Buying RV Tips

[russ]

We just bought a new to us RV, a slide in to be exact. Just a recommendation and I'm sure the seller wasn't aware of the problem either. Plug the unit into shore power with a battery connected. We purchased a wonderful camper through this site, it's in great shape. The power center however, although it works well the charger side isn't. No harm intended, no foul. Other than that, the camper is awesome. Stuff happens, used isn't new.

[vinny]

New or old battery?

[skidderman]

If the battery was ever hooked up wrong even for a millisecond it will blow the fuses in the inverter. Don't ask me how I know. Stupid inverter is in the ugliest place on planet earth to get at. Mine is under the fridge behind the breaker panel. Mine takes large 30 amp fuses times two.

[Duncan71]

Simple stuff first. Fuses and ground. Check the main ground cable coming off the converter. Usually hangs down and into the frame. Typically at 8 or 10 gauge wire. Exposed to the elements so they often rust off and just hang.

[russ]

Brand new battery, fully charged before being installed. There's a relay clicking as soon as the battery is connected, disconnect the battery and the noise disappears.

[scesfiremedic]

The converters they put in RVs from the factories are junk. Best upgrade you should do is a smart/intelligent charger (look at Iota or Progessive Dynamics).

https://www.bestconverter.com/9200-S...ount_c_84.html

https://www.bestconverter.com/DLS-Se...olt_c_144.html

[jstubbs]

Here’s a tip:

See if you can get an RV trade in appraisal sheet from a dealership.

Bring that with you to any used RV you look at. It literally gives you a massive checklist of everything to look into. Fridge, furnace, water, water heater, awning, brakes, bearings, lights, shore, lights, list goes on.

Handy to have. There are lots to check!!

[russ]

this list seems fairly extensive.

https://www.camping-canada.com/rv_bu...hecklist_e.asp

[Jims83cj5]

There are two fuses that run between the battery and the inverter. One is in the panel inside the trailer, there is usually another under the front of the trailer closer to the hitch, if you unhook the battery while the inverter is plugged in and spark the positive that fuse blows, took me forever to fix this as I didn’t know about the second fuse block. This fuse block is also for all your signal, driving and brake lights on the trailer.

[russ]

Pro tip for the amateurs.

Red marked wires are meant to attach to the positive post and black marked wires are meant for the negative. If you're faced with a black wire and a white wire, automotive rules prevail. Black is ground and the wire with the RED tape wrapped around the clamp is expected to be the positive. On the bright side, I'm going to have a power center with a modern smart charger.

[stubblejumper01]

Originally Posted by russ

Pro tip for the amateurs.

Red marked wires are meant to attach to the positive post and black marked wires are meant for the negative. If you're faced with a black wire and a white wire, automotive rules prevail. Black is ground and the wire with the RED tape wrapped around the clamp is expected to be the positive. On the bright side, I'm going to have a power center with a modern smart charger.

I had 2 Adventurer truck campers, and both had a black and a white wire in the battery compartment. The black was positive , white was ground, just like your house wiring. You can check this at your main fuse panel to confirm which one is positive.

[russ]

So it turns out the power center was definitely on the fritz. Hooked up correctly it kept cycling and draining the battery. I finished the new install today and the plus is the modern smart charger. Unfortunately, it seems as though the "perfectly" working according to the seller refrigerator isn't even close to working perfectly. Pretty disappointed with him He can hide behind the the "as is, where is" clause all he wants. He's still a common thief.