Troubleshooting Battery Discharging and Causing Electric Jack Issue

Question:

I have a 2017 Ameri-Lite RV and have had trouble with the tongue jack Lippert model? since we bought it. It will only extend and retract when plugged into the truck. I took it to the dealership where we bought it and they replaced a fuse and stated that it was good to go. Its failed again and now they are telling me that the battery has been discharged and I need a new one. I have never left anything on in the RV, the indicator panel in the RV stated that the battery was good on last trip, and we have only had the RV for 5 months storing it about a month at a time. Is is possible that the tongue jack is not grounded correctly and this is somehow causing a problem with the battery?

asked by: Mona F

Expert Reply:

It is possible that there is a bad ground on your jack and it is definitely worth checking, but it doesn't sound to me like that is the issue. Since it functions fine when plugged into the truck, which uses the same ground.

It does sound like there is a draw on your battery and that will absolutely affect the function of the jack, but many times the low battery is caused by something else. I recommend starting by checking the main battery ground and then making sure the trailer battery is fully charged. Since you are storing it the majority of the time, a small drain could cause your battery to not function at its full ability and then using something like an electric jack saps it. It could be a breakaway battery not connected properly or a light. I recommend using a multimeter like # PT89ZR to see what is causing the draw when you are in storage mode.

expert reply by: Jason S