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Intermittent power issues

MikeLindaTarach

MikeLindaTarach

Member
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.
 

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BryanValRox

BryanValRox

Elite Member
MikeLindaTarach said:
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.
Click to expand...
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

BryanValRox

Elite Member
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!
 
MikeLindaTarach

MikeLindaTarach

Member
BryanValRox said:
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!
Click to expand...
It never dawned on me to even look under that cover. 🤷‍♂️
 
L

Lantley

Prominent Member
Wow that is just amazing. I thought Alliance only failed to put screws to secure the back wall into the floor.
As it turns out Alliance likes share their poor performance. They are just as willing to forget installing a few nuts as they are to leave out a few screws.
 
R

RockDr896

Prominent Member
Oregon_Camper said:
Someone went to lunch...had too many beers...and forgot what they were doing when they came back to work :(
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hey now....you are talking about the Amish...LOL.....also known as the leaders of innovation and technical expertise....yeah...I said it!! If you want good followers, then you are in the right labor pool...yeah...I said it again....But in all fairness and pointing out the obvious....all I see are followers. DON"T BAN ME FOR THIS POST OREGON (I know you have not, so no defense needed)....LOL!!

If I watch one more Elkhart RV factory tour, that mentions the concerns of the Amish workers, then I just shake my head and turn it off. I believe the relationship of that Amish labor pool is toxic to a company trying to innovate. They have their ways and being the majority labor pool available, they function like a union. This is a classic opportunity, for the RV industry to unite and start paying the wages to bring in real talent to Elkhart. Cut salaries and bonuses at the top and bring in the ones that know and do the work! I guess that is my utopia...but wait...I have done it....

I used to pay 65K per year to a starting employee, regardless of their knowledge/background in the 90's. Now the catch was, they had to progress and learn that year, to collect the full 65K (Not get fired FOR STUPID CRAP). It also helped fund them getting out of their parents basement. The pie in the sky, was the top guys earned 180K per year. Amazingly, even that wasn't enough incentive for some (I mean most, because it was hard, heavy work, and required math). So I say this....and I admit, this might be ignorance. If the RV industry is the only game in town....you have many economically trapped people, that are just going through the motions to survive. They simply have no reason or desire to excel, do their job smarter, or offer push back to management (Make no waves and get along). The Amish are used to laboring through physical pain points.....Yeah I said it....the RV industry, needs to ween themselves off of the Amish worker. I do not believe in the Amish workers, being superior to any other work force. I actually consider them inferior (My own opinion). If I want to raise a pole barn in old school construction methods....then yes. Do I want them to work with metal, plastic, computer tech, and steel...ummm...no. They are simply throwing parts together, that they consider counter to their beliefs. They have no real "buy in" to the process. I think this may be a factor in the worker/inspection culture we all trying to understand....
 
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