Electrical issue on 2021 3173RLP

Joined
Mar 29, 2024
Messages
19
Location
New Brockton
Well I have gone through two deckmount converter-chargers in 5 days. It seems that rough roads lead to the converter-charger failing. The interior 12 volt circuits seem to also be offline. I am beginning to believe I have a problem with the main power panel or the wiring of it. Even with a fully charged battery I have no interior lights. However, the slides still work, the auto-level system still works, and the refrigerator still works. Everything on the 110 volt AC side still seems to work. The converter-charger that was replaced was a WF-9855. It was replaced with a WF-9855-AD. Everything worked fine after the replacement. We towed the 5th wheel about 500 miles and somewhere along the way the unit failed and when we plugged in at our destination the converter-charger was no longer putting out 12 volts.
 
"I have gone through two deckmount converter-chargers in 5 days. It seems that rough roads lead to the converter-charger failing. The interior 12 volt circuits seem to also be offline. I am beginning to believe I have a problem with the main power panel or the wiring of it. Even with a fully charged battery I have no interior lights. However, the slides still work, the auto-level system still works, and the refrigerator still works. Everything on the 110 volt AC side still seems to work. The converter-charger that was replaced was a WF-9855. It was replaced with a WF-9855-AD. Everything worked fine after the replacement. We towed the 5th wheel about 500 miles and somewhere along the way the unit failed and when we plugged in at our destination the converter-charger was no longer putting out 12 volts."

I hope you saved the old WFCO unit. It may be OK.

Slides and leveling are often connected to the battery independent of other house 12 volt appliances. This indicates the problem is with the other stuff wiring.

Possible:
Battery to fuse panel line usually has a circuit breaker in the line. It may be self resetting. That circuit breaker may be defective, or simply need resetting. Mine is mounted on the tongue. Some are just underneath the bottom front.

There is often a junction box just under the bottom front. Cables can become disconnected there.

The WFCO usually has access to 120v circuit breakers, 12v fuses and heavy cable screw connections inside a panel door. Those screw connections have loosened on mine more than once.

Fuses on the WFCO panel may have blown. There are usually "reverse polarity fuses" and another main fuse that can disconnect most 12 v circuits. Check those fuses. Sometimes the fuses look good but don't work, so good to test them.

There is a test procedure for the WFCO converter/chargers. See the WFCO Owner's manual for the test on the old and new units.
 
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At least the top three 12 volt circuits on my power panel are no longer functioning. Removing the fuses do not result in the red error LEDs illuminating. Reading the manual for the WFCO panel states that when this is happening that there is a problem with the 12 volt portion of the panel. There is no breaker I can find between the panel and the battery or between the panel and the converter/charger. The converter has a 15 amp AC breaker on the power panel. Why that doesn't function to prevent failure is a little puzzling. The unit is wired for GO Power "Solar on the Side" and is wired for roof top solar panels. It has the wires for a solar controller behind a cover on the door side of the storage compartment. It is going to camping world on Wednesday to get sorted out. I wish I had a schematic of how the fifth wheel is supposed to be wired. It would make even simple trouble shooting easier.
 
There are plenty of “schematics” out there but unfortunately, they are just general information that supports how the power goes in an rv. Are there any of the 12 volt circuits working that are passing through that panel? If there are, I would suggest looking in the back of that panel to see if the busbar connections are good. Have they ever worked?
I would suggest doing a Google search for information on the WFCO 12 volt panel to see if you can get a better understanding of how that side of the distribution system works.
 
I have the owner's/installation manuals for both the converter/charger and the power panel. I have read both so that I could have an idea what might cause the issues I am having. The panel worked fine until we took a longer trip that included some rough roads. I have pulled the access panels to replace the converter/charger and was appalled by what almost looked like a rat's nest of wiring. Based upon that I am going to let Camping World tackle it.
 

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