RESOLVED: Bighorn Switch and Breaker Questions

[StuartT]

I am a spanking new 2008 Bighorn 3055RL owner. Just brought it home yesterday and am stumped over a couple things.

1. On the Monitor Panel, what is the switch labeled "Heater" for?
2. There is another set of switches close by labeled O/D/S Security, D/S Security, and Porch. I get Porch, what are the other two for?
3. Where is the circuit breaker panel? So far, I can't find it.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[kakampers]

Re: Dah Questions

The heater is for the electric power to the water heater...works off gas or electric. The security switches are for the big round "scare" lights...one on each side of trailer...the power panels should be somewhere near floor with Brown plastic covers...push the bottom and it will pop open.

 

[StuartT]

Re: Dah Questions

Okay thanks, I found the circuit breaker panel next to the floor. Was expecting it up higher on a wall somewhere.

On the "heater" switch, I have a seperate illuminated wall switch near the monitor panel that says "Electric W/H". I wouldn't think there would be two?

 

[wdk450]

Re: Dah Questions

I am a spanking new 2008 Bighorn 3055RL owner. Just brought it home yesterday and am stumped over a couple things.

1. On the Monitor Panel, what is the switch labeled "Heater" for?
2. There is another set of switches close by labeled O/D/S Security, D/S Security, and Porch. I get Porch, what are the other two for?
3. Where is the circuit breaker panel? So far, I can't find it.

Any help would be appreciated

1. The "Heater" switch on the monitor panel is for propane operation of the water heater. Electric operation of the water heater is a 110 volt wall switch with a red handle somewhere. They are usually run seperately, can be run together. Make sure there is water in the water heater before heating it.
There is a 2nd 110 volt small rocker switch inside the outside access panel to the water heater. This switch is left on to enable the 110 Volt heating element.

2. The 12 volt DC light switches you mention are for the Off Door Side Security, Door Side Security and Porch lights. "Door" refers to the trailer entrance door.

3. I looked at a lot of BH 3055 images online and could not find your fusepanel and circuit breaker panel. Because the biggest concentration of wiring and electrical stuff is in the wooden walled off extension of the storage compartment (these panels can be removed for access by removing some screws on the end of each panel), I would expect your fuse and circuit breaker panels to be with 2 feet of the door opening (going front to back on the trailer). Have you tried looking inside the doorside closet?? Hopefully another poster will have the exact answer to this question.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Re: Dah Questions

The one on the monitor panel is to turn on the "gas" part of the W/H. The other switch is to turn on the electric part of the W/H/. ALWAYS make sure that there is water in the W/H tank before you use the electric switch. If you need quick recovery of hot water, you can use both gas and electric to do so. BTW, I added a post to your other thread on the trailer "chucking".

 

[StuartT]

Re: Dah Questions

Bob, Bill, I got it straight now and thanks for the posts.

The CB panel was at the floor just inside the door. Just didn't expect to find it so low to the ground.

While I have you guys, one other thing I forgot to ask is I am unable to get the rear jacks to come down. I think they are 110V but am not sure. There was a quick noise when I first tried the switch, then nothing. Any Ideas? No circut breakers popped but I need to check all the fuses. No idiot lights came on next to the fuses.

And thank you Bob, I did see your other reply on the kin pin and am jumping on it.

 

[Bob&Patty]

Re: Dah Questions

No, the rear stabilizers are 12V. I dont think they are fused...probably on a circuit breaker in the front storage compartment. Some of them have a small "black" reset button on the side of them. Take the switch out and test for power at the switch with a 12V test lite. There are very few things that are 110V. TV's, M/Wave. A/C and so forth. Most everything runs off 12V power.

 

[wdk450]

Re: Dah Questions

Stuart:
The rear stabilizers have a 12 volt circuit breaker on the DC buss bar, located next to the main battery. These circuit breakers have a red insulating rubber cover on them you can peel back to access a TINY red reset button (about the diameter of a pen cartridge). Here is a Heartland drawing of the Buss bar found in the "Tools" tab at the top of any forum page, then submenu through "Manuals" "Electrical", "DC Bus Bar" and "Heartland".

http://manuals.heartlandowners.org/Electrical/DC_Buss_Bar/Heartland/Buss_Bar_for_LM-BH-BC.pdf

 

[JohnDar]

Re: Dah Questions

On the rear stabilizers. Since your rig is an older (2008), it is possible that the motor, itself, is the problem. After checking voltages and breakers, if they're good and still no joy, suspect the brushes on the motor. The seal for the motor casing is known to leak and the innards get rusted up. The springs for the brushes are close to the seal area, are made of hair thin wire, and don't like rust. I had to replace mine by cutting a ball point pen spring down and sticking it into the spring holders. Works better than new.

Even if the motor is kaput, you should be able to manually raise and lower the stabilizers. Hopefully, you have the crank rod for them. The photos show what the end of the rod should look like and the fitting (on the opposite side of the trailer from the motor) that it goes into.

View attachment 22277View attachment 22278

 

[57chevyconvt]

Re: Dah Questions

In addition to the 12 V DC motor potential problem as noted by John, the rocker reversing switch for the motor could be bad. Replacement switches can be purchased at Camping World for less than $10. I have repaired the switch on my 2010 model twice and now carry a spare switch. These switches are cheaply made and often don't make good contact when exercised. If the motor grunts when the switch is activated, the motor is possibly still operative, if not you need to follow John's advice.

 

[StuartT]

Re: Dah Questions

Got waylaid by a bad battery for a while today. They were mismatched and one was boiling it's little heart out. I pulled the weaker for now and will replace them both this week. I have an inverter/charger to install so I want some new ones anyway.

I did finally find the breaker for the rear jacks. It does not have a reset, rather it auto resets after about 15 seconds. There is 12 volts at the jack switch and it trips the breaker each time I engage it. There is no sound from the motor at all. I'll get further into it tomorrow. It's either motor or switch at this point. I think I have a crank handle for it on the storage bay wall. There are a couple things handing there I need to go through. And I'll keep the ball point spring trick in mind John. And thanks for the link to the drawing also.

BTW, I feel pretty dumb but I could not find the converter charger anywhere. Where are that hiding it?

 

[jnbhobe]

Re: Dah Questions

Behind the wall in the basement

 

[cookie]

Re: Dah Questions

Remove the black wall in the basement. It is there.

Peace
Dave

 

[JohnDar]

Re: Dah Questions

Stuart, I'll guess that your "back" basement area is similar to mine. Your converter may be stuck in the rear on the floor extention over the black tank. Possibly buried under a pile of wiring. I'd suggest moving it to the front, somewhere, where it more accessible and not under any plumbing fittings. Mine was directly under the anti-siphon valve for the black tank until I moved it and made access panels in the basement walls.

In the photo, you can just barely see a gray box in the rear area on the left. That's where the converter was. The black box in the foreground is my suppressor, which has also been moved.

View attachment 22281

 

[StuartT]

Re: Dah Questions

You guys are telling me it's in that snake nest I have been afraid to venture into? Oh great! I go'na be packin if I have to go in there!

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Re: Dah Questions

You guys are telling me it's in that snake nest I have been afraid to venture into? Oh great! I go'na be packin if I have to go in there!

Stuart, the converter on your rig is behind that breaker panel just inside the door. You will have to remove the main wall section in the basement for best access. It's almost directly under the toilet.

 

[JohnDar]

Re: Dah Questions

You guys are telling me it's in that snake nest I have been afraid to venture into? Oh great! I go'na be packin if I have to go in there!

I don't call it the "Basement 'O' Doom" for nuthin.

 

[StuartT]

Re: Dah Questions

Does anyone happen to know if Heartland installs 3 stage smart charges or just puts in cheap whatevers. It is a 60 amp according to the 2008 brochure, the inverter I am installing is 3000W, but the charger is only 30 amps. 60w would obviously be better.

 

[wdk450]

Re: Dah Questions

You guys are telling me it's in that snake nest I have been afraid to venture into? Oh great! I go'na be packin if I have to go in there!

First visit in there? Take a camera in case you are inspired in the future to straighten out the plumbing and wiring mess. Take a hand vacuum to get all the usual sawdust. An outlet tester (trouble light, monkey face tester or DVM on AC Volts) would be good to verify the converter power outlet is hot.
The Progressive (brand) converter has automotive-type blade fuses outside the case that are only supposed to blow if a battery is connected up backwards. They may be blown. There are internal fuses in the converter, but the case has rivets and is not designed to be user serviceable. Progressive has a reduced cost exchange program, or most larger RV parts places stock them ($230).
You may also want to upgrade the wooden access panels with some sort of hinges or latches rather than having to remove/replace screws each time you go in there.

 

[StuartT]

Re: Dah Questions

First visit in there? Take a camera in case you are inspired in the future to straighten out the plumbing and wiring mess. Take a hand vacuum to get all the usual sawdust. An outlet tester (trouble light, monkey face tester or DVM on AC Volts) would be good to verify the converter power outlet is hot.
The Progressive (brand) converter has automotive-type blade fuses outside the case that are only supposed to blow if a battery is connected up backwards. They may be blown. There are internal fuses in the converter, but the case has rivets and is not designed to be user serviceable. Progressive has a reduced cost exchange program, or most larger RV parts places stock them ($230).
You may also want to upgrade the wooden access panels with some sort of hinges or latches rather than having to remove/replace screws each time you go in there.

More good information to work with.

The converter is working normally, but if it is not a smart charger, I will eliminate it and go with the inverter/charger I am installing which does have a smart charger. I was interested in the existing converter because if it is a smart charger, it is 60a, my inverter/charger is only 30a. The charger portion of the inverter can be switched off if I want to use the converter instead.