OK, you might already know this, but the wire going to the converter, is actually a charging wire FROM the converter TO the battery. The one going to the fuse box is the 12V battery feed to all the interior 12V devices, such as lights, the water pump, fans, etc. Both are being routed through the CB and it doesn't matter that the current flows in opposite directions. But, the way the wires are connected, the converter CAN supply power to the fuse box if plugged into shore power, even if the CB is popped, which is why things worked when you were plugged in.
It looks to me like a prior owner DID add the CB, which is interesting, because in my trailer, with the Elixer converter, there are 2-30A inline fuses BEHIND the fuse panel (sort of hidden) that are on the charging line to the battery. Why there are two, I don't know. I DO know that if both of them are blown, I still get battery power to the fuse box, but if at least one of them has blown, there is no converter charge to the battery.
I would think you could bypass the CB on the battery to fuse box line, since the fuses will protect against any overload there. This would at least give you battery power if there's an overload between the converter and the battery that causes the CB to trip.
I have a thread about "Converter Troubleshooting", where I conclude that having the trailer plugged into shore power when raising the top or even when using the electric tongue lift can put such a heavy load on the battery that it might blow one or both of my inline 30A fuses (or your CB). As an aside, it's also been noted that putting a heavy load on the battery when hooked to your tow vehicle's charging line can blow the 30A fuse in the tow vehicle for that line (which I've done at least twice).
Now, I make sure the trailer is not hooked to any external power when I raise the top or use the tongue lift.
I wonder if the prior owner replaced the 2-30A fuses with the CB to make restoring converter charging easier than replacing the fuses? Not a bad idea, since getting to those fuses is a bit of a pain.
- Jack
|