Inverter problems

[psychoticb0y]

I have I believe to be an 1987 Jayco Jay Series 806 Deluxe with a Carson Power Pack power inverter that keeps blowing the 12 volt dc fuse. The only fuse amperage that lasts is a 20 amp. These are ATO fuses. heres the story. the lights in the pop up camper haven't worked since I got it. never really cared to look why. I was looking at a couple days ago because I am going to go on a trip with it and saw the fuse was blown and that is was a 20 amp. went got a 20 amp, plugged the converter in and the lights worked. I was stoked until today when I plugged it in and no lights. looked at the fuse and it was blown. heres what I have done for tests. I checked voltage at the fuse holder and it says 14.4 VDC. I have a DC amperage test function on my multimeter and it says 10 A DC. I have to switch one of the leads on the multimeter to use this function. I hooked it into the holder and the the display goes blank because its above the range. I tried some other size fuses before this and it popped a 5, 10 and I tried another 20 and that lasted about a second before it popped. The panel says the max is a 7.5 amp. why did this work before for about 3 hours until I shut it off and now it wont work at all please help.

[psychoticb0y]

also it is an 87 does anyone have a manual for this that they could send as a .PDF file?

[Paul R. Haller]

look here:

http://www.electro-tech-online.com/a...rtermanual.pdf.

[Partsmgr]

OK-- first off its a converter-- not an inverter.
I'd check the wiring where it goes up the canvas to the roof. alot of times this gets pinches in the lifters and will short out when you walk in the unit- movement causes the wires to touch the metal posts and poof.blows the fuse. Basically, you've got a short somewhere in the system.
Other way to see if its the converter or wiring is take the 12v leads and hook them up to a 12v battery with a 10 amp fuse. See if it blows. If it does, try a 15 amp fuse. If it doesnt blow, your problem is traced back to the converter is shorting out. If it does, your problem most likely is in the wiring.

[wa8yxm]

If it is a converter, (As it appears it is) and the lights do not work, then one of several conditions exists.

1: Batteries are TOAST, I mean DEAD. and in this case I suspect SHORTED. More on this later

2: COnverter dead.. (I think not, cause if it was dead it could not blow it's fuses, however it still stands a chance)

3: Short circuit elsewhere in the 12 volt system (Suspect #2 in fact)

4: All lights burned out (Possible, not likely but possible, would not account for blown fuses)

SO, how do we test?

Step one, get some RED paint or nail polish and go to the batteries (or tape or heat shrink tubing) You may also wish to get some BLACK, same list.

Paint the wires connected to the POSITIVE battery post red

Use black on the negative wires

When dry remove the negative wires (ALL OF THEM) From the battery

NOTE: if using heat shrink start by removing the negative wires, slip some heat shrink over them and shrink it down

Then once that's done do the same on the PLUS side


Now, replace the fuses, plug in and see if the lights work and the fuse blows.. If they do. batteries are your problem

If the fuses blow, problem is elsewhere in the 12 volt system

[Paul R. Haller]

Firstly disconnect the converter from the positive and negative output wires. (Label them first) replace output fuse and check output at the converter with a digital volt meter. When the converter is plugged into a known good 110 outlet and the umbilical of the trailer is plugged into a known good outlet the converter should ouput betweem 13 and 14 volts. If yes, the converter is outputting correct voltage. If no, the converter is toast. Now, check voltage at batteries. A fully charged battery that has been disconnected from any voltage draw or source should read about 12.8 volts at rest. 12.60 =75% charged, 10 volts or lower almost dead and anything below 10 volts the batteries are probably toast also.
If your converter is working, disconnect the batteries out of the system and see if the converter will run "one" light without blowing the fuse. Now move to 2 lights, then 3 and see how many you can run without any problems. If you can run 3 lights without problems, converter is probably working and batteries are bad, shorted, destroyed., If you still can't run light/s without blowing the fuse you have another short somewhere in the wiring. Use your VOM on ohms and pull all your fuses and check each circuit for the shorted circuit. Then track down the short.
After flooded lead acid batteries that have discharged and sit for even a short period, they sulfate and will no longer accept a charge. If they sit long enough uncharged they may even short thus leading to your blown fuse. If everything works well without the batteries in the system, it's your batteries that are bad.
My guess based on your complaint is that the converter is working but the batteries are shorted.
-Paul R. Haller-