Intermittent power issues

[MikeLindaTarach]

For three years, we’ve been chasing intermittent power issues in our 30RLS. We dealt with flickering lights, a malfunctioning Lippert leveling system, fridge that would stop working sporadically then start working again and batteries that refused to charge properly. Every time I had the batteries tested, they came back as "low charge but OK." Even after a full recharge, I was only getting between 10.2 and 11.3 V instead of the usual 13+ V.

Working my way through anything that could be the issue, I finally pulled the cover off the bus bar and found the culprit: seven cables had zero nuts securing them to the posts, and they had already vibrated halfway off! When I pushed the cable ends against the bus bar, battery voltage jumped.

I've never found any loose nuts around the batteries so I have to believe these were never installed in the first place. Thankfully, it seems like it may be an inexpensive fix. True test is our next outing in a couple weeks.

 

[RockDr896]

Simply amazing! Glad you figured it out. It just reinforces the old saying. Check the fuse, before you replace the engine!

 

[BryanValRox]

For three years, we’ve been chasing intermittent power issues in our 30RLS. We dealt with flickering lights, a malfunctioning Lippert leveling system, fridge that would stop working sporadically then start working again and batteries that refused to charge properly. Every time I had the batteries tested, they came back as "low charge but OK." Even after a full recharge, I was only getting between 10.2 and 11.3 V instead of the usual 13+ V.

Working my way through anything that could be the issue, I finally pulled the cover off the bus bar and found the culprit: seven cables had zero nuts securing them to the posts, and they had already vibrated halfway off! When I pushed the cable ends against the bus bar, battery voltage jumped.

I've never found any loose nuts around the batteries so I have to believe these were never installed in the first place. Thankfully, it seems like it may be an inexpensive fix. True test is our next outing in a couple weeks.

Omg, 3 years to find this,! Congratulations, you should have a high confidence level that your issues will be resolved after securing those connections.

This is why I have always spent a few minutes each season going over any electrical connection that I can find to ensure that it is tight.

You should be confident in your findings, congraulations!

 

[BryanValRox]

A second look at your picture, I count 8 missing nuts, one is missing on the Buss bar side as well!
The Witness marks from the star washer would at least support that it was there at some point!