In-line circuit breaker

[springer02]

Does anyone know off hand the amperage of the self-resetting circuit breaker attatched near the batter box on a 2001 Coleman Cheyenne? Mine is badly corroded and I want to replace it, but can't read its markings anymore.

(originally posted that this was part of the brake system, but it looks like I followed the wrong wire and this is the main lead to the camper's power system.)

Thanks.

[AustinBoston]

It's probably 25 amps.  Most charge lines are 10 gauge, which should be fused at 30 amps on one end, and have a 25 amp self-resetting breaker on the other (see below).  If the wire is 12 gauge, use a 15 amp breaker.  If it's smaller than a 12, replace it with a 10 gauge (or better - an 8 gauge wire).

If you hook up with a battery in need of charging (and especially if you have the fridge on 12 volts), it will probably click on and off for a while until the battery is partly recharged.  If it didn't, the 5-amp larger fuse would blow, and the trailer would get no charge current (and only have fridge power for about an hour, until the battery died).

The other end of the charge line (at the tow vehicle battery) should have a 30 amp fuse.  Why protect at both ends? the reason is that there are two large sources of power, one on each end.  A short in the middle will draw current from either end if they are not both protected.

Austin