heating and ceiling fan problems

Joan

Our heating system stopped working (Alde).  We have changed the 10 amp fuse and the glass fuses with no results.  Our ceiling fan stopped working at the same time.  Out T@B is a 2017 purchased in March.  Does anyone have any suggestions.

Sharon_is_SAM

Does the control panel light up?  Do you hear anything when and if you can attempt to turn it on?  Have you checked to make sure it is plugged in under the driver side bench?

hymie

Are you on shore power? If not, what is the reading on the battery monitor?

ericnliz

@Joan, Have you checked the breaker for the Alde?  This is located in the black "box" near the floor on the driver's side bench. Also check the 15 amp fuse for the Alde located there as well. As @SAM stated, check the plug under the seat, make sure that plug is all the way in to the recptical. Mine appeared to be plugged in once, gave it a little push in, and the Alde started right up. Also, try re-setting the GFI plug by the breaker box as well.
Just a side note: Do NOT turn the Alde panel on prior to plugging in to shore power. For some reason, it doesn't like that power surge, and will blow fuses and pop the breaker. Plug in, THEN turn the Alde panel on.
If, after trying these things we've suggested, you still can't get it to work, please list what you HAVE tried, and we'll try to figure it out from there. In any case, please let us know if you get it working, or not. Thanks
Almost forgot the ceiling fan! Have you checked the fuse in the ceiling fan? There is a black holder that screws out on the fan housing that holds the fuse. Mine is located right next to the fan speed control knob.

ScottG

@Joan, the fact that your ceiling fan stopped working at the same time suggests a problem with the 12V power supply. (The  Alde requires 12V to operate regardless of what mode you are using it in.)

12V power can come from the battery, or--when plugged into shore power--the converter. There are numerous places where things can go wrong.

Did your other 12V devices (like lights and water pump) also stop working at the same time?

As others have suggested, a few more details will assist with diagnosis!

jkjenn

ScottG said:

@Joan, the fact that your ceiling fan stopped working at the same time suggests a problem with the 12V power supply. (The  Alde requires 12V to operate regardless of what mode you are using it in.)

12V power can come from the battery, or--when plugged into shore power--the converter. There are numerous places where things can go wrong.

Did your other 12V devices (like lights and water pump) also stop working at the same time?

As others have suggested, a few more details will assist with diagnosis!

That was my thought, too Scott. The fan doesn't normally blow a fuse.

Joan

Thanks for the responses. I did not realize that the battery converter needed to be turned on, even with shore power for some of the electrical items to work.
I switched the converter on and the Alde fan and ceiling fan immediately worked. Wonderful.

My next problem is the pump for the reservoir holding tank.
On shore power with the battery converter turned on, the battery measuring at 13.6 % and the fresh water level at 6%  and the pump, appearing  to be running ( I can feel it vibrating) no water comes out of the faucet.
Yesterday I used an air compressor, disconnected the water line on the inlet side of the pump and was able to push water thru the line.
I then turned on the pump, with the inlet line disconnected,  and put my hand over the inlet side of the pump but could feel no suction.   
Suggestions?
Thanks

RollingBnB

You need to add water to the tank. It's hard to prime the pump when it's under 20%

Sharon_is_SAM

Joan,  are you referring to the battery cut off switch as the battery converter?  Scott was referring to your main converter that shore power runs through to supply the 12 volt side of your electrical system.  Turning your battery switch to "ON" while on shorepower allows the battery to charge.  

So, it sounds like you were on shore power and the Alde and fan were not working - were the lights working?  Are you sure your connection to the 110 outlet at your power source and at the TaB were secure?  If you confirmed shore power, you would not need your battery to run the Alde or fan.  

ScottG

What SAM said. The converter is the device that converts 120V shore power to the 12V needed to run most of the camper's appliances. Unless something has changed, the only way to turn off the converter is to unplug it or flip the appropriate breaker in the panel. (In mine, the breaker that controls the 120V cabin receptacles also provides power to the converter.)

If it was the battery cutoff you switched on, then things started working again because the battery was now providing the needed 12V. That suggests your devices and your 12V distribution system are fine and that the problem lies with your 120V source or (less likely) within the converter itself.

Ratkity

Unless he's talking about the campgrounds pedestal breaker where he's plugged in?

Joan

Clarification: I was plugged into shore power at my home. I turned the switch/knob in the battery compartment on the Alde and ceiling fan began working again. Going forward I am assuming that when I am plugged into shore power at a campground I will need this  same switch/knob turned on for fans to work properly.
Responses please

Photomom

The switch/knob in the Alde compartment? Can you post a picture of that?

jkjenn

Joan said:

Clarification: I was plugged into shore power at my home. I turned the switch/knob in the battery compartment on the Alde and ceiling fan began working again. Going forward I am assuming that when I am plugged into shore power at a campground I will need this  same switch/knob turned on for fans to work properly.
Responses please

So all 12v items are powered by the battery: Alde, fan, lights, TV, Jensen, and Pump. When plugged into shore power, the shore power keeps the battery juiced.

Michigan_Mike

Joan said:

Clarification: I was plugged into shore power at my home. I turned the switch/knob in the battery compartment on the Alde and ceiling fan began working again. Going forward I am assuming that when I am plugged into shore power at a campground I will need this  same switch/knob turned on for fans to work properly.
Responses please

The switch in the front tub of your trailer is basically an "on/off" switch for the battery.  This switch allows you to disconnect and isolates the battery from the trailer's electric circuit and also helps you to preserve the battery charge by eliminating what is called "parasitic drain."  Battery depletion or drain (parasitic drain) occur when devices inside the trailer are allowed to draw energy from the battery when the trailer is sitting idle (e.g., LED light circuits, TV/DVD combo, etc.).  This is why people who leave cars parked at home (or when leaving a spare car in resort areas) for long periods of time end up with dead batteries as security devices and other electronic devices built into vehicles do draw a small amount of voltage and will eventually drain and ruin a vehicle battery.  Even when a battery is left unhooked from a circuit they discharge on their own over time and lose their charge.  This is why people hook battery tenders to vehicle and trailer batteries to help maintain them when not in use.  

And to clarify your question above, the battery switch can be in the "off" position if you are plugged into shore power and the electric converter inside your trailer will provide power to everything inside the trailer.  However, if the battery switch is in the "off" position the battery cannot be charged up since it has been isolated from the trailer's electric system.  So you must turn the switch to the on position to allow the electric converter to charge it, in the same manner a battery charger works.  

Sharon_is_SAM

Joan- the Alde and fan work either on shore power or battery.  You don't need both simultaneously.  Just because the battery is turned to the "on" position does not mean the TaB is running on battery.  If you are plugged into shore power and a device does not work, you need to check to see if you are actually pulling power from the 110 outlet.

wizard1880

If you could post a picture of this switch in the "battery compartment on the Alde", that would be great.

Like others have said, if your battery is disconnected and you are plugged into shore power, everything should work just fine.  If not, the converter's 12v "converter" side is switched off (the converter is both a 120v > 12v power supply and the T@Bs main breaker panel in one).  Or, some other fuses, breakers or wiring problems (bad grounds) might be the cause too; though less likely.

mona

No "mystery" switch on the Alde. Just a missing comma. 

Jeannie

ChanW

My guess is a typo. Change "on the Alde..." to "and the Alde..."

Photomom said:

The switch/knob in the Alde compartment? Can you post a picture of that?