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Plugged into power for first time. Stopped working. Can't even get to battery. SOLVED

HappyCamper2024HappyCamper2024 Member Posts: 25
edited May 16 in Battery/Electrical & Solar
Edit: embarrassing user error. Darling husband informed me he disconnected the camper from the surge protector but left it in the casing so it wasn't visible. All is well. I am SO sorry for wasting y'all's time. But very relieved, NGL.

  *shame*

If anyone wants to point me to the circuit breakers for future troubleshooting, I would appreciate that.



Hey y'all. This is a 2023 320s with deep cycle battery and solar, bought new in late 2024. We boondocked twice, it was great. 

We are prepping for our first electrical trip, with AC mandatory. I plugged it into the house plug a couple days ago. The Alde showed the plug symbol for electric. The Aire 8 panel turned on. I ran the top fan on low for about 30 min to clear out heat. I turned on fridge for 5 min to make sure that it will work when we cool down before the trip. Turned all that off and left it plugged in for a couple days with nothing 

I went in today to open the windows, turned on some battery fans. Saw a couple ants so sprayed a LITTLE and spray on the floor. Smoke detector went off but stopped within seconds when I waved power at it.

Went to look at the Alde and it does not show the power working. This is the first time I checked since the first time I plugged it in. No power going to Alde or Air8. Uh oh, I am worried.

Gas is turned off.

Manual says check breaker in battery tub. THE BATTERY BOX WONT OPEN. I have pushed the tabs, I have pulled the tabs, I have looked for yt explanations. Short of ripping it off I don't know what to do.

I am immensely frustrated. It's my first RV. I want this to work but I can't even work the battery box.

We leave in a week, if we are confident in the AC.

Can someone talk me off this ledge and help me sort this out?

Pictures of the NOCO 24 group battery box attached.

Thanks for any help.


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Comments

  • HappyCamper2024HappyCamper2024 Member Posts: 25

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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 4,146
    Shore power? Battery power?  No power in the trailer?

    Are you connected to shore power?  What exactly are you plugged into? Start at the outlet you are plugged into.  Has the circuit breaker in your home tripped?  If you had the Alde on.....and the Air8 being tested....and the fridge running...there is a very good chance you tripped that breaker.  Start there.

    You say this morning you ran some "battery fans".  Fans installed in the trailer?  Or separate battery operated fans?  Are the lights working? 
    The "circuit breaker" in the battery tub should mean the Battery Disconnect switch.  The only thing inside your battery box would be a 30 amp battery fuse.  
    And: what is your Victron app telling you?  We can help with the Victron if you need help to set it up.  

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • Grumpy_GGrumpy_G Member Posts: 581
    These battery boxes can be a bear to open. You have to push really hard on the tab on the side and often you can't get both to release at the same time. Wedging a flat blade screwdriver can help. 

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  • HappyCamper2024HappyCamper2024 Member Posts: 25
    edited May 16
    Ok, got into the battery.

    Going through in order. And thank you.

    The trailer has power through the battery, which is topped up and working.

    I plugged it into the house power. That plug is still working when I plug in other items and the surge protector also lights up.

    The Alde panel has a plug symbol which shows that the shore power is hooked up and available. It was. I did accidently hit something which started it, but I turned it off immediately and the plug was showing an hour later so I don't THINK that would be a breaker trip at that point (electric not my forte but at least in my house a tripped circuit stops things immediately). 

    The Aire 8 panel does not come on when I don't have shore power. The panel lit up because I had power. It doesn't now. I was careful not to touch it other than to turn on the panel because I know AC won't run off the house current.

    The fans I turned on today are USB battery operated, not connected to the camper.

    I will attach screen shots of the victron and photo of the two battery connector thingies that might have breakers. But not sure how shore power would trip battery breaker.

    Thanks again
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  • HappyCamper2024HappyCamper2024 Member Posts: 25
    Yeah, the battery thing was sending me into a total tailspin. I'm not sure what finally made it work. Yikes.
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  • HappyCamper2024HappyCamper2024 Member Posts: 25
    Other images that didn't upload.
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  • HappyCamper2024HappyCamper2024 Member Posts: 25

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  • pthomas745pthomas745 Moderator Posts: 4,146
    Please, no "shame" or embarrassment allowed! Those sorts of battery cases are a problem for everyone.
    And, you learned a lot about your trailer!  
    The trailer's circuit breakers are in the WFCO unit, that "black box" looking thing with the fuses in it near the floor.
    This thread shows the same sort of issues, and various fixes.  There is a picture of the breakers in the WFCO and a basic diagram about them.

    2017 Outback
    Towed by 2014 Touareg TDi
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  • HappyCamper2024HappyCamper2024 Member Posts: 25
    Is the WFCO unit the Victron? I'll check that thread, thanks.

    This was definitely a reminder to go buy some spare fuses. Next time it might be that for real.
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,849
    WFCO is the converter.  Victron is your solar controller.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • HappyCamper2024HappyCamper2024 Member Posts: 25
    Pthomas, thanks for that link. Very helpful.
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