No lift on 12V - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

Neal and Bev · 02-26-2010, 12:02 AM

We're slowly working though the needs of our 2201TL camper. The current issue is this.

The top will only raise when the trailer is plugged into shore power. When we first got the trailer it would only raise a little at a time like this, the battery had to rest and recharge even though it was plugged into shore power, it took about 6 rest breaks for it to raise the top all the way up.

Then we put a new battery in it. Now when you hook it to shore power it raises the top up very quickly and the pump sounds strong. But... it won't raise the top up on battery power alone, it has to be plugged into shore power. If you try to raise the top on battery power only it just makes a tiny grunt and nothing happens.

I'm waiting for another warm day to start looking into this. Anyone got ny ideas where to start?

Neal and Bev · 02-26-2010, 10:56 AM

Oh, I forgot to add that the interior power, lights etc. won't work on 12V either, they only work when the camper is plugged into shore power.

With the camper on battery power only and the ceiling light switch is in the on position, if I flip the main power button (the toggle beside the lift button) back and forth between the center position and the bottom position, the lights with flash as the toggle moves from center to the bottom but thats all. Once the toggle is in the bottom position there is no power to anything in the trailer when the camper is on battery power only.

In a nut shell the camper doesn't work on battery power alone. It must be plugged into shore power for everything to work.

I figured this additonal indormation would help anyone that has a suggestion for me.

Neal

RichR · 02-26-2010, 02:38 PM

Maybe a dumb question, but what happens when you put the rocker switch in the upper position? That is the proper operating position.

RichR · 02-26-2010, 02:55 PM

For the no lift on 12 volts I would look for a bad or dirty connection somewhere between the battery and the pump. Check to see if all the connections are tight. The solenoid can go bad, but it doesn't sound like that to me. Solenoids can be easily had from any auto parts store if needed.

Neal and Bev · 02-26-2010, 02:58 PM

RichR,

When the rocker is in the upper position I can raise the top, but only after I put in the new battery and it still has to be on shore power.

The lights work in that position too.. as best I remember, I'll have to double check that tomorrow.

What I didn't try is to see if the lights worked with the rocker in the top position with the shore power dissconnected. In other words on battery power only, I'll have to try that tomorrow too.

I'll post those answers asap, thanks RichR

RichR · 02-26-2010, 05:53 PM

With the rocker down, that is only used during raising and lowering the top. Center position kills all power. The upper position powers all normal functions, lights, pump, heat, etc.

RichR · 02-27-2010, 01:34 PM

Do you know for sure if the battery is fully charged or if the converter is working and charging the battery? Is the refrigerator switched to 12 volts? If it is it will drain the battery very quickly. It is not controlled through the main power switch.

Sam Shields · 02-27-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal and Bev

Oh, I forgot to add that the interior power, lights etc. won't work on 12V either, they only work when the camper is plugged into shore power.

With the camper on battery power only and the ceiling light switch is in the on position, if I flip the main power button (the toggle beside the lift button) back and forth between the center position and the bottom position, the lights with flash as the toggle moves from center to the bottom but thats all. Once the toggle is in the bottom position there is no power to anything in the trailer when the camper is on battery power only.

In a nut shell the camper doesn't work on battery power alone. It must be plugged into shore power for everything to work.

I figured this additonal indormation would help anyone that has a suggestion for me.

Neal

The problem is with the power from the battery, it could be as simple as ck'ing the posion of the power switch. or the braker in line between the battery and lift switch may be bad the braker is a part that cost less than $5.oo.

Neal and Bev · 02-27-2010, 10:12 PM

Got it!

Sam you were exactly right, it was the breaker between the battery and the pump. There was a tiny little reset button on the right side of the breaker and after I pressed it back in... LET THERE BE LIGHT! Everything worked great.

RichR you were right too, you said that it was between the battery and the pump also.

I used a volt meter to test from each post of the breaker to the negative side of the battery. Only one side of the breaker showed voltage, which told me what Sam said was spot on and then I noticed the tiny reset button which I pushed in and it fixed the problem. I think I'll replace it next week just for good measure just in case it's weak.

I really appriciate it guys, I thought it was going to be a lot more complicated then what it was.

Neal

MagnaFazer · 03-02-2010, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal and Bev

Got it!

Sam you were exactly right, it was the breaker between the battery and the pump. There was a tiny little reset button on the right side of the breaker and after I pressed it back in... LET THERE BE LIGHT! Everything worked great.

RichR you were right too, you said that it was between the battery and the pump also.

I used a volt meter to test from each post of the breaker to the negative side of the battery. Only one side of the breaker showed voltage, which told me what Sam said was spot on and then I noticed the tiny reset button which I pushed in and it fixed the problem. I think I'll replace it next week just for good measure just in case it's weak.

I really appriciate it guys, I thought it was going to be a lot more complicated then what it was.

Neal

Fantastic! I noticed the exact same thing on my 1996 Fun Lite. Now, where would I find this breaker on my unit? I really need to get it from storage and spend a whole Saturday on her doing the maintenance from this site! Get organized and take it in one day. I fix this and the top level, I'm 2/3rd's done in repairs.

Now to find the plumbing section. (fresh tank holding only, rest is great!)

Neal and Bev · 03-02-2010, 04:03 PM

MagnaFazer, welcome to HTF

I'm not sure if the breakers are located in exactly the same place on all models or not but we'll get you there one way or another.

To see mine easily I had to completely remove metal cover that is over the battery, mine had four screws holding it on. The breaker itself is bolted to the outside of battery box near the nose of the trailer. If you look at the two pictures that are in my post in this thread I think it will help you find it. If it's not in that location at least you'll know what it looks like.

Mine had a reset button on the side of it, I don't know if all of them do or not. If you have a volt meter you can test it easily. Put the black lead from your volt meter on the ground post of the battery and touch the red lead to one side of the breaker, it should read battery voltage. Then put the red lead to the other side of the breaker and it too should read battery voltage. If either side of the breaker does not read battery voltage then the breaker is open and either needs to be reset or replaced. If the breaker is corroded like mine you may need to scratch around on it with the test lead to get a good connection.

Give it a try and let us know.

Neal

MagnaFazer · 03-02-2010, 07:13 PM

Thank you. I will try solutions when I get a weekend day to go get her and bring her home to implement all the great solutions I'm collecting here.

My wife and I live in a gated community where the HOA does not allow me store it on site, so we have it in 'storage' and 'rescue' her once every few weeks to use or work on.

Great site already.

Sam Shields · 03-06-2010, 05:32 PM

follow the positive wire from the battery to the braker. some older modles have a fuse holder behind the lift switch with a 12v glass fuse. There are several brakers on a Hi-Lo, one of the brakers is at the toung where the wiring from the tv ties into the 12v trailer wiring. Another fuse or braker is located behind the refg. Some of the braker will reset them self after it cools down and other have a small button on the side to reset the braker.

MagnaFazer · 03-23-2010, 08:20 PM

I found the breaker in the battery box, but the button on the side would not reset. I purchased a new breaker (auto reset) and it still does not lift on 12V.

I need to check wiring and voltages. Bummer, now I have to hunt down my Digital Multimeter.

Artillery Rules · 05-18-2013, 09:48 AM

I would like to thank God, and praise the people that run this forum. I have the same exact unit that would not do anything on 12v. As an electrical engineer, I had disassembled and tested everything on the damn thing and was staring at the next step which would be several hundred dollars at the RV repair shop.

I had read the forum and breakers and switches were mentioned constantly but I could find nothing I had not tested. I had even tested all the voltages and conductivity of THAT EXACT RELAY,,,,,,FINALLY, this entry showed a picture of the reset button itself, which saved the day. In all my years as a professional I have never seen anyone using a tiny black dot as a reset button. Someones butt should be kicked. The designers should have added a diode light to it and big red flashing letters identifying it. It isn't even shown or suggested on the wiring schematic in the Owners Manual. Two days of sweaty work and a close call with the repair shop all because of a microscopic black dot. It would have cost me a trip to and from the shop, plus a couple of hundred dollars, for some tech to push the reset button for me.

Thanks to you all and God Bless!

RichR · 05-18-2013, 10:09 AM

A simple continuity test across the breaker terminals would have given you the answer you were looking for. Go buy a new breaker, they are thermally reset and have no button.

PopRichie77 · 05-19-2013, 08:12 AM

Those breakers have been used for years and can be bought at an auto supply.

RichR · 05-19-2013, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopRichie77

Those breakers have been used for years and can be bought at an auto supply.

Yes, I should have mentioned that. The solenoid for the lift pump is also an auto supply item.

Other Rich

Wyoguy · 06-13-2013, 11:39 PM

I have to thank you people who keep this forum going! I found your site today, and after about three hours of looking, happened across this thread that answered my problem exactly.....too:} I had the problem of no juice from the 12V side too. Nothing inside was working. I could not get any power from jumping across the solenoid either. I took all the wires apart and cleaned them. Found the battery ground wire was completely covered in rust. Cleaned that and was able to jump across the solenoid, so I knew it was working....just no juice inside. I actually did the continuity test across the 30 amp fuse you mentioned. It showed there was continuity, so I assumed it was ok. I also had the same voltage on both posts of the fuse. My fuse is mounted vertically with the reset button on the bottom. I had to use a flash light and stand on my head, but it was there. Click, and now it has power!! The tests did not make sense for this problem, but I am sure thankful that I found your forum!

atboyd · 06-19-2013, 04:18 PM

I did not see it listed in this thread, but I found that the battery ground side was bolted to pump body and that was the connection for all the rest of 12V
Bolts corroded under pump body so battery isolated from rest of trailer. Clean corrosion and retighten bolts and also ran #12 wire from battery -terminal to chassis ground lug (where all other 'white' wires grouped).