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Old 05-12-2013, 08:34 PM   #1
dottylou
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Join Date: May 2013
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Default lost electrical power when connected to shore power

We are new to camping and purchased a 2010 Sun voyager. Our first trip only lasted 24 hours because we lost electrical power even though we were connected to 50 amp shore line. First the lights started to dim then the fridge went out (not even enough power to switch to gas mode). we had the power switch to the coach ON but turned the power switch to the chassis OFF. Would that be enough to lose our power? Thank goodness we weren't too far from home. Any help anyone can give us with help. Otherwise I guess we need to get rid of this RV.
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Old 07-23-2013, 03:44 PM   #2
GULFSTREAMER37
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Default Re: lost electrical power when connected to shore power

Check the Transfer switch.
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Old 07-24-2013, 09:53 AM   #3
jpf
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Default Re: lost electrical power when connected to shore power

if it dwindled away then it was your 12v coach batteries going flat.
let me backtrack and explain your systems a bit. for simplicity's sake you have 3 power sources in an RV:

coach batteries
generator
shore power.

when you connect shore power, AC current travels down the cable (possibly through a surge protector) and into your coach through a box called an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS). The ATS is designed to automatically switch your AC power source between the generator (which also produces AC power) and shore power. the generator takes priority so if you have shore power connected and turn on your generator, the generator will supply AC (as soon as the generator warms up and is stable) and shore power will be disconnected until such time as you turn the generator off. That's all the ATS does.. switch between generator or shore cable and avoid any electrical mayhem that would result if both were supplying AC to the coach at the same time. with 50amp there are two 110V lines instead of one and that makes things a little more technical (which I won't go into).

so 2 types of power are required by a coach; 12V for 12V systems like lights, smoke detectors and the fridge and 110V for the TV, microwave, etc. Air conditioning can use both 110v mainly but 12V for the thermostat. The power coming from the ATS goes to another box(es) called a 'power converter'. a distribution panel is either part of the same box or is close by. This box(es) has three jobs;
1. is to provide 110V AC which is distributed throughout the coach via a set of circuit breakers usually accessible via a removable panel (on the front of the power converter or via a distribution panel, just like home).
2. is to distribute 12V throughout the coach.. except because it's 12V, the fuses are like what you find in a car or truck.
Often the 110V breakers and 12V fuses are two sides of the same panel.
3. the Big Thing.. the power converter also charges your coach batteries (which keep your lights and fridge going).

to test I'd turn all those switches you talked about (compartment, step, chassis) on. Don't turn appliances themselves on. Flip your breakers off and back on. Check your fuses by pulling them out and checking they're still good and replace if necessary. Go to your coach battery bank and make sure that if you have a switch there (on the side maybe) that it is also on, same if you have another in the foot well. You will need a simple multi-meter. If you can connect to power at home (I use a pigtail), do that, if not start up your generator (if you can). If you can't your will have to get your coach batteries charged before continuing so you can start your generator.
Once you have shore or generator power running. put a multi-meter across the +ive and -ive termials on one of your coach batteries. It should read 13.6-13.8 volts if your power converter is working.
If you could start your generator and also if you read 13.6V on your coach battery terminals then you might've fixed your problem by flipping switches. Your lights should be working again.
I think it's a battery charging problem because of your description. If everything comes back if you charge your coach batteries (somehow) then either the circuit breaker(s) for the power converter has tripped or the converter itself is bad.

Any info on your progress would be grateful. I'd hate to see anyone put off from rv'ing this way and am happy to help in any way I can.
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Old 07-24-2013, 10:17 AM   #4
GULFSTREAMER37
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Posts: 54
Default Re: lost electrical power when connected to shore power

Quote:
Originally Posted by jpf
if it dwindled away then it was your 12v coach batteries going flat.
let me backtrack and explain your systems a bit. for simplicity's sake you have 3 power sources in an RV:

coach batteries
generator
shore power.

when you connect shore power, AC current travels down the cable (possibly through a surge protector) and into your coach through a box called an Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS). The ATS is designed to automatically switch your AC power source between the generator (which also produces AC power) and shore power. the generator takes priority so if you have shore power connected and turn on your generator, the generator will supply AC (as soon as the generator warms up and is stable) and shore power will be disconnected until such time as you turn the generator off. That's all the ATS does.. switch between generator or shore cable and avoid any electrical mayhem that would result if both were supplying AC to the coach at the same time. with 50amp there are two 110V lines instead of one and that makes things a little more technical (which I won't go into).

so 2 types of power are required by a coach; 12V for 12V systems like lights, smoke detectors and the fridge and 110V for the TV, microwave, etc. Air conditioning can use both 110v mainly but 12V for the thermostat. The power coming from the ATS goes to another box(es) called a 'power converter'. a distribution panel is either part of the same box or is close by. This box(es) has three jobs;
1. is to provide 110V AC which is distributed throughout the coach via a set of circuit breakers usually accessible via a removable panel (on the front of the power converter or via a distribution panel, just like home).
2. is to distribute 12V throughout the coach.. except because it's 12V, the fuses are like what you find in a car or truck.
Often the 110V breakers and 12V fuses are two sides of the same panel.
3. the Big Thing.. the power converter also charges your coach batteries (which keep your lights and fridge going).

to test I'd turn all those switches you talked about (compartment, step, chassis) on. Don't turn appliances themselves on. Flip your breakers off and back on. Check your fuses by pulling them out and checking they're still good and replace if necessary. Go to your coach battery bank and make sure that if you have a switch there (on the side maybe) that it is also on, same if you have another in the foot well. You will need a simple multi-meter. If you can connect to power at home (I use a pigtail), do that, if not start up your generator (if you can). If you can't your will have to get your coach batteries charged before continuing so you can start your generator.
Once you have shore or generator power running. put a multi-meter across the +ive and -ive termials on one of your coach batteries. It should read 13.6-13.8 volts if your power converter is working.
If you could start your generator and also if you read 13.6V on your coach battery terminals then you might've fixed your problem by flipping switches. Your lights should be working again.
I think it's a battery charging problem because of your description. If everything comes back if you charge your coach batteries (somehow) then either the circuit breaker(s) for the power converter has tripped or the converter itself is bad.

Any info on your progress would be grateful. I'd hate to see anyone put off from rv'ing this way and am happy to help in any way I can.
Converters do not supply 110 volts they only convert 110 AC to 12V DC, for the house and charge the coach batteries.

Inverters can take 12V DC and invert it to 110V AC, and charge your house batteries via a 12V charging output that also supplies 12V to the House.
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