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Old 08-10-2010, 06:08 PM   #1
Elderdude
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Default Need to replace Atwood tongue jack

Bought my 2006 2720 SL, (prevoiusly owned but well cared for,) several years ago. Never knew how to maintain the original 1000 lb jack, banged it more than once driving without fully retracting, until it is now rudely obstinate, and a reminder that I should always use deodorant. I would like to try an electric jack, but wonder if it is worth the money and the trouble. I do not have a trail manor service qualified person within 200 miles, I need to find an easy method to do it myself, which may confine me to a manual jack, (which I have already removed and am confident I can hook up.)

Both electric and manual jacks with a 2" outer shaft are availabe locally, at Camper World. I assume anything rated 1000# or better would be suitable. But I have trouble lifting my 12 oz. Miller Lite, so something that my wife can operate would be appreciated. (Barb drinks 32 ouncers.)

But wiring the electric option to the positive terminal of the battery, which is located in the rear presents a problem. I don't bend much anymore, (too much Miller Lite,) and don't really know how to string 25' of #10 wire underneath the trailer securely and neatly. I've also read something about blowing out the converter when hooked up on shore power.

Has anyone done the conversion? Is there a more available connection I can tap into close to the front?
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Old 08-10-2010, 06:47 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by Elderdude View Post
Bought my 2006 2720 SL, (prevoiusly owned but well cared for,) several years ago. Never knew how to maintain the original 1000 lb jack, banged it more than once driving without fully retracting, until it is now rudely obstinate, and a reminder that I should always use deodorant. I would like to try an electric jack, but wonder if it is worth the money and the trouble. I do not have a trail manor service qualified person within 200 miles, I need to find an easy method to do it myself, which may confine me to a manual jack, (which I have already removed and am confident I can hook up.)

Both electric and manual jacks with a 2" outer shaft are availabe locally, at Camper World. I assume anything rated 1000# or better would be suitable. But I have trouble lifting my 12 oz. Miller Lite, so something that my wife can operate would be appreciated. (Barb drinks 32 ouncers.)

But wiring the electric option to the positive terminal of the battery, which is located in the rear presents a problem. I don't bend much anymore, (too much Miller Lite,) and don't really know how to string 25' of #10 wire underneath the trailer securely and neatly. I've also read something about blowing out the converter when hooked up on shore power.

Has anyone done the conversion? Is there a more available connection I can tap into close to the front?
You could just tap into the tow vehicle charging line, where the Bergman cable comes from the tow vehicle connection. Just be sure to install a 30A ATW inline fuse. It's always best to use the electric jack while the trailer is plugged in and the engine running anyway.

The electric jack should just use the same bolt-holes as your original jack did.
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Old 08-10-2010, 06:48 PM   #3
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I did after a few times cranking it up and down. I bought a refurbished jack on ebay. Out come three bolts and dropped in the new jack. I found a wire on the tongue and it was 12 volt. Used it a few times before I decided to wire direct to battery ( seperate fuse at the battery! ). Not to hard to wire, with unit up more or less followed the other wiring from the tongue to the battery box. Used zip ties to anchor it and made sure to wrap it each time it went through a frame member cutout or could touch metal parts.
Three years later and no problems. I saw several on ebay for reasonable prices.
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Old 08-10-2010, 06:54 PM   #4
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My 2007 came already wired for a elec. jack. Look for a single black 10ga wire coiled up someplace on the tongue that's been capped off. There was also a 30amp fuse for it in the converter.
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Old 08-10-2010, 07:06 PM   #5
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Thanks Roger R. I like your suggestion of zip ties to the other wiring.

Where would you put the fuse, Wayne? I have one now instead of the glass one back at the battery. Is that enough? Or are we talking inline before the the wire connection to the Bargeman cable you suggested. (I get my volts, watts amps AC and DC confused sometimes.)
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Old 08-10-2010, 07:13 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by Elderdude View Post
Thanks Roger R. I like your suggestion of zip ties to the other wiring.

Where would you put the fuse, Wayne? I have one now instead of the glass one back at the battery. Is that enough? Or are we talking inline before the the wire connection to the Bargeman cable you suggested. (I get my volts, watts amps AC and DC confused sometimes.)
Your best option is to try to find the wire that Digger mentioned.

Option 2 would be to run a 10G wire back to your batteries and install a 30A inline fuse right at the battery.

option 3 would be to splice into the Bergman cable charge line and put a 30A fuse right at the splice.

I highly recommend using the ATW inline fuses. I would even replace your current inline glass fuse before it goes bad (most do eventually).
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Old 08-10-2010, 07:24 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by harveyrv View Post
Option 2 would be to run a 10G wire back to your batteries and install a 30A inline fuse right at the battery.

option 3 would be to splice into the Bergman cable charge line and put a 30A fuse right at the splice.
FYI, the reason you install the fuses in these positions is to protect the wire, in addition to the appliance.

In option 2, for example, let's assume some insulation on the wire had worn through a bit halfway under the trailer and shorted to the frame. If you had installed the fuse at the jack, it would of course blow as it's supposed to. But since the short is in between the fuse and the battery, the fuse did not interrupt the circuit, and thus, current continues to flow through the short.

This obviously is not ideal. At the very least, it will quickly drain your battery. And at most, a fire will start and your trailer will burn to a crisp.

If you had installed the fuse at the battery, the fuse will blow, and the circuit is interrupted.

This is also the reason your circuit breaker or fuse box in your home is exactly at the spot where the wires enter your house from the road.

Dave
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Old 08-10-2010, 08:26 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito View Post
FYI, the reason you install the fuses in these positions is to protect the wire, in addition to the appliance.

In option 2, for example, let's assume some insulation on the wire had worn through a bit halfway under the trailer and shorted to the frame. If you had installed the fuse at the jack, it would of course blow as it's supposed to. But since the short is in between the fuse and the battery, the fuse did not interrupt the circuit, and thus, current continues to flow through the short.

This obviously is not ideal. At the very least, it will quickly drain your battery. And at most, a fire will start and your trailer will burn to a crisp.

If you had installed the fuse at the battery, the fuse will blow, and the circuit is interrupted.

This is also the reason your circuit breaker or fuse box in your home is exactly at the spot where the wires enter your house from the road.

Dave
Dave,

I think you may have missed something. Option 2 says "install a 30A inline fuse right at the battery." If there is a short anywhere in the line, including at the jack, it would blow the fuse........... Am I missing something??

Option 3 would be tapping into the charge line which is already fused at the battery. The fuse that I suggest would just be easier to replace if the jack over-loads the circuit.
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Old 08-10-2010, 08:33 PM   #9
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Nope, I'm not missing anything. I agree with your suggestion....perhaps that wasn't clear.

I should have said, "If you had installed the fuse at the battery, as harveyrv had suggested, the fuse will blow, and the circuit is interrupted.

Dave
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Old 08-10-2010, 08:44 PM   #10
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Digger, I saw something under there near where the A frame tonge meets the trailor underbody that looked like two wires with caps folded neatly that I could not trace easily. I check them out again. Gee, wouldn't it be great if thats all I needed?
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