12V converter troubleshooting

[The Cramblersons]

Someone check me on this….
If I am plugged into shore power, and I remove the trailer battery, I should still have 12V distribution from the converter to run lights and other 12V circuits, correct?
I’ve checked the 40A reverse polarity fuses and they are fine. I haven’t yet disconnected the battery (2x 6V in series) to test the voltage at the lead (charging voltage from the converter).
Am I correct in my thinking that the converter, if working properly, should provide power to 12V systems with the battery removed?
Thanks!

[franktafl]

Don’t think so. I think The 12v stuff comes from the battery which is being charged by the inverter. I guess you could always remove the positive cable on the battery and find out for sure.

[dsol]

I think Frank is correct. Possibly you could wire the battery cables straight to the converter and have 12v if on shore power, but the converter outputs different voltage depending on battery needs so not sure. I think 12v power has to run through the batteries to work.

[persistent]

My 2018 Kodiak Cub has a WFCO converter/charger. It works just fine when the battery is disconnected.

What is the make and model of your inverter/converter/charger. Check the owner's manual.

Older models and different brands work differently.

[Pastot]

Converter should simply support charge and run voltage to the trailer's 12v bus and is connected to the negative bus as well. That bus should supply 12v power to your system, the excess current charges the battery bank. There are however switches and fuses that may disconnect the trailer or batteries from the converter output. If you're on shore power and disconnect the battery, your lights and such should work. Now if you happen to have an inverter also and it is turned on I would expect it to over draw the converter's current delivery capability depending on what it's trying to power, the converter possibly shut itself down in a perfect mode. Also check to see if the converter is switched on/off with a circuit breaker. If you use an inverter you want to turn off the converter to prevent useless energy waste of a circular loss circuit. So it's possible your converter is turned off.

[videoarizona]

Assuming you have the standard stock converter...usually made by WFCO:

Yes. Your converter supplies two things to the 12 volts section of your power center.
1. It supplies amps to charge the battery. 35, 45, 55 (etc) amps.
2. It supplies a regulated 12 volts to the 12 volts buss.

The battery does not have to be connected.

The battery is connected to a circuit breaker on the tongue then to a buss bar somewhere underneath the trailer near the tongue. This buss bar then provides 12 volts to the emergency brake, the power center and this is also where the 7 pin connector comes in.

Most trailers are wired this way. It's the simplest ( and cheapest) way to distribute the power...