No Power at Refrigerator Outlet - Circuit Breaker not flipped

[SPSchaller]

Our Dometic NDR1292 (2005) was working fine and was running on the generator as we pulled into a CG. We shut it off while we set up. After connecting to shore power, we turned it on and it defaulted to LP, refusing to run on AC. We reset the 15 AMP circuit breaker, though it didn't seem to have been flipped and the results were the same. As a trial, we disconnected from the pedestal, fired up the generator, and tried it again, but it continued to default to LP (it appears to be working just fine on LP.) We reconnected to the pedestal and eventually checked the duplex where the refrigerator plugs in, plugging in a lamp as a test and found there was no power at the duplex. We have checked all the other 110 outlets and all the inside lights and everything appears to be working just fine. Our only guess is that for some reason, the wiring to or in the duplex has been compromised unless there is another breaker somewhere. I have tried to follow the wiring from the duplex but it gets lost in the mess under the fridge.
Any suggestions would be gratefully received.
Thanks. 

 

[Back2PA]

Doesn?t happen a lot, but the breaker might be bad. Easy and cheap to change, just be certain all power is removed first. If you?re completely comfortable testing high voltage, you could first test voltage from the bus bar across the breaker to confirm whether the issue is in fact the breaker.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Are there any GFCI outlets that have tripped? 

If the refrigerator is on a line that has a tripped GFCI outlet it will lose power.

In a worst case situation you could run an extension cord from a working outlet to the refrigerator and see if it works OK.

 

[Rene T]

In a worst case situation you could run an extension cord from a working outlet to the refrigerator and see if it works OK.

Or if the fridge is on the same side as the CG pedestal, just run a extension cord to it until you find the problem. Usually it has a 15/20 Amp outlet.

 

[Prior member]

If the breaker is good; check the wires connecting to the outlet at the refrigerator. If there is power to them, it is either a bad receptacle or a loose connection(s).
if there is no power to them check the connection at the breaker
If that is good and you have power there with the breaker on, check the neutral connection at the neutral buss.(it could be loose or disconnected)

jack L

 

[Rene T]

You can also disconnect all three wires at the entrance panel and at the receptacle then check for continuity of all three. I had a similar problems with Air Conditioner wire years ago. Come to find out one of the wires was broken someplace in the structure. I had to run a single black wire.

 

[Alfa38User]

First off, if you have power at the outlet, then it would be wise to check the 5 amp glass fuse skillfully hidden on the back of the fridge in the little black box. Access is through the removable panel on the outside, behind the fridge. Sometimes that plug may be powered through a GFCI protected chain of outlets.

 

[John From Detroit]

Sometimes. as someone said. they put the blang thing on the GFCI, no reason to do that. but they do it.

Back when my Rig was NEW (like under six months new) I found I had a few screws loose (Some say I still do). but these were not those screws. they were the screws in the power distribution panel (Breaker box) one took over 3 FULL turns to tighten.. Things worked much better after tightening.

IF the Fridge is in a slide then there are also junction boxes under the slide (2 minimum)

And finally.. My Fridge is part of a chain of outlets.. Plus a space heater into 'em and bad things happen to the outlets and I had to replace one (not same chain) outlet.

 

[regval]

Here's a link to an earlier post:  http://www.rvforum.net/SMF_forum/index.php/topic,106127.msg955538.html#msg955538

The original poster (OP) had a  similar problem .... bottom line, a GFCI outlet needed to be reset even though testing the outlet appeared to indicate there was voltage.

 

[lynnmor]

Pull the outlet and check voltage on the wires.

 

[SPSchaller]

Great Thanks to All who replied... I've checked the breaker box for loose connections and searched for hidden GFCIs but to date have come up empty. The suddenness of this occurrence has me a little reluctant to start tearing things apart, but that will likely be the next step. We're heading to our next destination (Three Forks, MT) this morning for a few days. I plan to try to trace the cable under the fridge (ugh... its a mess under there) to see if I can locate another junction, and likely remove the duplex (not so easy, either...) I'll update with findings. When we get home, I plan to run a new circuit from the breaker box so the fridge is on its own. This is nuts!
Thanks All!

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Meanwhile, an extension cord to another outlet will help keep you cool.

 

[Rene T]

Lynnmore said:  Pull the outlet and check voltage on the wires.  Have you done that?

 

[SPSchaller]

I did attempt to pull the duplex to check the connections and voltage on the wires, but its pretty hard to reach and the duplex is not a normal box and I couldn't get it open during my attempt. We leave for another destination in the morning, so as a work around, I've run another cable to a functioning duplex to use while on the road (I get nervous driving with the LP going...) When I get to a place where we'll be parked for a while I'll figure out how to get into the duplex and test it and the wires. A big part of me still thinks its a GFCI or fuse somewhere, but tracing the wire under the fridge is gonna be a big job, perhaps one better left for when we get home.

 

[SPSchaller]

We are home for a while so I am continuing to work out why no power is reaching the duplex for the refrigerator. I yanked the duplex and check internally for current but there wasn't any, so I don't think its the duplex. I traced the romex to under the frig (what a mess) to where it goes into the floor and nothing appears problematic. The main circuit box looks as it should, all connections are tight. However, there is one thing I noticed.
I started the generator and was watching the Intellitec Load Meter and when the sheds began to come online, a click could be heard for each one, except for the one for the refrigerator circuit.
I plan to check the breaker but I am wondering if the issue could be with the Intellitec EMS. I am new to these...   

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Yes it could, IF the fridge in fact is one of the MS load shedding circuits.

 

[SPSchaller]

Thanks Gary... Its marked as Refrigerator... anyway, tested the breaker and its appears OK. Today I'll test the continuity of the romex since I can't follow it under the flooring. If OK, I'll have to assume that its an EMS issue. Its starting to make sense, though... it was working great on the genset, but then didn't when we plugged into shore, after which it didn't work on the genset either. When the frig is plugged into a different circuit it works as normal. Maybe there was a spike at the post that messed up the board. Anyway, back to testing...

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It's probably an EMS issue, but these boards are littered with reports of mislabeled breakers and fuses on RVs.  I've learned to verify rather than assume.

 

[SPSchaller]

I believe I have identified the source of the problem. As recently suspected, it appears to be one of the relays on the EMS board. I tested for current across the relay and there doesn't appear to be any. There is current going into the board, but none after the relay. The other relays on the board show current and appear to be fine, so I think its just the one. So the issue now is whether the relay is simply stuck and can be freed up or if the entire board needs replacing. More research...
I am curious why the frig needs to be on a controlled circuit and my only guess is that its a safety issue. The frig ran great while we had it plugged into a non-controlled circuit.
If this post needs to be moved, let me know. Thanks. 

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

It has nothing to do with safety. The fridge is wired that way because it has an automatic auxiliary power source (LP gas), so it is a prime candidate for load shedding if electrical demand exceeds supply.  Opening the EMS breaker for that circuit typically reduces electric demand by 3-4 amps when it forces the fridge to LP gas mode.

No problem if you want to move the fridge circuit off the EMS, or simply hardwire the output to the input, bypassing the EMS relay.  It still passes through a circuit breaker in the load center, so the circuit is still protected against shorts.