Battery Hook UP

lemonade206

I am an owner of a 2009 (new to me) Dutchman T@B.  Battery is deep cycle marine.  No problems with operations through my fall camping.  Following some advise, I installed a top post knife switch disconnect.  In doing so, I unhooked at terminals with some resulting confusion.  I borrowed an experienced friend who helped me reinstall battery and we confirmed with voltage check that battery disconnect working as intended.  Getting ready for quick close to come camp out.  Make connection at post knife switch but now no power inside trailer.  I have connection for battery and a solar panel (installed on roof line by prior owner at dealership) running from battery to inside read out.  We had connected two positives and two negatives on correct posts and confirmed with voltage.  Again should have been simple reconnect by making the connection via post knife disconnect. What am I missing? Can anyone send images so I can see proper set up.  

lemonade206

I am at the office and no access to post my own pictures.  Thank you in advance

Denny16

Sounds like you may have mixed up a positive and negative connection.  I would have labeled all the wires before disconnecting them.  Next, why did you use a knot switch?  They can arc.  You should have used a marine battery disconnect switch, which is sealed, no arcing issues and no shorts.
cheers

ScottG

I suspect that somewhere in the "resulting confusion" you may have blown a fuse on the main positive line from the battery to the converter.

On newer (PV/nuCamp) T@Bs there are three fuses that could cause the total lack of power you describe. One is a 30A inline fuse located near the battery itself. The other two are in the converter: one 30A fuse for the "battery charge line" and another 40A fuse that will blow if you accidentally reverse the polarity at the battery.

The older Dutchman T@Bs might be configured a little different, but this will at least give you a clue of what to check. Please report back what you find.

Bayliss

@lemonade206, the first photo below shows the connection to a single 12V battery.  In the photo, the white wire is negative.  The wire that has red spliced to a green wire in the photo is the positive.

Typically, but not always, the ground wire will be white, whereas the positive wire is typically red or black.  (I do not know specifically why nuCamp has a red wire connected to green, but I am guessing that they buy the inline fuse as a separate item and connect it to the red positive wire from the trailer.)

I agree with the comments of both @Denny16 and @ScottG.  Most likely a fuse is blown.  First, check the fuse that is at the battery (if you have an inline fuse on the positive wire.)  If that is OK, then check the fuses at the converter as @ScottG suggested.  Once you get everything working again, I recommend that you mark the negative wire with a Sharpie pen as shown in the second photo.

IMPORTANT, to help avoid blowing a fuse, or causing an accidental spark/shock:

(1)  When disconnecting wires from a battery, remove the negative wire first, and then remove the positive wire.  (i.e., "negative off first.")

(2)  When connecting wires to a battery, attach the positive wire first, and then connect the negative wire.  (i.e., "negative on last.")

pthomas745

If this is a DM, won't it have the famous "Shortstop" fuse?

https://tab-rv.vanillacommunity.com/discussion/6382/dutchman-t-b-resources

lemonade206

Thank you for your answers.  The pictures were helpful.  The  "shortstop" fuse answer is my likely answer.  When working on the disconnect, I did follow the best practice.  Yesterday after work, I worked with a friend we checked out all lines, using voltage meters.  Battery is good.  Solar array correctly hooked up.  The 12V still off line.  All fuses at the converter - checked out.  Now I think I know the rest of the story - locate that "short stop" fuse.  It fit the diagnosis of a shortstop fuse problem.  I thank you for pointing me in that direction pthomas745.   

pthomas745

Not me......thank all the really smart owners here who know their stuff and share their knowledge!