Battery doesn't work unless connected to house or TV

paulitzlee2

Advanced Member
Joined
Jan 11, 2009
Messages
64
Location
Orangevale, CA
I have a Fun Finder X-139, the smallest model. I have one battery I keep on a trickle cell charger all the time except when I'm camping

If the battery is hooked up to the trailer, and either:

RV hooked up to house or campsite current
Trailer electrical hooked to TV for towing, like for lights, turn signal, etc...

The RV interior lights work. But if the battery is connected without an external hookup, either house current or TV, then the interior lights do NOT work.

The battery is fine. It was checked at Batteries Plus. It is fully charged and holds a charge fine.

It is hooked up to the trailer fine. Positive to positive, etc...

This will be an issue if we ever go dry camping.

What kind of things should I look for to solve this problem?
 
Check to see if your emergency brake cable came unattached. This happened to me. If so, it will drain your battery in short order. This must always be connected...
 
Sounds like your battery disconnect switch has been pushed in, in effect, the battery is there, but, isn't connected to anything. When connected to your TV , it (the trailer) is running off the car/truck's battery. When attached to shore power it is running off the convertor's 12v output.

Check to make sure that the disconnect push/pull knob is pulled out. Out=battery connected, In=battery disconnected.
 
It's a 2006 model. I forgot to say that. I called Cruiser RV, and they said it probably has no battery disconnect switch. So I'm back at Square 1...
 
Unless you bought the trailer new, I would keep looking for a battery disconnect switch. A previous owner might have installed one. Follow the battery positive cable as far as you can, even inside the TT.
 
If your trailer doesn't have a battery disconnect switch, either stock or after-market, the most likely culprit is going to be the fuse for the battery's hot wire. Somewhere on the hot wire, you'll find a fuse, either glass or the AGM style (plastic with blades for contacts). With no disconnect switch (and I believe that Cruiser is correct, the '06s didn't have them), the fuse would be the only problem I can see as causing the symptoms you describe. Do your other 12v items work, i.e., the fan, the refrigerator (on LP), etc., when hooked to shore power?
 
webslave said:
Sounds like your battery disconnect switch has been pushed in, in effect, the battery is there, but, isn't connected to anything. When connected to your TV , it (the trailer) is running off the car/truck's battery. When attached to shore power it is running off the convertor's 12v output.

Check to make sure that the disconnect push/pull knob is pulled out. Out=battery connected, In=battery disconnected.


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