Newby Questions

[Taylorsville]

I'm new to this site and wasn't exactly sure where to put this so it's in here a few times! Just purchased a used 2007 22' Starcraft Hybrid from a private seller who never got to use it. I have a few questions I was hoping to get help with. He was the second owner and it set for the last year. After going over some things I purchased it, but he was not very helpful on answering a few questions and so I have recently found a problem. I hooked the camper up to my house electric and everything worked great for a little while, but then I noticed the lights on the microwave stopped working and then noticed nothing was working. I checked the breakers and they were fine as was the electric from the house. After shutting breakers off, unplugging and then plugging the electric back in I turned the breakers back on and everything works fine, again for awhile and then for some reason everything goes out again. Can anyone give me an idea as to what might be causing this?

The last question is I wanted to check the heater out which runs off gas. I switched the thermistat to high, but am not sure where the heat comes out, unless it's up on top the ceiling where the a/c controls are, but we waited for awhile and couldn't feel a difference from any vent nor could I hear anything from anywhere. Was wondering if it came out forced through the vent under the fridge and I just couldn't feel it OR do I have to turn the fan on where the a/c controls are and wait for it to get warm? All the other gas operated appliances work, like the burners and the fridge that runs off gas gets cold real quick. There was no manuals that I can find with the camper, but it honestly looks hardly used inside and out. ANY help would be appreciated as I'm sure it's probably small stuff I do not know about. I am very handy and work on most all of my vehicles and home renovations, but the camper thing is way new to me. Thanks everyone in advance for the help!

[Snoopkat]

First quetion.....you are probably hooked up to a 20 amp circuit in the house. If your camper is a 30 amp you'll need a 30 amp circuit from the house to run everything properly....just make sure the amp rating on the camper matches the circuit you are hooking up to at the house.
Second question...may also be an electrical issue. Here's a link. Go to the top of the page and enter the info on your rig and you may find your owner's manual: Starcraft 2013. Good luck!

[Taylorsville]

Sofakleez, Actually it was hooked up to 15 amp service. I know the camper has a 30amp hook up, but I got the plug adapter to step down to plug into a extension cord so I didn't think it would hurt anything. I actually printed off a copy of my camper manual, but I didn't really see anything in it that would be of help to me, but I haven't had time to read it all through yet. Thanks for any and all help!

Rod

[John H...]

Rod, not exactly sure, but maybe you have a bad main breaker that kicks after it gets warm. As far as the 15 amp circuit, you are OK as long as you don't exceed it's capacity. It may run the A/C by it's self but will kick if you try the microwave or vice versa.
The grill under you fridge is more than likely your cold air return for the furnace, which should be there. Check outside where the furnace shouild be and remove the cover. Some have a reset button by the gas valve. If it's working properly, you will hear it light off. Do you have vents in the floor?? Good luck ...

[Taylorsville]

Thanks for the reply! I was kind of wrong on a earlier statement I made. Here’s exactly what I have done / noticed. When I first plug camper into 110 15amp plug and flip all my breakers on everything comes on and works and I notice that the fan kicks on at the breaker box by the floor. After a min or so the fan kicks off and then after a little time the microwave light goes out and fridge kicks off, BUT I still have overhead lights that work, I’m assuming off the battery. After I unplug the extension cord, turn off the breakers, plug the extension cord back in, turn the breakers back on everything works again for awhile. Something else I noticed was when I turned on a light switch the fan will stay on all the time and so does the microwave and fridge. It will stay on until I shut that light off and then the fan will eventually go off and then not long after the power to microwave and fridge will go out. I haven’t had it hooked up to a 30 amp yet at a park, which I’m gona do this weekend to see how it does.

As for the heater I’ll look for the vent. I think one of them is under the fridge. Any other advice is greatly appreciated.

[Snoopkat]

Taylorsville.....does your rig have an energy management system. If so, those will cut back loads systematically if you are asking too much from a shore circuit. Still betting that if you put a 30 amp circuit to the garage, you'd solve the issue. Maybe not but worth a try. Good luck!

[Taylorsville]

I do not know if it has an energy management system. I agree that once I hook it up to 30amp it will be o.k. I'm wondering if my battery is going bad and not charging as well. I pushed my check battery switch inside camper and it says dead, but was wondering if the breakers have to be switched on to check battery voltage. Also, I only have one vent in the entire camper. Not sure if it's the heater vent or what since it's under fridge and do I have a cold air return?? I took some pics and downloaded to the site, but how can I get them so everyone can see them. I took pics of the outside exhaust that I think is for the heater, the only vent in the camper, the thermistat for the heater and the controls on the upper a/c unit that looks to have a heater setting, but was told I'm suppose to use the thermistat so I'm a little more than confused. UGH.....

[Snoopkat]

These vents look like they're for a fridge. It's propane when not hooked up to a shore line and electric when traveling or not hooked up. Your heat/cold control looks like it might be for a heat pump. Did you see something resembling a heat pump on the roof? You should probably get a multi-meter at Lowes or Home Depot to check your battery. Easy to use and useful for any number of tests on the electrical system. Good luck!

[Superslif]

"CSMC Chronogical list of ski trips" section

That fan that comes on it a cooling fan for your inverter. Ours does the same thing usually after I turn on the 2nd light.

I pushed my check battery switch inside camper and it says dead, but was wondering if the breakers have to be switched on to check battery voltage

Is there a date on the battery. Usually you get only 3 years out of a battery.
If you have all the breakers turned on and you are hooked up to shore power, it should charge your battery. Have the battery checked out.....But inverters are known to go bad. Your inverter will charge the battery and convert 110 v down to 12 volts to power your lights, furnace in your tt.

[BFlinn181]

I'd guess you have a dead battery after sitting for a year or more. Without the 12v battery, your thermostat won't work which won't work your furnace. A CONVERTER changes 120 v AC to 12 v DC and also usually has ability to charge 12 v batteries. An INVERTER changes 12 v to 120 v and can be used to operate some 120 v AC items while on battery alone. Take the battery out and take it to an Auto parts store to load test the battery.

Most of the lights in most RVs work on 12 v DC. You might have a few lights that work on 120 v AC when on shore power. If you have a good battery, leave it unplugged from shore cord and try all the lights. If one doesn't come on, it's either burned out or perhaps a 120 v AC circuit, identifiable by a sticker, the wiring, or switch type, perhaps.

I'm puzzled why your power fails after a period of time without tripping a breaker. As long as you don't draw too much power, you are fine on a 15 amp home circuit. Installing a 30 amp service is not needed unless you plan to use the Air Conditioner or plan to live in the trailer in your yard. In the photo, you have a refridgerator vent on top with the 3 horizontal louvers. I don't know about the hose coming out through it, that's not standard and could cause trouble if it is close to the burner in the back of the refridgerator. The exhaust for the furnace is the rectangle below the 'fridge vent, it has an exhaust coming out of it. The interior photo shows the furnace under the refrigerator.

Take the time to write down the manufacturer, model number, and serial number of every system in your camper. You can then google the manufacturer and usually download PDF files of the operating manuals for each item.

[oldtool2]

The first photo is for your air conitioner. The heat is optional and it most likely is not installed. For heat use your thermostat. Make sure you are plugged into your 110ac, sense you are not sure your battery is good, and your propane is on. Then turn the stat up and the heater should come on.

In order for the heater to work you need 12 volts for it to ignite. Either your battery must be working or the converter must be on and working. It converts 110ac to 12 volts dc so you need one or the other to light the heater.

The upper outside vent is for your fridge. The 2 round ones are for your heater that appears to be mounted below your fridge.

[ddemme]

Hi Taylorsville, welcome to the hybrid club! Here's my thoughts on your issues:
1. The power issue is converter/battery related. My guess is that the converter is overheating and shutting down because it is either trying to charge a dead battery or IRS just gone bad. Either issue is an easy fix.
2. You have a non-ducted a/c and a non-ducted heater. The pic of the outside shows the large, plastic fridge grill and the small, metal furnace grill below it. The interior pic confirms it. That brown grate is your furnace. It IS gas, but it needs 12v DC from the battery or converter for the ignition and blower. So, get the power issue fixed first.

Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[wingnut60]

Minor add: the black hose coming out of the vent on the side is the defrost line to drain water out of the fridge when it defrosts.

Agree it is a non-ducted A/C and heater.

First pic shows A/C controls with position for heatstrip, if equipped. This has nothing to do with furnace.

Thermostat controls the furnace only, has nothing to do with A/C.

Agree this is mostly battery/converter related. Get battery charged and checked under load, replace it if needed. Very few electrical items will work correctly without a good battery.

How long/wire gauge is the extension cord you are using--that could be part of the problem.

Joe

[ontario1]

not sure if this will help but my jayco has a little on/off switch located behind the brown furnace cover that controls the igniter, if i turn on my thermostat with that switch off it wont kick on
good luck!