone please tell me what I am doing wrong. The only thing I can think of is:

I should have turned the battery disconnect to off before hooking up the battery Really shouldn't matter

I should have hooked up the negative lead first then the positive Nope, always connect positive first, always disconnect negative first

Maybe the converter needs shore power before DC current is attached. Nope, converter should be OFF when connecting

I did not hook up the battery in reverse. I did not hook up the converter backwards either. Looks like the only possibility left. Maybe use your voltmeter before making connections with the next new converter.

Please help, I am getting a third converter tomorrow. If I smoke this one I am going to roll my camper into the lake!!!

Comments above in RED

Bob_C · 04-04-2018, 07:43 PM

The neg cable that goes on neg post....there are reverse polarity fuses to protect the converter.....what converter are you using? And, when it smoked, what was just connected ....the battery? or shore power?

cfowler55 · 04-04-2018, 07:47 PM

I think what he is advising is to hook meter in series between neg. battery post and neg. battery cable. But you actually need an amp meter not a volt meter.it seems you have multiple batteries. We're the originals 6 volt in series or 12 volt parallel?

Steveo57 · 04-04-2018, 07:50 PM

What do you mean when you say you smoked it? Even if the battery was hooked up backwards doesn't the converter have reverse power fuses that protect it. I know mine does.

tinpusher1 · 04-04-2018, 07:51 PM

No, I just have one battery.

tinpusher1 · 04-04-2018, 07:54 PM

The first one that was in the camper had a burnt smell. The new one actually smoked and made a pop sound when I hooked up the negative lead to the battery.

cfowler55 · 04-04-2018, 07:56 PM

Sorry. Thought post read" swapped batteries out". No matter. Did you have automotive style top posts where you only had two connections or marine style with multiple wires on each threaded stud?

Soppy · 04-04-2018, 07:59 PM

Reverse polarity would be the only way to instantly smoke the converter. Install the new converter with the battery disconnected. Then use a voltmeter to check the voltage and polarity on the battery cables. Connect only the positive cable to the battery. Then measure the voltage ,with the converter plugged in between the negative cable and the negative battery terminal . The meter should only measure a couple of volts if the polarity is correct. If the is more than 12 volts the polarity is incorrect.

tinpusher1 · 04-04-2018, 08:00 PM

I have the Marine style battery with a normal automotive post and a smaller threaded post on each side.

cfowler55 · 04-04-2018, 08:12 PM

I hate to pile on but it sure sounds like a polarity issue.these things are notorious for having non typical wire colors at battery if you are used to automotive. Black may be wired positive on some devices. If all your wires didn't remain bundled it's easy to get one back on wrong post. Again not saying you hooked up backwards, just that seems most logical.