How To: Replacing The Battery Charger

Discussion in 'Electrical & Mechanical Issues' started by Jay & Valerie, Mar 17, 2018.

  1. Jay & Valerie

    Jay & Valerie Ranger Donating Member

    The Battery Tender failed on my 2012 560 so I ordered a new replacement from CampInn and recorded the process in case others need to do it on their trailer. Here is the step by step video.

     
  2. Randy

    Randy Ranger Donating Member

    Thank you Jay. Love your videos, seen them all. You do a great job. This will be very helpful to anyone facing a swap out of the battery tender.

    Randy
     
  3. Jay & Valerie

    Jay & Valerie Ranger Donating Member

    Thanks Randy. Anytime I tear into something, I look for videos to help guide me through the process. A lot of times they don't exist so I have to figure it out. I figure, if I have to do it anyway, might as well try to make it easier for others. I have a couple more coming on replacing the LP regulator as well as Walbernizing the trailer. Just waiting for a little warmer weather on the walbernizing video. Of course I have several others planned on my SxS and other related stuff but that is not teardrop related so I don't post those here.
     
  4. Randy

    Randy Ranger Donating Member

    The Walnernizing video might be rated R, ha ha :) I'll look forward to that one, something that definitely intimidates me.
     
    Tom & Diana P and Cary Winch like this.
  5. SethB

    SethB Ranger

    Thanks also for that look into the battery compartment!

    What battery did you end up using as a replacement?
     
  6. Jay & Valerie

    Jay & Valerie Ranger Donating Member

    It was a mighty max AGM battery. However, it was slightly too tall. Watch your measurements because I thought I had everything worked out. Have to return it and find a better fit. Tolerances are tight in that compartment...but that also shows just how precision these CampInn trailers are...everything fits like a glove.
     
    Kevin S likes this.
  7. hiadventurer

    hiadventurer Junior Ranger

    Great job Jay. I would add if your trailer has a hitch it will have to be dropped to get to the battery tender. Not difficult just a few large nuts to loosen. It is heavy so be careful...
     
    Chuckwagon likes this.
  8. Van_and_Terri

    Van_and_Terri Ranger

    Thanks for the video Jay. Very insightful in case we have to replace the charger. We don’t have a water system on our 550. So, I think the accessibility should be slightly better.
     
  9. Jay & Valerie

    Jay & Valerie Ranger Donating Member

    Thanks. Good point, hadn't even thought about that since I didn't have the receiver hitch.
     
  10. Jay & Valerie

    Jay & Valerie Ranger Donating Member

    No problem. It was a pretty easy job and can be done pretty quickly.
     
  11. Tour 931

    Tour 931 Ranger

    When I first saw this post I knew I wanted to watch it when I had the time. Well I had the time today while eating breakfast.

    Great video Jay. It makes me want to watch your other videos.
     
  12. Jay & Valerie

    Jay & Valerie Ranger Donating Member

    Thanks. More Trailer videos coming soon. Going to be doing some campground reviews, etc. Though, I have various Side by Side videos coming as well. My channel is an mix of How To, Off Road, Camping/Teardrop, and product reviews.
     
    Kevin S likes this.
  13. Bob153

    Bob153 Newbie

    Jay
    I am Bob, I liked your video . I just got a Raindrop 560 ultra 2005. The Battery was bad and shorted the charger,
    so I changed it with a Battery Tender 12v 5 amp model. I put it in the same way the old one came out. For some reason
    it is poping the circut braker on the GFI plug. can you help?

    Bob153
     
  14. Jay & Valerie

    Jay & Valerie Ranger Donating Member

    Hi Bob, Sorry, did not see this until now. Are you still having issues? If it is popping the breaker then you have a short elsewhere in the system. Cary provides a pretty detailed troubleshooting guidelines in the manual. You might want to look through that first. I would start at the battery and work back from there. There are a lot of wires in that battery box. There are also a lot of wires underneath the trailer as you saw in the video. Short can be difficult to track down.
     
  15. Beth H

    Beth H Newbie

    Hi Jay,

    Thanks for this video! I just got a 2008 550 Ultra last weekend and when I purchased it from the previous owner, everything worked fine when the shore power was plugged in to his garage. Unfortunately, when I got it home, nothing worked.

    I replaced the battery and now have lights in the galley and cabin, but the outlets still aren't working when I plug in the shore power. Nothing happened when I pushed the little button to reset the AC breaker. It wasn't popped out, like the owner's manual said it would be if it was tripped, but I figured I'd try it anyway. The GFI won't reset either.

    I noticed that the battery charger lights weren't working either, so I followed your video and replaced it. After cutting out the old Battery Tender, I plugged the shore power back in and tested the green/black/white AC wires with my multi-meter, but they were dead. I went ahead and attached the three-prong plug receptacle to the AC wires, plugged the new battery charger into it, and connected the DC wires. Still nothing.

    I've tested all the fuses with my multi-meter too and they all seem okay. Do you have any ideas about what to do next? I would appreciate any advice you or anyone reading this might have, because I'd love to take my new 550 out for it's first camping trip, but I feel like I need to get this figured out first!

    Thanks,
    Beth
     
  16. SethB

    SethB Ranger

    Have you pushed both buttons on the GFI outlet? I’ve had this experience with other GFI - I need to press the test button to get it fully turned off, then the reset button.

    Have you tested your garage outlet and extension cord? Gotten down low to see how the end of your extension cord engages with the prongs on the trailer?
     
  17. Beth H

    Beth H Newbie

    I did push both buttons on the GFI. The first time I tried it, the Reset button popped out when I pushed the Test button, but ever since that first time, neither button does anything. Do you think it's possible I need to replace the GFI?

    I did test the garage outlet and extension cord and both are good. I did get down low and clean out the AC receptacle on the camper and I've pushed in the extension cord as much as I possibly can. It's pretty hard to see up in there, but I've tried it probably 5-6 times.

    Do you know if it's possible to access the AC breaker? I glanced in there and it looks like it's behind a metal plate. I haven't looked to see if the plate can be unscrewed.

    Thanks for responding so quickly, SethB!
     
  18. Beth H

    Beth H Newbie

    Just a quick update: I removed the metal plate and got access to the AC breaker, tested it, and it's fine. I also tested the 7.5A inline fuse for the charger and discovered it's bad. This would explain why I wasn't getting power to the outlets, but would it explain why the AC coming into the charger was dead?
     
  19. Bob153

    Bob153 Newbie

    Beth
    I have had a similar problem With this connection? IT matters how you connect



    the input Wires to the GFI . Place them at the bottom of the plug
    Bob153.
     
  20. Beth H

    Beth H Newbie

    Thanks Bob153. After not having any luck with two different outlets in my garage, I tried a third outlet and now it works! Once I get the 7.5A inline fuse replaced I think everything will be in good shape. Thanks to you all for your help! This is a great community!
     
    Kevin S likes this.
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