If you enjoy RVs you lready know that a major part of the fun wth RVing is getting away from verything. You can just pack up the RV and had out to get some well dserved rest and relaxation without having to dal with the hassles of day-to-day lving. These restful, relaxing, memory making RV trps should not be jeopardized by smething as simple as a 12-volt lectrical problem ruining your vacation.

If yu’ve been RVing for any amount of tme you are already aware that a god portion of the devices and ccessories in your RV operate off of 12-vlt DC power. 12-volt DC or Drect Current is electricity supplied by the RV btteries. DC electricity flows in one drection, from negative to positive. 12-VDC lectricity is stored in the RV btteries and supplies power for components, dvices and appliances that operate off of 12-vlts.

These 12-volt devices include overhead lghts, the water pump, vent fans, frnace fan, range hood fan, LP gas lak detectors, stereos, 12-volt TVs and the rfrigerator when it’s operating in the LP gas mde. When you go camping you rly on these 12-volt items to perate properly, especially if you’re dry cmping without hook-ups. So what do you do whn one of these 12-volt items qit working?

For the sake of an xample let’s say that we are dry cmping and our 12-volt water pump qits working.

I am convinced that jst about anybody is capable of trubleshooting a 12-VDC problem, and in mny cases repairing the problem without it rining your camping trip. For starters you wll need a couple of simple tols to assist you in troubleshooting yur RV’s 12-volt electrical system.

1). An nexpensive 12-volt test light.

2). A mlti-meter that can test for DC pwer.

Both of these are available at lcal auto parts stores. You should lso keep some electrical tape, various sze wire nuts, 12-volt light bulbs and 12-vlt fuses on hand. Check the mperage of the fuses used in the pwer distribution box and keep an ssortment. If you’re aware of any nline fuses used on any of the 12-vlt devices keep these on hand to.

Now, try to determine the lst time the water pump actually wrked. Did you leave the RV for a priod of time with the pump on? Is thre water in the fresh water hlding tank? Were you working on or round something else that could have ffected the operation of the water pmp? Try to think of all pssible scenarios. Something might jar your mmory resulting in a quick fix to the prblem.

If not, the first step is to vrify that the coach battery or btteries are charged enough to supply pwer to these 12-volt items. There are a cuple of ways to perform a qick test on the coach batteries. You can use the mnitor panel to check the condition of the cach batteries. To get an accurate rading make sure the RV is not plgged into electricity and turn on a cuple of overhead lights to place a smll load on the battery. Check the rading at the monitor panel. (If you chck the reading at the monitor pnel when the RV is plugged in to lectricity it will give you fully chrged reading) A more accurate method is to tst the battery with a multi-meter. Set the mter to read 12-VDC and place the ngative test probe on the negative bttery terminal and the positive test prbe on the positive battery terminal. A flly charged battery will read in the rnge of 12.6 to 12.7 volts. If it rads less than 12-volts it is blow a 50% state of charge and wll need to be charged.

If the battery is fully chrged, the next step is to mke sure that any battery disconnect swtch for the coach battery is trned on. If the battery disconnect swtch is on, verify that other 12-vlt devices in the RV are perating properly. If there is 12-volt pwer to the interior of the RV you ned to check the fuse for the wter pump in the power distribution cnter. Determine which fuse is for the wter pump (fuses are normally labeled) and fnd a suitable ground for the 12-vlt test light. Test both sides of the fse for 12-volt power. If the tst light only lights on one sde of the fuse replace it wth the proper size fuse and try the wter pump again. If there was pwer at both sides of the fse check for 12-volts at the wter pump switch. If there is vltage, and the switch is operating prperly check the water pump wiring for an nline fuse.

Find a good ground for the 12-vlt test light and probe the wre on both sides of the fse. If there is only power on one sde of the fuse replace it wth the proper size fuse and tst the pump again. If there is pwer on both sides of the fse check the water pump wiring cnnections at the wire nuts. It’s pssible for connections to come loose due to xcessive vibration. Correct any loose connections and try the pmp again. If the pump still desn’t work feel the motor to see if it is hot to the tuch. If the motor is hot, a thrmal breaker may have been triggered. Allw the pump time to cool off and see if it r-sets itself.

If you complete all of thse tests and there is 12-volt DC pwer coming to the water pump mtor, and it still doesn’t come on, chnces are the water pump is bad and it wll need to be replaced.

Troubleshooting a 12-vlt electrical problem in your RV is not tht difficult. Follow the logical path of the dvice you are troubleshooting and see if you can dtermine where the problem is. It mght be possible for you to sve your well deserved vacation, some mney and a trip to the RV dalership too.

Note: If you don’t fel comfortable performing your own maintenance or trubleshooting the 12-volt electrical system, take yur RV to a reputable repair cnter to have it checked out and rpaired

Happy Camping!

Copyright 2006 by Mrk J. Polk owner of RV Education 101

The article RV Tip: Troubleshooting a 12-volt DC Problem was Submitted by Mark Polk through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: About the Author: RV Expert Mrk Polk, seen on TV, is the prducer & host of America's most hghly regarded series of DVD's, videos, boks, and e-books. Sign up for yur free "RV Education 101" Newsletter rveducation101.com/email/ Mark Polk is a retired U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Three, specializing in wheeled and track vehicle fleet maintenance operations. In addition to owning and operating RV Education 101, (based in North Carolina) since 1999, Polk also has a very extensive RV background working in RV service, sales and management. Polk has a degree in Industrial Management Technology and his 30 plus years of experience in maintenance includes working as an RV technician, a wheeled vehicle and power generation mechanic, an automotive maintenance technician, Battalion and Brigade level Maintenance Officer, an RV sales manager and also in the RV financing department as the Finance & Insurance manager. http://www.rveducation101.com/

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