Electrical Issue

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uh01mo

New member
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Dec 13, 2013
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2
Good Morning, Rick here. I was reading a few blogs on electrical issue and you seem to be ya'll have seen this before, maybe.. I would really appreciate some help if you don't mind..
2007 Keystone Hornet, 31 Ft Trailer, woke up this morning a little chilly in Paso Robles California, mid to low 30's. I have "DC" power (lights) and Fridge is drawing on both gas and DC, no outlet, microwave, water heater power. GFCI will not reset (no power to reset it to). Shore power seems to be ok I only have a AC outlet circuit  tester to verify. Checked breakers, and fuses no trips or burnt fuses.
I did not actually check the 30 Amp Shore power, I did check the breakers and reset nothing changed in the RV. I did check the 110's and am on an adapter 15 amp to 30 tried to get something back to the RV, no luck.. I check the two 1 yr old interstate deep cell's, good to go still good on water.

That's the extent of my knowledge for trouble shooting this issue. I was looking for the inverter, not sure where they placed that unit, unless its co-located with the circuit breakers?

Appreciate any help

Thanks Rick
 
uh01mo said:
2007 Keystone Hornet, 31 Ft Trailer, woke up this morning a little chilly in Paso Robles California, mid to low 30's. I have "DC" power (lights) and Fridge is drawing on both gas and DC, no outlet, microwave, water heater power. GFCI will not reset (no power to reset it to). Shore power seems to be ok I only have a AC outlet circuit  tester to verify. Checked breakers, and fuses no trips or burnt fuses.
I did not actually check the 30 Amp Shore power, I did check the breakers and reset nothing changed in the RV. I did check the 110's and am on an adapter 15 amp to 30 tried to get something back to the RV, no luck.. I check the two 1 yr old interstate deep cell's, good to go still good on water.  I was looking for the inverter, not sure where they placed that unit, unless its co-located with the circuit breakers? Appreciate any help  Thanks Rick

This sounds like the place to start.
 
If I follow you correctly, you have 12v power but no 120v? Your 12v stuff would continue to work as long as the battery holds out, but your converter (makes 12v from 120v) can't function without shore power.

Did you plug your outlet checker into the 15A outlet that is supplying the RV? That's the place to start. If you have power there, but not at any outlet inside the RV, check the circuit breakers in the RV panel. If they are ok, then the shore cord or the 30A/15A adapter would be the first things I would investigate. Shore cords are notorious for breaking a wire internally where it joins the big plug. And adapters fail too.
 
Thank you all, and yes the plug "male"  from RV to Shore power was brunt and shorted out. BUT this issue continues??

Gary  "Did you plug your outlet checker into the 15A outlet that is supplying the RV?"  I used it to confirm there was Shore power on the pole You lost me here "15A outlet that is supplying the RV" I have no power to the RV 15 or 30 Amp at this point?

Lou, I had an electrician check the 30 amp and verify there is power there, that about the time I had my Male 30 amp plug pulled apart and saw the weld job done on it.

Ernie, Tara, Yes they are co-located under the fuse panel.. Funny or should I say scary?? the Fuse have an indicator light, when I pull the 30 amp "Orange fuse noting they are good, the bottom three Blue 15 amp Fuse light uo the light when I pull them they are for the Radio, LP, and Monitor Panel. the top five Kitchen, bathroom, living room, bedroom, and my favorite the FURNACE!! don't light up when pulled...

Ok to recap I have replaced the Male plug (RV to Shore Power) the electrician confirms that there is power, no fuses blow or breakers tripped.

Fridge is pulling Gas and Power (Batteries?), its been about 12 hrs so I'll switch to gas and clean out the fridge then turn it off, nice winter defrost I guess?

I would imagine the Hot Water heater is electric and gas, meaning If I don't have power it wont light the gas?? guess I'm boiling water to shave and dainty up... LOL have to laugh. Well any thing I'm missing before I sell a kidney on ebay to pay to fix the thing.

Rick
 
You said you did not actually check the 30 amp shore outlet.. DO SO.

GFCI will not reset if it has no power

A cooked converter .... In most RVs. will not kill the GFCI power.

If you have lights and heat... (By now you may not) your batteries are supplying 12vdc.

If you have a transfer switch, Power line monitor (Surge guard) or Energy Management system they MIGHT, and I stress MIGHT on the last item, be at fault.

But start at the post, is there power there.. Then check for power at both ends of the shore cord.  You'd be surprised at some of the problems I've found

My joke is many RVers have a few screws loose... And this is where you find most of them, in the electrical system on the RV.
 
Gary  "Did you plug your outlet checker into the 15A outlet that is supplying the RV?"  I used it to confirm there was Shore power on the pole You lost me here "15A outlet that is supplying the RV" I have no power to the RV 15 or 30 Amp at this point?

You said you hadn't checked the shore power outlet, and that you were using a 30A-->15A adapter. I merely suggested testing those to verify you have power there. You will have power up too some point and then it is lost. You need to check at various places until you can narrow down to the place it is lost.

Now you say that an electrician verified that you have 30A, plus that you repaired your shore cord?  Has it worked since that"repair"?  And if you have a 30A outlet for the RV shore cord, what was the 15-->30 adapter for?

Your fuses have nothing to do with 120v power - the fuses are for 12v only. The circuit breakers are for 120v.

The water heater can run on gas+12v, or on 120v electric+12v.  You can have hot water as long as the LP and 12v holds out.  Likewise for the refrigerator - two modes but both modes require a tiny amount of 12v to operate the controller circuit board.
 
Hi Ho:  What Gary said.  The way to find electrical problems is to measure voltage from the source to where you don't have power.  A $4 VOM from Harbor Freight (or similar) will work fine.  If you have power at the pedestal, then check to plug to the coach (after the adapter).  If it's still there, check the changeover relay for the generator (or if it's easier the input to the breaker panel), etc.  You don't have to guess.  Just find out where the power is and where it isn't.  If you have an inverter make sure both breakers are set.  If you have a surge protector, that's another place to check.  Anyway, you get the idea.  Just get out the trusty VOM and you'll have your answer!
 
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