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PlayItForwrd · 09-08-2011, 07:26 PM

Been having this issue off and on since we bought the thing. It's been parked under cover for most of the summer, getting ready for vacation in 2 weeks, I just fired 'er up and checked everything out, and everything is working fine except this circuit. Only this circuit. Right now it seems totally dead...

Last time we used the MH was in May, and it was doing it's typical "thing", which was every so often (from 10 minutes to an hour, no pattern) the circuit would go dead, and then pop back on after a few minutes... As if the circuit is on a self-resetting circuit breaker. It does it whether on shore power, the genny or the inverter.

I'm thinking this circuit is tied-in with the inverter somehow. I have a full electrical schematic, but it's 40 miles away at the moment, and not sure it would help anyway...

Any answers?

garym114 · 09-08-2011, 07:32 PM

Plug into shore power and open the AC breaker to the inverter to see.
The inverter either makes 110v from 12v for AC loads connected to it or passes 110v through if on shore power to its loads.

randco · 09-09-2011, 06:29 AM

It sounds like a wire might be loose or the circuit is attached to or controlled by a printed circuit board. When the solder connections on the circuit board get warm they expand and can break their connection. When the board cools back down the circuit is made and the cycle repeats itself.

BCooke · 09-09-2011, 07:19 AM

Do you have power (when it is on) on that circuit with no shore or generator?
If not, disconnect all power and check all connections. Microwave and coffee pot are high draw items and could be causing swelling at a bad connection also. It may be at a outlet or under the circuit breaker or a screw. Another thing I have seen is wire nuts where they should not have them. If you find them make sure they have good connections.
If you have power off of the inverter you are probably looking at a inverter issue but would rule out the wiring, just to be sure.

RV Wizard · 09-09-2011, 07:44 AM

Since it is now completely dead, it will be easier to find the problem area. Also since it has happened in the past on any source, will is involving the inverter or a load circuit after the inverter. Start at the inverter 120vac junction box and verify that those connections are good. Then check the 120vac distribution panel for good connections at circuit breaker and neutral bar. Next move to the closer receptacles and check for good connections. If, after assuring all these connections are good, you find power is now restored, you have probably fixed the issue. If not, then give the inverter a very good rap. Sometimes, a loose control board connection inside the inverter can disrupt the power pass through or output of the inverter. If this, brings the power back on, the problem as been inside the inverter.
What model of inverter do you have? On many of the Xantrex inverters there is a .25 amp fuse on the control board that if blown, will not allow the inverter to pass power through it. Let us know what you find. Good luck and be careful with the power. You should disconnect the battery cable feeding the inverter to make connection checks and repairs. Also have the generator and shore power power off.

wa8yxm · 09-09-2011, 08:37 AM

Does this ONLY happen on shore power? Are you on 50 amps, and do you have two air conditioners?

If the answer to all the above is YES, turn both Air Conditioners on, Fan mode, high or low, don't matter.. If one of them comes and goes. You have a power cord issue...

How do I know this?

Simply.. I have (Had) such an issue.

When this coach was new I would occasionlly loose one leg of my 120vac.. now the inverter took over on the circuits you cited but it was still annoying.. Went to dealer for other warranty work and ask him to look into it.. he could not.

About a month ago I had same issue again.. This time I looked into it (Coach now six years old) and quickly found the screw loose.. On the Marinco INLET.. Tightened.

Later today if I get round to it I'm going to pull that connector and re-dress all the connections,, it needs it.

PlayItForwrd · 09-09-2011, 09:17 AM

Thanks for the repsonses!

As for high-load causing a problem, the circuit will come and go without anything on the circuit being used other than the digital display on the microwave (which is how I know when the circuit is cold)

I just went out and did some testing. Plugged in (just using a 15 amp extension cord w/adapters) I had power everywhere but the microwave circuit. Turning on the inverter while plugged in just makes the inverter light blink, so I turned it off. I unplugged the power cord, then turned on the inverter.

Then EVERYTHING worked. I turned off the inverter, then plugged back in, and everything still works. For how long, I don't know...

The first time I remember this happening we were inverting, and had the coffee pot on. The inverter eventually shut down, and the "fault" light was lit on the control panel. I assumed it was because the batteries were getting low. So I shut down the inverter and fired up the genny, but the microwave circuit (only) was still dead. It finally came back about 1/2 hour later...

FWIW, that was the only time we used the inverter for more than a few seconds.

Norm4015 · 09-09-2011, 09:30 AM

When my brother in law had problems with dropping electric we opened up his inverter (Heart). We found bad connections with melting wires on both the 110 volts going in the inverter and the 110 volts coming out. We cut off the bad wires and reconnected them good and tight and that fixed his problem.

Dacotah · 09-09-2011, 10:10 AM

We have exactly the same problem; the inverter does not pass through power properly. I removed it and sent it to a factory repair shop and they could not find anything wrong. After hooking it back up and checking all connections, the problem still exists. It affects every circuit on the inverter and comes and goes with no apparent reason. For our big trip in July, I bypassed the inverter and hooked the load directly to the breaker that feeds the inverter so we could have uninterupted power but no inverter. I will be very interested in what you find so I can start to figure mine out again. Good luck!! DACOTAH

PlayItForwrd · 09-09-2011, 12:46 PM

Here's my equipment, Heart freedom Combi...

wa8yxm · 09-09-2011, 01:43 PM

Full list of suspects (50 amp coach, NOTE on a 30 amp the first few will take out ALL power, not just selected circuits)

Power outlet (Is there power) Park or house
Plug, (Screw loose)
Cord outlet (If it has one) Screw loose (I had one fall off in my hand it was that loose)
Inlet on coach (Mine in fact had a screw loose)
Transfer switch, assorted issues including burned/pitted relays and screws loose.
Power distribution panel, Breaker not properly seated or screws loose
And my primary suspects follow:

Inverter: Input Bad connection (Screws loose or wire nuts loose depending)
Inverter: Power pass relay (See transfer switch above)
Inverter OUTPUT (See input)
Dow-line bad connection (rare but the outlets they use take an overload one time only)

And of course if there are any bends or juntion boxes in any of the lines... See loose wire nut.