Community Forums

mrk · 08-27-2014, 07:57 AM

Good morning all. Two weeks ago I bought a 1999 Tradewinds 7371 and I've been reading through the forum, trying to learn as much as I can about my coach.

I've gone through the first 50 pages od posts, but I haven't yet found the answer to a question I have: Under the sink and mounted to the inside of the cabinet is a circuit breaker box with two breakers. Beside it is what appears to be a wiring connection box, but I haven't opened it to confirm this.

One of the breakers is "in" and the other is "out". I haven't flipped either yet, as I'd prefer to know their purpose before tinkering with them.

Can anybody tell me the purpose of this circuit panel?

Thanks,
Dale

wa8yxm · 08-27-2014, 04:39 PM

I strongly suspect one of those breakers feeds your Microwave. the other televisions and such.. Most likely it is the Inverter SUB panel.

I assume you have a "MAIN" breaker box elsewhere.

Theberrys · 08-29-2014, 04:25 AM

My guess is the one OFF isn't connected and the one ON is for a add-on electric heating element in your water heater which is just inches from that location. Easy to check the water heater just drop the door and look in the lower left hand corner for two wires attached to a screwed in heater element.
I'm sure National didn't start shipping Electric/Gas Water Heaters until 2000 or 2001. Mine doesn't have a electric hookup and it isn't mentioned as an option in the sales pitch.

In case you didn't receive all the Documents for your coach, here is a link to all that came with mine.

https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=AE67F...2766057%212101

Dick

rvjimzhr · 08-29-2014, 09:22 AM

On my rig, each of the two circuits are labeled. One says "electrical outlets".....the other I'm not sure of since I'm not at the rig at the moment. I have found, finally, that the other controls the water heater. My problem was that I went years before I figured out that National had mis-marked them. You might plug something into the outlet in front of the sink and then flip the breakers to determine which one is for "outlets". Then flip the other breaker up/on and see if you don't get hot water.

mrk · 08-29-2014, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rvjimzhr

On my rig, each of the two circuits are labeled. One says "electrical outlets".....the other I'm not sure of since I'm not at the rig at the moment. I have found, finally, that the other controls the water heater. My problem was that I went years before I figured out that National had mis-marked them. You might plug something into the outlet in front of the sink and then flip the breakers to determine which one is for "outlets". Then flip the other breaker up/on and see if you don't get hot water.

Thanks for your help, gentlemen.

It looks like Jim gets the prize. I checked the "in" circuit last night and found that it turned off the GFI circuit for the outlets on the front of the sink and on the bottom of the upper cabinets that are on each side of the microwave. (Microwave appears to be on an unrelated circuit.)
The brochure for 1999 Tradewinds indicated that a gas/electric water heater was an option, but my unit does not have that option. I looked at the wiring reference material in Theberries link and it does appear that the second circuit is for the optional water heater.

Mystery solved. Thanks again for your advice and counsel. I'm sure I'll be looking for more of the same as I get familiar with my coach.

Dale