Power Problems

[Goodold]

Hi...I have just recently purchased 2004 Fleetwood Pionner 18T6 and the interior lights, fridge, bath fan, stereo, and LP gas detector do not work when plugged into 120V. I had to use a combination of 120V (Plugs worked) 12V for lights, gas detector, etc and gas to run the fridge. Also, the battery does not seem to charge off of 120V as it should, had to keep running my truck.

I changed a 15 amp breaker and that doesn't seem to work, and am wondering if i'm dealing with an inverter/converter issue. Has anyone had a similar issue?
Thanks for any help you can provide!!

[wa8yxm]

Are you saying they do not work when plugged in but they DO work when not plugged in?

If so then check your fuse/breaker box.. Is the model either 6300 or 7300, make either Magnatek or Parallex? If yes, then go to best converter (Google it, Best Converter RV

And order something better, like a Progressive Dynamics 9260,, And the proper UPGRADE kit, He sells everythig you need.

Now if they do not work plugged in or not.. Well, then you have other problems, but please tell us the make and model of your converter.

On some converters it's on the door to the fuse/breaker box (Which will be a combined box in those cases, as are both of the models I mentioned above)

NOTE: if it says 6345, that is a 45 amp 6300.. Just so you know how they model them.

[Goodold]

Hi...to clarify, the interior lights, LP gas detector, stereo, bath fan, furnace, will only operate on 12v power, and the fridge only runs off of propane. None of these work on 120V as they should. Also, the battery did not seem to be receiving a charge when the trailer was plugged into 120V, I had to keep plugging into my truck and running it to charge the battery.

The 120V outlets operate when plugged into 120V (as they should) so the microwave and all 120V outlets work. I have also tested the one GFI plug and it operates properly also. It seems to me that would indicate an issue with the inverter/converter, but I am no electrician so I am only guessing.

I will check the make/model of converter today and post the info ASAP.
Thanks for your help.

[wa8yxm]

IS this a 30 or 50 amp rig?

ON a 50 amp rig there are TWO hot wires, Called L-1 and L-2 (leg 1 and 2 if you like)

You may have only one of them working.

If it is a 50, then even if you are using adapters to hook to lower size outlets, open the main breaker box.. NOTE: DANGEROUS CURRENT INSIDE< USE CAUTION!!

Find the two main breakers, the wires attached to them are incoming power

Carefully measure First to the WHITE wirer bus, then to the GREEN/Bare wire bus, then to each other

Breaker to white or Green/bare 120 volts

Breaker to breakr 240 if you are plugged into 50 amp, else zero

Replay back for more.

I recently had a brand new 50 amp cord, Sticker in window of trailer, the Marineco end fell off in my hand.

[Goodold]

Hi...it is a 30 amp system...I haven't used a voltage meter to check, but I guess i will try and maybe that will isolate the problem...any advice for a 30 amp system.

[wingnut60]

Suggest you pull the battery and have it load checked.

[RJay]

Start at the automatic transfer switch and check for voltage on the house side of the switch. You could also check the voltage at the main breaker in the AC panel since it will be easier. If no voltage at the main panel then check the automatic transfer witch. Have you tried running the generator and checking the equipment that's not working?

[Paul R. Haller]

What I'm hearing is that all 12 volt stuff should work while plugged into shore power and it's not. That indicates a converter problem. To clarify, an inverter changes 12 volts DC to 120 volts AC while a converter changes 120 volts AC to 12 Volts DC. It sounds as if the converter is not outputting the current to charge the battery and run other 12 volt stuff like lights and fridge. By the way even your fridge needs 12 volts to operate on 120volts ac because the circuit board gets it's power from the battery.
You need to do 2 things. Get a VOM capable of reading both 120 AC and 12 volts DC. First check voltage across the battery plugged into shore power. When plugged into 110 and with the converter working you should see about 13.2 - 14.2 volts DC across the battery(s) indicating the converter is trying to charge battery(s). If you are reading under 12.8 the converter is not outputting. Next, check the plug the converters plugged into for the presence of 110 AC there. If yes, check fuses in converter. If no, find out why no 110AC present. Now disconnect from shore power. Read across battery again. 12.8 is a fully charged 12 volt battery. 12.6 somewhat discharged... 12.4 fairly dischaged... 12.2 deeply discharged. under 12 volts... bad battery or completely discharged. If the converter is outputting between 13.2 1nd 14,2 but your battery is under 12.8 = bad battery. Take out the battery and charge it overnight on a stand alone charger. let it rest away from charger a few hours and read voltage again. it should read about 12.8 volts. if not... have it load tested at Auto zone.

I'm guessing here that you have 2 problems. 1, the battery is bad and 2, your converter is not charging. Buy a new battery igf voltage is not as specified and do a thourogh check of your converter. Often, even on new trailers, it's a piece of crap converter that only has 1 or 2 output voltages. You really need a quality converter to keep your batteries healthy.
Let us all know what you find.
-Paul R. Haller-