newbie question - plugging in

[flagws1]

We took our first trip of the season a few weeks back to dead horse ranch state park in Cottonwood AZ.  Had a great time but my heater failed to kick on the 2nd night due to dead battery.  I made an assumption that since we were "plugging in" that I did not need a battery".  Is my understanding of an inverter wrong?  I assumed that by being plugged in that I would run everything directly but does this still involve the battery?  

I am trying to understand what the expected behavior is before I go looking to get something repaired if my inverter is possibly not working.  Should I expect to operate everything inside without a battery or do I still need battery for some reason. Thanks for sharing what happens when  you "hook up".

By the way, I brought my charger along so the next day I charged my bat using the power at the box and everything was working again. The inst for my inverter say everything just happens when you plug in and there is no on/off switch.  

sorry for the dummy electrical question.

[Daddie_Tom]

If I understand your post right.  NO you do NOT need a battery. But there is a switch on my converter for 110/12 volt opperation. If you don't switch it from 12v to 110 it will NOT work without a battery. Hope this helps.. Tom     Also you said "Inverter" an inverter converts 12v to 110v and a "Converter" converts 110v into 12v.  If using an inverter you would need a battery for it to work.. Your camper probably has a "Converter"

[coach]

All newer converters auto switch, ie when plugged in to shore power, the converter provides the 12 vdc to operate the lights, pump, furnace, charge battery. Not plugged in, the battery provides the 12 vdc.

You don't have a conv-off-batt switch (older converters do)?

If the lights etc drain the battery when plugged in, the switch aint working or the 120v circuit breaker that 'runs' the converter is blown. Or ...

[tlhdoc]

First, there are no dumb questions.  If you don't know or are not sure it is "dumb" not to ask.  We all have questions and usually someone here at PUT has the answer you are looking for.  Now back to your question.  Your converter should run all 12 volt items in your trailer.  That is what the converter does.  What make and year is your trailer?  I am assuming that when you posted inverter, you meant converter (inverter changes 12 volt DC to 120 AC power,  a converter changes 120 AC power into 12 volt DC power).  You were prepared when you took your battery charger along.

[kjcamper]

I had this happen to me too. I had a fully charged battery 2 days before going camping and I had the refrigerator on 12 volt the day of the trip for 2 hrs for a test and then I ran the refrigerator on LP for 4 hrs., then switched over to 12 volt before leaving. I figured it would recharge driving for 3 hrs. so wasn't concerned. When I arrived at the campground and started to raise the roof up with the electric lift it only ran up halfway and quit. I plugged into the campground electrical outlet and nothing. I waited about a half an hour and it ran a few turns and quit. I was thinking of getting a new battery but decided to finish the crank up manually first.After I was all set up, no lights worked, the fridge was cool but it should have been colder I thought and nothing 12 volt worked. I checked the fuse by the battery a couple of times and it looked good. Well I have spares in the camper and changed it, no luck. I then looked at the fuse panel inside the camper and I pulled each fuse and checked them. I found a 20 amp fuse that was blown so I replaced it and immediately the lights came on and the converter started to hum as it ran the lights and charged the battery. That fuse was probably blown before I left, maybe when I hooked up the wires. I purchased a battery disconnect switch to install so it won't spark anymore when I disconnect or reconnect the wires. I will see how that works this year.

[PattieAM]

Your furnace requires 10.5-13.5 volts DC (battery) in order for the fan to operate at a speed to open the sail switch and ignite the burner.  Your popup camper most likely has a 'converter' which when the camper is 'plugged in' to campground 30amp pedistal, will take the 120v. AC and convert it to 12-volt DC to operate lights, propane leak detector, water pump, furnace.  It is recommended by the converter owners manual (at least my WFCO) to plug into campground power and give the converter a few minutes before placing a 12 volt load on it.

It is recommended that you do not use 12-volt DC setting to attempt to cool your refrigerator - the 12-volt setting is to 'maintain' existing temperature and will drain your battery fast.  (this could be the draw that drained your battery)

Your propane leak detector is a 24/7 draw on the battery, so when not camping, it is recommended you disconnect your battery.

Depending upon your converter, it may actually charge the battery, but it does not provide enough of a charge to offset any draw against the battery (ie., furnace, propane leak detector, refrigerator on 12-volt setting, even the lights).

It is recommended that you use either the propane setting or the 120-v AC setting to cool your refrigerator.

You might google "The 12 volt side of Life" for a good read.

[kjcamper]

Your furnace requires 10.5-13.5 volts DC (battery) in order for the fan to operate at a speed to open the sail switch and ignite the burner.  Your popup camper most likely has a 'converter' which when the camper is 'plugged in' to campground 30amp pedistal, will take the 120v. AC and convert it to 12-volt DC to operate lights, propane leak detector, water pump, furnace.  It is recommended by the converter owners manual (at least my WFCO) to plug into campground power and give the converter a few minutes before placing a 12 volt load on it.

It is recommended that you do not use 12-volt DC setting to attempt to cool your refrigerator - the 12-volt setting is to 'maintain' existing temperature and will drain your battery fast.  (this could be the draw that drained your battery)

Your propane leak detector is a 24/7 draw on the battery, so when not camping, it is recommended you disconnect your battery.

Depending upon your converter, it may actually charge the battery, but it does not provide enough of a charge to offset any draw against the battery (ie., furnace, propane leak detector, refrigerator on 12-volt setting, even the lights).

It is recommended that you use either the propane setting or the 120-v AC setting to cool your refrigerator.

You might google "The 12 volt side of Life" for a good read.

In my owners manual it says the converter will charge my battery in 24 hrs. Also it says to plug into 120 volts to get refrigerator cool then switch to 12 volt for trip. It says not to run on propane for trip for safety reasons. Last year when I went to Colorado this method worked great. I always disconnect battery when returning from trip and I charge the battery on a charger a week before a planned trip. I do know that when connecting a battery on a car you can blow a fuse from the voltage spike. I have seen this happen many times from working on cars, trucks, and lawn equipment for 40 years. My guess is when I reconnected the battery the fuse blew, I didn't realize it and drained the battery.

[flagws1]

Thanks so much everyone,  This site is such an awsome resource!!  I apologize for the delayed response (weather turned cold and nasty so I have put the pup away for a bit.

It is a 2004 Palamino Yearling and the "Converter" is what I meant and I appreciate the clarification (a lot to learn still).  I am assuming this should be an auto on type of unit (newer) and there appears to be no on/off or mention in the manual.  

So the story goes...The heater ran fine the first night (after priming the gas lines using the stove) and I assumed we were properly getting plug juice since everything was going as expected.  The second night the furnace refused to kick on (which is characteristic everytime the battery drains) which started my midnight dark search for the prob. I pulled the face off the conv and discovered that one of the circut breakers was indeed off.  I thought I was on easy street by flipping back to on and I expected to look like a hero when I then went to turn the furnace on (thinking we were powered up) but still nothing.  After 10 failed tries of the furnace (hearing that it was spinning up slower and slower) I then resorted to taking the extension cord over to the battery charger.  In the morning I plugged back in and everything was then working well but since the battery was now 100% I assumed it was still just operating on battery.  I need a way to isolate the converter (take the battery out of the equation) to understand if it working or not.

Here is a question..There is a fuse that you have to insert (outside the battery compartment) that if not present does not let anything power up.  I am assuming that this closes the circut but I am perplexed on how I can test "taking the battery out of the equation" to determine if the conv is functioning.  In other words, does this fuse enable the battery and should I be able to "plug in" and not have the fuse in place?

 I was thing of disconnecting the bat leads (just touching them to complete circut) which might do it. Obviously, electrical stuff is not might my strong point.  Thanks to everyone for your kind patience and helpful suggestions.

Kris
Flagstaff, AZ      

First, there are no dumb questions.  If you don't know or are not sure it is "dumb" not to ask.  We all have questions and usually someone here at PUT has the answer you are looking for.  Now back to your question.  Your converter should run all 12 volt items in your trailer.  That is what the converter does.  What make and year is your trailer?  I am assuming that when you posted inverter, you meant converter (inverter changes 12 volt DC to 120 AC power,  a converter changes 120 AC power into 12 volt DC power).  You were prepared when you took your battery charger along.

[coach]

Pull the battery fuse (taking the battery out of the picture, or disconnect the positive lead).
Plug in to shore power. The lights and furnace fan should work.
Check the 120v breakers, one of those powers the converter, turn them all the way off, then on.
Some converters have an internal reverse polarity fuse to protect from hooking the battery up wrong.