Major Electrical Problem

[klindgren]

Hoping someone with a whole lot more knowledge than I have can give me some pointers.

We set up camp in Virginia Beach on Wednesday and everything was fine until sometime Friday. We lost power to the microwave, ceiling fan and all of the 110 outlets in the front end of the camper. The TV, DVD, and all of the outlets in the back half worked fine. A/C worked until the battery died about 9 PM Friday night.

Saturday morning I went to Home Depot and got a new GFI outlet for the bathroom as that one would not trip nor reset. New outlet did the same thing. Would not operate at all. The GFI in the kitchen worked well (at least I had my coffee Saturday and Sunday morning).

Got the A/C back on Saturday by hooking up a battery charger to the battery and just letting it run. We had also, Friday afternoon, checked the 50 amp and the 30 amp circuits at the pedistal and had full power coming from the campground.

Just to be sure, when I got back home Sunday afternoon, I tried hooking up to our shore power at the house and had the same problem confirming to me that the problem is in the camper and not at the campground.

Any thoughts..suggestions??

Unfortunately I leave at 6 AM tomorrow morning for a conference in Wisconsin so I won't be able to check any thing till I get back next Sunday, but I was hoping you all would have some thoughts on what my next move should be.

I've already talked to Tim at Chesapeake RV Solutions and he said to give him a call on the 25th and he'll get me in but I'd sure like to have some idea to give him.

Keith

 

[jbeletti]

Sounds like you have lost 1 leg of the AC power. If you are absolutely certain that both legs are working at the pedestal, then the issue is likely within the AC breaker panel inside the coach.

With the power disconnected at the pedestal, remove the cover to the AC breaker panel. Using a screwdriver or tool required, tighten the screws on the 3 lines (2 blacks and one white - most likely) that feed the bus bars within this panel.

While you are there, do the same to the black and red wires for each of the circuits.

Replace the panel cover, plug back into shore power and test things out.

A long shot would be a failed 2 pole 50 amp breaker in that AC panel that is your main disconnect.

Jim

 

[2010augusta]

Just a couple thought from me:

1: Check the breakers (you probably already have)
2: If you have a generator, will it power the coach?
3: if you have the generator prep, it could be the auto transfer switch.
4: Check for loose wires at the power cord reel if you have one.

Good luck.

 

[SouthernNights]

Keith,
What Jim said is probably what happened. You lost one leg i n your panel. Loosing half of a 2 pole breaker is not that unusual. Heat will destroy a breaker rather quickly.

 

[cookie]

Just one more thought, when you check the breakers do not use the visual method. Turn each breaker off completely then back on. I would start with the main first. Sometimes they appear to be on when in fact they are tripped. Be sure to let us know what the final cure was.

Peace
Dave

 

[Bob&Patty]

Keith, I vote with everyone else. I do have one question though. You said that you put a battery charger on the battery and the A/C started working?? Your A/C is powered by 120V, not sure how it could run the A/C. Maybe I just read it wrong. Bob

 

[DntDctr]

Friend of mine got the pedestal hit by lightening. He lost all 110V power. We checked everything and determined that the inverter/converter was blown. His would work when the battery was fully charged also but not when the 12v got down to 8-9v's or so. We replace the inverter for 160 bucks and all is fine. He also bought a surge protector for the next time.

 

[jmgratz]

The thermostat needs 12volts for the AC to work. When our converter went out the AC would not work when the battery voltage got low. There are several other things that need 12 volts to work also (fridge is one) so if your converter is out that could be an issue also.

 

[caokgafamily]

Keith,
I had some of the same problems your having last year. Do a search under my member name for the thread below. There are some good pics of my problem back then.
Steve
//heartlandowners.org/images/icons/icon1.gif Am I an idiot ?
Ever since last May I've been chasing electrical probs..

I think I might have found the problem. Most of the time when I plug in the shore 50 amp power cord to the BH I just push it on, you are suppose to turn it to lock it in. When you turn it this also makes sure the 3 each conectors are making good contact. If you just push it on they are just kinda touching, check this out and look at the end for yourself. My probs have been when I'm using alot of juice or pulling a good load every thing will go dead, then if I turn everything off and wait a minute then turn it back on then it's good. I have killed 2 microwaves. I guess my question is if the shore power cord is not installed right but still making some contact and I pull a good load could this cause me losing one leg of the power ? Maybe my cord is bad, but Camping World wants $ 300 for a new one.
Any thoughts ? My 3rd micro is dead. But the outlet is working ?

Steve
__________________
Steve,Marlena & kids
05 Powerstroke
07 3400RL

"Countless memories watching the kids grow up rving all over the USA"

//heartlandowners.org/images/misc/progress.gif​

 

[klindgren]

Thanks for all the replies folks. As I've said before you all are the greatest.

Now I have several things to check out when I get back to Virginia Sunday.

Couple of points, 1) I don't think (I know that's dangerous, me thinking) it's the inverter because I still have full power in the back half of the camper. 2) I tripped every single circuit breaker and then reset them. 3) Someone told me, if I do not have 110 power to the gfi circuit, it will not reset the breaker.

"Sounds like you have lost 1 leg of the AC power" jbeletti Jim, that is exactly what I thought. I just didn't know how to check it. Now I do. That's the first thing I will check when I get home. The second will be 2010August's suggestion on the auto transfer swithch because I don't have a generator yet, but I do have the gen prep.

Thanks again

Keith

 

[jbeletti]

Keith,

I was at the plant on Monday and took a picture of the inside of the AC panel. See my original reply.

Jim

 

[klindgren]

Keith,

I was at the plant on Monday and took a picture of the inside of the AC panel. See my original reply.

Jim

This is GREAT Jim. Thanks so much!!! Even a "non-mechanical dummy" like me can follow along with pictures like this one. You are the best. I'll try this as soon as I get home on Sunday.

Keith