please help!! thanks

[ssroadrunner]

hi , i am a new member and would like to say hello to all.i have a few problems maybe someone could help .i have a1996? monaco 36' windsor diesel pusher.i recently purchased this rv and have had little experience in the past with rv ing.i just got a 50 amp power cord and this weekend we went to a nice koa campground in valdosta ga.my problem is my 50 amp service worked the microwave and not the furnace .the first night we plugged up and the next morning my furnace had quit and all the coach batteries were deAD.it got cold inside.so some of the coach worked off shore power but some of it didnt.the tvs would go off as soon as the battery meter showed low.all the breakers were not tripped,when we cut then off the microwave would go off.this told me that the shore power was coming in.if i cut the main battery switch off in the doorway all the power goes out.(this may be normal,not sure)also the a/c power light would come on when the generator was on.(Propane generator)when the generator was off so was a/c power light.my running lights also do not work,all fuses checked out good,also trailer plug in doesnt work,for tow vehicle,no power coming to outlet, not sure if all this is somewhat tied together or just seperate problems. thanks for any help.? allso jacks would not work,they always used to. coach has inverter and boook says if gen not running it will automaticaly switch to next power source .thanks again

 

[Kenneth]

Did you check and see if the breakers on the power poll were good ? I ran into the same problem once and discovered the poll had a 20amp and a 30 amp breaker,the 20amp was tripped (and bad)causing the problem.Also I had run into a similar problem with my(new) extension cord . it was wired wrong ,the idiot had the ground as one leg of the 50amps !!!

 

[ssroadrunner]

the breakers on the pole were fine,however i will check my cord and see. thanks for the reply.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Your furnace is powered by 12V DC (battery) and not directly from shore power. Many things in an RV work this way.  Your rig has a built-in battery charger that continuously replenishes the 12V supply while plugged into shore power - it is probably part of the inverter you mentioned.  If you furnace ran the batteries down, then it would seem the charger is not working. This may be a problem in the inverter/charger or a problem in the shore power supply to it.

Since you have an inverter and it automatically comes on when needed, I would guess you have been running from the inverter & batteries rather than from shore power.  Just to be clear, the inverter also is battery powered - it produces 120 VAC power from 12 VDC battery power.

There may be a circuit breaker or relay of some kind on the inverter/charger that has tripped.  You may also have a problem with the power cord itself or the transfer switch that switches between generator and shore power sources.  If your systems all work OK with the generator running, that suggests the inverter/charger is OK and the transfer switch, shore cable or shore power post is the problem, but I can't be sure from what you have said so far.

The problems with the trailer plug is probably separate.  It should be powered from the vehicle (chassis) power system rather than the "house" system.  The DC power that starts the engine and operates running lights is a separate system from the one that powers interior lights, appliances, etc.  It is known as the chassis electrical system.

 

[Carl L]

If you furnace ran the batteries down, then it would seem the charger is not working. This may be a problem in the inverter/charger or a problem in the shore power supply to it.

His rig is a 9-10 year old rig.  Could it be that his battery has died of old age and will no longer hold a charge?

 

[Ron from Big D]

It's possible that the chord you purchased could have been wired like some of the old Blue Bird chords, where the coach was equipped with two inlets and you used two 30 amp chorcs.  Each chord ran half of the coach.  Sound like your chord only runs one-half of the coach.

 

[John From Detroit]

Mine is brand new,,, I have two battery chargers and will eventually have 2 sets of house batteries.(Loads are divided)

Anywhy.... Found a loose connection that caused one leg of the power system (50 amp power has 3 legs, hot-nuteral-hot,  Usually the pole should be 120/240  (though some are wired strange, Strange is dangerous)

I can tell you how I tracked it down (measured voltages at the power transfer switch... There is but one very heavy duty wire that goes from said switch to the power inlet..... Wire at the switch was clearly tight (i measured to the WIRE itself) but at the inlet was not properly conected... Not the only screw loose on this brand new rig trust me on that)

Had a dealer fix it though

A bad cord or adapter or corrosion on the connections can also be to blame

Most furnances run on the battery power, not 120, but the 120 recharges the batteries via a charger/converter located somewhere in the rig