Hi-
This is my first post. Normally I'm posting on fordtruckfanatics forums in the Gen 8/9 series, but I've got an issue with my 2001 Sunline 'Solaris' Camper.
The issue is I would run it on a Predator Generator out on my property and everything worked. The DC, the AC, the fridge, the heater, the water pump, the ac outlets and the dc lights. The signal lights, the battery, everything.
The power center was old and a 45 amp, so I upgraded it to a newer power center off Amazon for about $225 to a 55 amp converter (max). I figured that was a good charge to send power to the DC and battery.
Now, the Harbor Freight special generator (The Predator 4000) has worked all last Summer, ran my air conditioning, etc. It was fine. It was exceptional. However, its spark plug broke so I'm using one of my two back-up generators, a 9500 watt one that works great. It is also charging a solar array battery bank, chicken waterer heaters, etc when I fired it up today. However, the electrical cord running to the camper was plugged in so I could top off the marine deep cycle battery on the tongue and no outside light came on. I thought that was odd.
I went inside, tried turning on other LED DC lights (I removed all the old bulbs and installed LED replacements). Nothing turned on. I looked at the microwave LED screen -- there were numbers, it was on, verifying some power was coming into the camper. I then turned on the furnace to see if it would start heating the camper (this is upstate NY) and while I waited for that I thought I'd see if any of the AC outlets were working. I have a toaster on the counter, always plugged in. I pushed down and energized the unit and would you believe that ALL the interior lights I had turned on suddenly illuminated?
I found this upsetting as I knew this wasn't the right way that electrical system should become energized. I turned off the toaster, the lights that I had turned on all went out on the DC system. I energized the toaster and the lights came back on in the camper. I turned it off and sighed. The furnace kicked on, still no lights, but the furnace, which runs on a step-down conversion from the 110v to 24v DC, turned on and blew out hot air from the propane burning furnace. All good there.
So my question is, WHAT has happened? Did a mouse get in somewhere and cross a wire? This camper has worked flawlessly for months after the power center was installed. Even if the marine deep cycle battery is mostly shot (it barely holds 1/4 of its power and doesn't last long), I'm plugged into a 9500W continuous generator that should be able to quite easily turn on my LED lights, yet I have to energize a 110 AC outlet to complete my DC circuit for some reason now on the 12V DC wiring!
Any and all help much appreciated. I'll have to shovel some snow out to back my truck up next and test out the 12v wiring harness to see if there is a new problem there now that I am experiencing an electrical gremlin in my 12v wiring.
Also, I have not looked at the CBs and wish I had before I left -- I think something maybe happened there too, or possibly an animal has caused an issue with my 12v DC wires to ground out to a 110v circuit? That kind of makes sense, but WHERE would I look? The power center/amps? Under the camper? At the battery? Behind each 110v outlet? It really doesn't make sense how the 110v's AC draw completes the 12v DC circuit. However, it is worth noting that LEDs are forgiving and do not need 12v DC -- the 110/115/120v circuit could just as easily energize the 12v system and simply draw a much lower amp load to self-regulate.
Those are my thoughts. Suggestions welcome. I can take pictures and upload next time if requested on specific things that I can open up or gain access to inside my camper.
Thanks!
-KJ
This is my first post. Normally I'm posting on fordtruckfanatics forums in the Gen 8/9 series, but I've got an issue with my 2001 Sunline 'Solaris' Camper.
The issue is I would run it on a Predator Generator out on my property and everything worked. The DC, the AC, the fridge, the heater, the water pump, the ac outlets and the dc lights. The signal lights, the battery, everything.
The power center was old and a 45 amp, so I upgraded it to a newer power center off Amazon for about $225 to a 55 amp converter (max). I figured that was a good charge to send power to the DC and battery.
Now, the Harbor Freight special generator (The Predator 4000) has worked all last Summer, ran my air conditioning, etc. It was fine. It was exceptional. However, its spark plug broke so I'm using one of my two back-up generators, a 9500 watt one that works great. It is also charging a solar array battery bank, chicken waterer heaters, etc when I fired it up today. However, the electrical cord running to the camper was plugged in so I could top off the marine deep cycle battery on the tongue and no outside light came on. I thought that was odd.
I went inside, tried turning on other LED DC lights (I removed all the old bulbs and installed LED replacements). Nothing turned on. I looked at the microwave LED screen -- there were numbers, it was on, verifying some power was coming into the camper. I then turned on the furnace to see if it would start heating the camper (this is upstate NY) and while I waited for that I thought I'd see if any of the AC outlets were working. I have a toaster on the counter, always plugged in. I pushed down and energized the unit and would you believe that ALL the interior lights I had turned on suddenly illuminated?
I found this upsetting as I knew this wasn't the right way that electrical system should become energized. I turned off the toaster, the lights that I had turned on all went out on the DC system. I energized the toaster and the lights came back on in the camper. I turned it off and sighed. The furnace kicked on, still no lights, but the furnace, which runs on a step-down conversion from the 110v to 24v DC, turned on and blew out hot air from the propane burning furnace. All good there.
So my question is, WHAT has happened? Did a mouse get in somewhere and cross a wire? This camper has worked flawlessly for months after the power center was installed. Even if the marine deep cycle battery is mostly shot (it barely holds 1/4 of its power and doesn't last long), I'm plugged into a 9500W continuous generator that should be able to quite easily turn on my LED lights, yet I have to energize a 110 AC outlet to complete my DC circuit for some reason now on the 12V DC wiring!
Any and all help much appreciated. I'll have to shovel some snow out to back my truck up next and test out the 12v wiring harness to see if there is a new problem there now that I am experiencing an electrical gremlin in my 12v wiring.
Also, I have not looked at the CBs and wish I had before I left -- I think something maybe happened there too, or possibly an animal has caused an issue with my 12v DC wires to ground out to a 110v circuit? That kind of makes sense, but WHERE would I look? The power center/amps? Under the camper? At the battery? Behind each 110v outlet? It really doesn't make sense how the 110v's AC draw completes the 12v DC circuit. However, it is worth noting that LEDs are forgiving and do not need 12v DC -- the 110/115/120v circuit could just as easily energize the 12v system and simply draw a much lower amp load to self-regulate.
Those are my thoughts. Suggestions welcome. I can take pictures and upload next time if requested on specific things that I can open up or gain access to inside my camper.
Thanks!
-KJ