New Coleman Rubicon 1628BH

[Session2019]

Hi everyone.
I just took delivery of a new Coleman Rubicon 1628BH. After many years with a Class A and then a 10 year or so break I decided that for me a small travel trailer was appropriate as I'm getting too old to be putting up tents.


I have some observations that I hope will garner some input from owners of a similar model as I believe that there are some errors in the build. I have written to Customer Care, but feel this forum might provide faster answers.


Backup Camera Prep.
After installing a Furrion backup camera on Saturday I found that it is an always on state. This has been a constant issue on this forum I notice.
Keystone state clearly in the owner section of the website that the camera is wired to the running lights. According to the color coding they publish this is a Green/White wire pair.
I say Nay-Nay. While the wiring color code is correct, it is the same color code as used for the interior lighting circuits. In this case, it is on the Zone 2 lighting circuit which is the bathroom at the back of the TT. While I understand that the camera can do double duty as a security monitor, the fact that the only way to turn it off is to pull the Zone 2 fuse is comical, and they make no mention anywhere I can find of this setup.
The fix of course is to try and connect instead in to the running light circuit directly above the camera. Does anyone know if there is enough slack wire on that circuit to make a connection and fish the wire down the 2-3" to the camera?


Shore/Inverter Power.
This issue is a little more complex. While running on the Inverter only I found that the GFI outlets are energized along with the Microwave Oven. The non-gfi outlets (pop up outlet with USB charging) and the TV outlet which are both in the bed area at the front of the TT are not energized. It seems to me that this is wrong. I do not believe that the GFI or Microwave should run from the inverter. It would make more sense that the USB charging port is energized by the inverter.
So I took a look at the circuit breakers and swapped the wires between the GFI and Inverter Outlet breakers. This made no difference when switching the inverter back on - GFI's were energized and the USB Charging port dead. It appears that both of those breakers are energized by the inverter. I am wondering what is really on the Inverter Outlet breaker.
Switching to shore power bought the USB charging port and the TV outlet to life.
I need to go back with a multi-meter and test to see what breakers are energized when only on inverter and compare that that to when on shore power.
Does anyone have any thoughts on this?


Thanks in advance.


Phil

[Session2019]

For interest, Customer Care have not responded, but I called Camping World Tech support and they unequivocally agreed that that no major appliance such as the Microwave and Air Conditioner should be running off a 1200 watt Inverter. He thinks that the inverter is miswired and is back-feeding the system.


We'll see when it goes in for service.


Phil

[persistent]

I agree, the inverter is probably not wired correctly.

You can connect to the running light circuit without cutting the wire. Use a clamp on connector. There are may types. Here is one.

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-.../hi/6426213011

[Session2019]

Originally Posted by persistent

I agree, the inverter is probably not wired correctly.

You can connect to the running light circuit without cutting the wire. Use a clamp on connector. There are may types. Here is one.

https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-.../hi/6426213011

Thank you Paul.

[divinguy]

Hey, I have a 2021 Rubicon and noticed, this past weekend, that I had the same issue.


Camera was on all day and night.


Are you going to rewire it yourself? Or have the dealership do it?

[franktafl]

Dealership will charge you LOTS of $$$ and keep it for months to rewire the camera. Unless there is a recall because it stays on.

[Session2019]

Originally Posted by divinguy

Hey, I have a 2021 Rubicon and noticed, this past weekend, that I had the same issue.


Camera was on all day and night.


Are you going to rewire it yourself? Or have the dealership do it?

Ok here is a final update on this thread.

No way am I having a dealer do anything I can do myself, particularly simple 12v wiring. I'm quicker, cheaper, and better than them. Period.+




1. Camera Prep.
This past weekend I removed the running light immediately above the camera. The running light has 2 wires - red and white. Red is hot, white is earth. I spliced into that wiring as there was plenty of slack to pull it out of the 'wall'. I pushed the two wires down to the camera hole (this was easy as it is only about 3 inches, and you can put your finger in the hole and pull out on the wall it is super thin and flexible). I then cut the stupid prep wires and just pushed them into the abyss of the wall. Spliced in the 2 running light wires and voila! Job done as it should have been done from the factory. Camera now only comes on when I turn on the running lights.
Time - 10 minutes.



2. Inverter.
Now this one I cannot tackle without a wiring diagram so it has to be done by the dealer.

This was like 'prove it is wrong'. Even with a letter from tech support Camping World were still fighting that that a 1200 watt inverter should be running an Air-conditioner, a microwave, and 3 GFI outlets. This is because "we heard that the air-conditioner is low wattage...". Please. I was not born yesterday.

Anyhow with my appointment I actually got a technician and he took one look at the setup (after turning on the air-conditioner running from the inverter) and said to the service 'expert'. "Do you see these little yellow sun labels on these 2 outlets?
Well this means that these outlets run from the solar panel - Sun. Solar. Get it? These are the only things that the inverter should be running. The inverter is wired wrong."


Justice! Camper booked in to be 'corrected'. Lord knows when I'll see it again.


[Footnote]
The day after I took delivery of the trailer I took it back because the solar charger was displaying an error. The same technician who looked at the inverter problem looked at the solar charger problem. He pointed to a mess of cables on the A frame and asked the prep/delivery guy why the Solar was not hooked up. Pre/Delivery guy said "I thought that was for a generator". Tech looked at the sky and pointed to the sun and said "Yep. That one!"
Solar was promptly hooked up with much blushing.
So much for pre-delivery QC.



Phil