just bought 2002 2720SL

[Calico Jack]

Hi Everybody:
I'm new to this site. Looked for a couple of years for a TM we could afford and bought a reallly nice 2002 model (2720SL) about three weeks ago. Already spent a week in the mountains. We came from a 10 yr relationship with a Coleman pop up. Man what a difference...this is truly Cadillac camping. I bought it from a non TM dealer and the salesman (nice guy) really didn't know the first thing about the unit. Thank goodness for complete factory manuals. A couple of questions:
(1) where is the converter located? I'm very familiar with boat inverter/chargers is the same deal?
(2) when I unhook from 110V(shore power) the manual says I should have automatic 12V power and I dont. Water pump does not work, 12V lights won't work,etc. I installed a new battery even though the old one was fairly recent and checked good under test load. Is it common for the converter to go out to lunch? Is there a updated unit (isn't there always!) with better bells and whistles? Lastly will a new Honda EU2000 power the AC unit? This is a super site and such a help, many thanks.
Calico Jack

[P and B]

Jack- your TM is older than mine but I'd check the fuse off the battery. I don't think your inverter should be in the circuit on 12V DC. If the water pump works when you're plugged in, then the inverter is working fine because the pump is 12V DC (my pump just died and it's a 2008 but I digress....

The fuse they used off the battery in mine is an in-line fuse off of the positive battery lead. It's a small red plastic housing with a metal fuse stuck in it. Hopefully someone with the same vintage TM will have better info.

One thing you might do is check the voltage across the battery when you're plugged in. It should be about 13.4 or so volts if the inverter is working (which I think it is).

Something in the DC circuit from the battery is simply not connected ergo the fuse suggestion.

Good luck.

Phil

[B_and_D]

In addition to the above advise (yes, definitely check the fuse) a Honda 2000 probably won't run the A/C. Perhaps a Yamaha 2400 would....but that's also a maybe...2 Honda 2000's hooked together would run it.

[PopBeavers]

To answer one of your questions, the converter is near the floor in the bathroom wall opposite the closet.

I do not think you have an inverter unless the previous owner added one. Without shore power you only have 12 volts.

Besides the fuse at the battery, I wonder if a fuse or breaker problem in the converter could be part of the problem, but I doubt it.

[Bill]

Jack -

Yes, there is a better converter, available as an easy retrofit if you choose to do the job at some time in the future. But that is not the problem you are experiencing now. Like the others, I suspect that the main battery fuse is gone, which means that the battery cannot supply power to the TM, and cannot accept charge current from the charger in the converter.

In 2002 models, the main battery fuse was a glass cylindrical fuse with metal end caps, and the in-line fuseholder was located about 6 inches from the battery's positive post. The fuseholder was white nylon, which twists apart into two pieces. If this is the one you have, look to see if the ends of the fuseholder have turned brown. This indicates overheating of the fuseholder, and was a fairly common problem in that era. As soon as is convenient for you, you should replace the fuseholder with an inline holder that accepts the flat automotive fuses (type ATC or mini-ATC).
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=2873&d=1218657924
This is available for only a couple bucks in the RV section of WalMart, or any hardware or big box store. Be sure to buy a box (probably 5) of replacement 30-amp fuses to fit this holder.

Please let us know what you find - everyone learns from the feedback.

Bill

[Calico Jack]

Thanks guys, what a great help. Headed to get a 30 amp fuse and a six pack...great job for a Saturday, the heck with mowing the lawn!
Calico Jack

[rumbleweed]

CAUTION: Be sure to install in the proper order or you could have problems.

Fuse gets installed first.
Then work on the six pack.
:new_Eyecr

[lisasTM]

we recently bought a 2720 and are trying to repair the battery storage holder.
it's cracked and we are worried battery could fall out under tow !
This is the type of housing that's cracked
https://www.amazon.com/Vented-Battery-Camper-Marine-Barrier/
But underneath this plastic box it looks like the screws have pulled out of the composite fibre glass+wood ? frame.
This is bulged out under the trailer, I guess from where the battery pounded it out of shape.

any advice on how to fix this ? we are thinking of just making a wooden flange to raise battery up off the single walled bottom of compartment.
seems like one of the more egregious problems in trail manor workmanship. I wonder if it's fixed in new ones ?

I see a post by Bill referring to a solution by mjlaupp but can't find I and also don't know how to link to Bill's post on this issue !
But seems like he agrees it is a problem.
"Hi, Eric -

I still think that changing out the batteries is a great thing, especially if you are going to do a lot of dry camping. A standard Group 24 or Group 27 12-volt battery is just too wimpy for extended dry camping, especially when it is cold and the furnace runs a lot.

I am still concerned about the way the battery is carried in the 2720SL. The factory cuts away the upper skin of the floor, cuts out the foam core, and sets the battery on the lower skin. The skins are thin aluminum - they aren't all that strong, and I'm convinced that if you should take a speed bump a little too fast, for example, the battery could go right through the floor and out onto the road.

This doesn't seem to happen often, so maybe I'm overly conservative. But if you double the size of that hole in the floor, and put the weight of ANOTHER battery on the lower skin, I think there is potentially a big problem.

I seem to recall that Mike Laupp had a pretty good-looking solution, though I've forgotten the details.

Bill"

[Bill]

It has been a lot of years, and I don't remember any of the details of his installation. When he left the Forum, he asked me to save a bunch of his pictures. The only one that has anything to do with his battery change is attached. It was titled "Dual 6-volt battery" and dated 9-24-2013. What I see is that he did NOT cut into the floor - probably reinforced it. His two batteries are in a single box at the opposite end of the compartment from normal.

Mike still checks in once in a while. Perhaps if he sees your query, he will get back to you.

Bill

[ShrimpBurrito]

I modeled my install of dual batteries in my 2720SL after Mike’s. In my era of TM, the batteries were installed by the factory in the same place as in Mike’s picture that Bill just posted above. So what I did, and if I recall correctly Mike may have done the same, is remove and discard the old box for the one battery. Then, fill in the cavity in which that box sat with some expandable foam, which theoretically might provide a little support. On top of that, I put down a large sheet of scrap galvanized steel I had that spanned the entire hole and went well beyond the outline of the hole, but not larger than the new dual battery box I installed (which is the same as Mike’s). I can’t remember the gauge, but it was maybe 1/16” thick if I recall. You could probably also use plywood, but obviously it would need to be much thicker. That brings all of the weight up off that lower skin of aluminum sheet metal and onto the top surface of the floor.

I then installed some tie downs as Mike mentioned in the thread Bill referenced. I did that nearly 15 years ago, and it has remained as rock solid as it was the day I did it.

Dave

[ShrimpBurrito]

Take a look at the thread Bill referenced. Lots of good info there.

https://www.trailmanorowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1696

Dave