Troubleshooting Camper House Battery Not Charging From Working 7-Way On Tow Vehicle

Published 09/11/2021

Question:

The terminals in my camper, from the running RAM trailer wires is 14.4V. The terminals in camper from house battery show 12.7V. When i connect the two, the RAM stops sending power and the voltage at the junction reads 12.7V same as the house battery. House battery is NOT connected to any draw whatsoever. Why does the RAM stop sending power, and how would i ever recharge that battery once drawn down?

asked by: Bill M

Expert Reply:

It sounds like there is an issue with the wiring in the circuits on the camper. Or you have a separate breakaway battery and they bypassed the coach battery wiring.

Since you tested the charge circuit at 14.4 volts on your 7-way trailer connector of your Ram that tells me that your charge line is working properly.

When the wiring comes into your camper it will go to a junction box. You can check the connection at this box to ensure that power from your ram is getting to the junction box. Remember to verify the ground connections as well. This is where you should be able to find the wiring that will go to the coach battery or breakaway battery to determine why they are not connected together.

You may also have a Redarc In-Vehicle BCDC Battery Charger # RED96FR that protects the batteries from being overcharged. If this unit is disconnected or damaged it will not work to charge your coach battery.

expert reply by: Bud M